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Last time I was discussing the stages of change that you should be aware of if you are trying to make changes to live a healthy lifestyle. This article gives you a great insight into whether you are ready to make changes now. If you are you should note the importance of goal setting in behavior change. What I mean by that is identifying goals is a crucial element of making lifestyle changes (1.). But that’s not the end of the story. Setting SMART Goals could really lead you to success in behavior change to improve health and fitness. As a result of this today I would like to talk about what SMART goals stand for and why they might be better than just setting random goals.

What does SMART stand for?

SMART is an acronym for the attributes of goal setting such as: 

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Relevant
• Time-Bound

Let’s discuss one by one!

SPECIFIC

Setting successful goals equals setting specific goals. They must be specific enough in order to pursue them. Avoid setting vague goals.

If your goal is to lose weight then instead of getting in shape you should shoot for goals such as I will prepare a healthy dinner every other evening.

A specific goal like this could really set you up for behavior change which is the key to a lifestyle change.

MEASURABLE

The goal you set should allow you to measure success. The easiest way to set a measurable goal is to include numbers. Examples of measurable goals:

• Only smoking 2 cigarettes a week,
• Only drinking 2 glasses of wine a week
• Sleeping 8 hours a day
• Exercising 30 minutes every day

ATTAINABLE

The goal should be within reach. What I mean by that is you should feel you will be able to pursue it.

What you should be aware of here if your goal is more complex and you are not sure about the success you should be thinking of breaking this bigger goal into smaller goals. 

In this case, focusing on the process of attaining your goals instead of the product of your goals could be beneficial.

Instead of saying ‘ I will lose 5 pounds by the end of the month’ you should consider setting a goal such as I will exercise 2-3 times a week for 60 minutes and I will cut back sugar consumption to only twice a week.’

It is good to have a product goal -such as losing 5 pounds – in mind, but without the process goal the product goal will not likely happen. And in case you only lose 4 pounds you could still be proud that you pursued the process goal which helped you lose 4 pounds.

RELEVANT

The goal you set must be relevant for you, because if it really matters to you then you have a better chance of reaching it.

Let’s take an example. Simply setting a goal such as lowering your blood pressure might not seem very exciting for you. However, saying I will prepare a healthy pancake without sugar and with oat flour because you love pancakes is a relevant goal. Regarding relevant goals, the power of process goals over product goals is important again. 

TIME-BOUND

When you are setting a goal, you usually envision a deadline and that is a very useful thing to do. A deadline gives you more motivation and discipline in terms of reaching your goal.

So instead of setting a goal such as ‘I will run the marathon,’ a goal such as ‘I will run the marathon this fall’ will tick the time-bound box.

Why are SMART goals better?

As I previously discussed a smart goal includes characteristics that will make the goal setting more successful than just coming up with random goals. And the chance of success will lead you to action which is necessary for change. If you succeed at the end that will give you the power to not give up.

I would like to emphasize again that focusing on process goals along with product goals is crucial since process goals are the ones that include action. And when you set-up a timeline, think about the attribute of ATTAINABLE! What I mean by that is the deadline should be realistic.

Setting such a goal as losing 20 pounds in 30 days is neither very realistic nor healthy if you think about that, especially if you have a high energy-consuming job. Make sure that the goal is reachable. If you have a busy job for instance creating a goal like losing 5 to 10 pounds in 30 days is more realistic which will set you up for success.

So let me know in the comment below what is your smart goal?

Do you need assistance in setting a SMART health and fitness goal? For a limited amount of time, I am offering health coaching for testimonials.

Write an email to eszter@wellnesswitheszter.com now in order to learn more about the opportunity if you are interested in health coaching to improve your health and fitness!

Stay safe and healthy,

Eszter

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