Are you setting some health goals
for 2020? Every year people have good
intentions and make some New Year’s resolutions. And then people keep those resolutions for
about a month and then backslide.
Actually, many people don’t even last a month. Statistics show about 75% of us last only
about a week,
while less than half of us last 6 months . Setting
health goals for the new year is a good idea.
But how can you set some health goals you are more likely to keep? In the nutrition class I teach, we talk about
setting SMART goals. SMART is an acronym
for setting goals that is often attributed to Peter Drucker in Management by
Objectives. Although used in
business, one can also set SMART goals for their health. What are SMART goals and how can you set some
health goals for 2020 that you may actually keep longer than a week or a few
months?
When setting health goals for
2020, focus on goals that are very clear and attainable. Each goal should be:
Specific: The goal should be very specific and state
what you will be doing.
NOT: I will exercise more.
YES: I will walk at lunch for 20 minutes every work
day.
Measurable: Set a goal that you can easily measure.
NOT: I will eat healthier in 2020. So often my students say things like this, “I
will eat healthier”, yet have no specifics as to what this means. Eating healthier doesn’t mean eating gluten
free or giving up carbs.
YES: I will eat a piece of fruit at lunch every
day. So simple, so easy to measure and
so achievable. By eating a piece of whole fruit every day,
you’ve added vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber to your day. Some other very measurable eating goals to try:
o
I will bring a yogurt with me every day to work
and eat at lunch or as a snack.
o
I will drink a glass of 100% juice every day at
breakfast.
o
I will eat a banana every day at breakfast.
o
I won’t order sweetened tea or soda but
unsweetened tea or just drink plain water.
 |
| Bring some fresh fruit for lunch every day. |
Achievable: One can set health goals that are challenging
but you also want to set a goal that you can reach.
NOT: I will go to the gym every day. How realistic is this? You may start out the year hitting the gym
but then stop going after a week or so.
I have known people who set this type of goal, then join a gym but never
actually go to the gym. Or, they join a
gym, pay for 5 personal training sessions and then after the 5 training
sessions they stop going for the rest of the year.
YES: I will exercise each weekend for an
hour. This could be riding a bike, going
for a hike, going swimming at the gym, taking an aerobics class. Or even doing chores, like raking leaves, shoveling
snow, washing the car. One doesn’t have
to go to the gym to get “exercise”. By trying
to get in an hour over a weekend, one can fit this hour in anytime over the
weekend. Once I wanted to get more aerobic
exercise, but had little time available during the week. So, I joined an aerobics class that met from
9-10 AM every Saturday morning.
NOT: I will run 5 miles a day when you hate
running and have never gone running before.
YES: I will go hiking once a month during
2020. You enjoy hiking but don’t always
take the time to do so. Find some new
places to hike. Or, set a goal of, “I
will take the kids to the park to play and hike each month during 2020”. An achievable goal that will give your kids
some play time and you can enjoy a family walk once a month. Make going to the park even more fun by
packing a picnic lunch to enjoy. Or, in
colder climates, take along a thermos of hot chocolate to enjoy.
Time-based: Set a realistic time frame for
meeting your goal. Can you accomplish
your goal every day, every month or by six months into the year?
NOT: I will be healthier by the end of 2020.
YES: I will keep track of how often I eat a piece
of fruit at lunch every day. I will track
each month that I go on a hike (or take my kids to the park to play and hike.)
What is the advantage of setting SMART
goals? Using the SMART tool helps you
make health goals that are achievable and measurable. By setting SMART goals, maybe in 2020, you
can actually accomplish your goals and not abandon them after a few weeks.
Who can’t reach a goal of eating a
piece of fruit at lunch every day? Choose
changes that you can easily succeed at, yet goals that will lead to a healthier
you. For example, last year my sister
was told by a health professional to add a vegetable to her lunch every
day. My sister packed her lunch every
day and included a vegetable. This was an
easy thing to do, but oh so good for her health. What simple, easy health goals will you set
for yourself in 2020?
Wishing you a healthier 2020.
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| Drink some 100% orange juice for breakfast every day. |
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