S.M.A.R.T. Goals

We are now in the home stretch until the New Year begins.  It’s a great time to assess your health and set S.M.A.R.T. goals so you can look and feel your best.

What is a S.M.A.R.T. Goal?

S.M.A.R.T. stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely (or Time-Oriented)

Specific: Be very specific when setting your goals.  The five W’s will help you create your goal.  Who does the goal involve? What is the goal? Why are you setting this goal? Where will you start? Which will you need?  To apply this to your health, start asking yourself these questions. Do you want to lose 5 pounds? Do you want to maintain your current weight? Do you want to begin an exercise program? Start brainstorming and write the answers down to set your specific goal.

Measureable: Now that you have been specific in setting your goal, it is time to ask yourself how much? How many? How will I know if the goal is accomplished?  For example, I will walk 2 miles.

Achievable: Are your goals achievable?  Make sure they are attainable or you will not follow through.  If you are able to complete your goals, that will encourage you to go a step beyond with your next goal and so on. Do not set a goal to run the NYC marathon if you’ve never trained for a run before.  Start with a half marathon which might be more achievable.

Realistic: Make your goals realistic.  If you set a goal to lose 20 pounds in the next month, is that really realistic?  Set yourself up for success by making sure your goals are realistic.

Timely: Setting a specific time to accomplish your goal brings clarity to what you expect of yourself.  Don’t skip this step; it’s key!

Here’s an example of a S.M.A.R.T. goal:

I will walk in my neighborhood. (Specific)

I will walk for 2 miles or 45 minutes (Measurable)

I can easily walk this distance (Achievable)

I have the time after dinner instead of sitting in the recliner. (Reasonable)

I will walk 5 nights per week. (Time-oriented)

Your turn to take action:  What are your S.M.A.R.T. goals for the remainder of the year?

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