The Secret to Keeping Your New Year’s Resolution

Eat healthy

Exercise

Save money

Do these New Year’s resolutions sound familiar? Do you set similar ones every year? If you find yourself running out of steam to keep your New Year’s resolutions year after year, think about setting some SMART goals. SMART goals are specific and bite-sized, making it easier to take a goal like ‘eat healthy’ and make it happen. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Let’s take a look at how SMART goals work, using the idea of eat healthy.

Specific: Focus on one thing you want to change, rather than everything. If you want to eat healthier, what is one thing you can do? Examples: I will eat more vegetables. I will drink less soda.

Measurable: How will you measure your goal? Attach a number to your specific goal. Examples: I will have 1 vegetable with dinner. I will drink soda 1 time per day instead of 2.

Attainable- Pick one thing you can do, starting today. For example: I will make roasted vegetables to have with dinner tonight. I will stop drinking soda in the morning.

Relevant- Make sure your goal makes sense for you and your life. If you already eat plenty fruits or exercise regularly, focus on a different goal. For example: I only eat one vegetable a  day. I will eat two vegetables a day by adding a vegetable at dinner. I drink 2 sodas a day. I will switch my morning soda to water.

Time-bound- Give your goal an end-date to see how it went and to set a new goal. For example: I will have a vegetable with dinner 3 nights this week. I will drink one soda a day for a week.

Eat Healthy SMART Goals examples:

I want to eat more vegetables. I will add a vegetable to my dinner 3 times this week by making roasted vegetables and will add that recipe to my menu plan, so I do not forget.

I want to drink less soda. I will drink 1 soda a day this week by drinking water in the morning instead of soda.

Reaching goals is about small steps, not huge changes. Small changes over time can make a big difference in your health, and are often easier to keep doing than big changes. Breaking a big goal into small goals by using SMART goals also makes the goal easier to reach, because a SMART goal gives you specific steps to take each day or week. As you set your SMART goals this year, remember to make every bite count and make changes that help you feel great!