by Brandi Olden, R.D., C.D.
Summer is coming to a close and the holiday season is looming before us. Now is a great time to re-assess your health and fitness goals, before the season of parties and tempting foods garnishes your table. Ask yourself these simple questions to understand where you are at in terms of your personal nutrition and exercise goals:
- What were the goals I wanted to achieve this year? Did I make 1-3 goals this year?
- Which ones can I cross off as having been accomplished already?
- Were my expectations reasonable? If some of my goals aren't getting done, do I need to modify them to make them more realistic? (For example, you may have set a goal to meal track completely every day yet find that you are only able to complete 5 days of the week instead of 7. Perhaps re-setting your goals to meal tracking diligently 5 days a week is more realistic for you.)
When setting goals, did you think of these goals on your own or did you get the idea from a group member or one of your providers? No matter what inspired you to set these as personal goals, it is important to remember that this is something YOU want to do, not because you were told to do it. Realistic goals will help set you up for success.
When setting goals it is important that you use some S.M.A.R.T. thinking.
S - Specific - When you set a goal you want to achieve, make the goal specific in detail. "I want to lose weight," or "I want to be more fit," are goals that are just too general. Get specific by making it fun, exciting, and challenging. Examples may be: Eat 5 oz protein at lunch and dinner with 3 servings of vegetables 6 days per week or run a 5K under 30 minutes. The more specific the goal is, the easier it is to visualize yourself achieving that goal.
M - Measurable - Measureable goals give you the freedom to define your motivation level. If you are really motivated to increase how many vegetables you eat each day, define that for yourself. What does it mean to increase your veggie intake? If you are already eating 4 servings per day, a measurable goal could be to aim for 5 to 6 servings per day. Setting a distance or number is a key aspect in achieving any goal. If you are a numbers-oriented enthusiast, this is your time to shine! Set goals with certain purposes like eating 2 servings of fruit per day or running 5 miles. Have fun with the numbers!
A - Attainable - Make sure your goal is reachable. If running is new to you, finishing a marathon may not be the first thing on your to do list. Shoot for something that is easier to achieve such as running a mile or interval runs on the treadmill. Another example is planning ahead with cooking. If cooking is not your forte' an attainable goal may be to purchase a new cookbook and experiment with one new recipe a week. If you set smaller goals, you will eventually be able to achieve the larger goal you've been trying to achieve.
R - Realistic - Keep the goal realistic and simple. I want to lose 100 lbs is not realistic if you have given yourself only a few months to do it. Instead, focus on realistic behaviors that will help you to eventually reach this goal, like meal tracking regularly. If you are just starting to get back into the gym, don't make your goal to complete an IronmanTM. Keep it within your level of fitness. Be realistic about the goals you set. If you shoot too far, you may lose motivation of that goal. Talking with your trainer and dietitian will help you be more grounded in your goal making approach.
T - Time - Your health and fitness goals need to be reached within a realistic time period. If you want to lose 10 lbs., give yourself enough time to reach it. On average, a person can lose about 1-2 lbs. a week with a proper diet and exercise program. Losing 20 lbs. in 2 weeks is not a realistic goal. Give yourself ample time such as 10 weeks to reach that weight.
Connecting with a 20/20 Lifestyles dietitian to discuss your meal tracking and health goals can ensure that the goals you set are S.M.A.R.T. For more information contact (425) 861-6258.