The start of a new year is often a time of reflection, resolutions and goal setting. To make nutrition related changes that last, make sure your goals are SMART. You’ve likely heard of SMART goals before, but what are they all about?
Smart Goals
S –SPECIFIC
M – MEASURABLE and MEASURED
A –ACTION-ORIENTED
R – REALISTIC
T – TIME-FRAMED
Let’s say you want to eat more fruits or vegetables; how can we make this goal SMART?
Be Specific:
Use numbers: how many times do you want to do this behaviour? How are you going to do it? For how long? In this example: How many servings of fruit/vegetable would you like to add, how many times a week do you want to add them
How will you track your progress? (Measured):
Do you work best by measuring your goals in a journal, your calendar, a phone app? Everyone is different so experiment with what works for you!
Making it Realistic – Start small so that you’re more likely to achieve it! Ask yourself: How sure am I that I can reach this goal on a scale of 1-10?
Time framed:
When will you start? When do you want to achieve your goal by?
SMART goal example:
Starting tomorrow, I will add one serving of fruit to my oatmeal at breakfast 3 days a week. I will measure how many times I’ve done this in my habit tracker app. Once I achieve this goal 3 weeks in a row, I will adjust it to add more fruits and vegetables.
Achieve by: February 07, 2023
Tips to help you reach your goals! Consider the obstacles in your way. By knowing your obstacles, you can plan around them!
Examples:
- If you often don’t have fruits at home – keep bulk fruits in the freezer so they last longer
- No time to make breakfast – try overnight oats
Try adding foods instead of removing them – add whole grains, fruits or veg
When you try to remove foods from your meals, you are more likely to feel restricted. This can lead to overeating those restricted foods the next time they are available.
If you have any nutrition-related questions, email askadietitian@carleton.ca!
Monday, January 9, 2023 in Ask a Dietitian, Nutrition Blog
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