It’s the beginning of another new year. Did you set New Year's resolutions or goals?
With the new year there’s a sense of a fresh start and new opportunity. Motivation is high, for a few days or weeks at least, and the list of things we want to accomplish is made. How often do we start the new year with high expectations, only to get into February, maybe March, before motivation is lost and no real change is made.
A goal without a plan is just a wish – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
If you set goals, did you create a plan? Were you specific about what you want to accomplish and a time frame? For example, if your goal is to drink more water every day, how are you going to accomplish that, and how much water is "more water". To set realistic and attainable goals, you'll be more successful if you're very specific in what and how.
A good way to set goals is to use the SMART goal setting process. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Based. While not all goals may need to include all these components, most goals should include at least 3 of these pieces.
For example, the water goal, rather than setting a goal of drink more water in the day, to be SPECIFIC, set a goal of how much water you want to drink every day, such as 80 ounces. The more specific you are in setting your goals, the easier they will be to accomplish.
Breaking that 80-ounces of water a day goal down into smaller amounts throughout the day will help even more. Such as starting with 12-16 ounces in the morning before coffee, tea, or any other beverages, especially if they contain caffeine or sugar. Then, focus on consuming another 20-30 ounces before noon, so you'll be halfway there. Plan on 20-30 ounces between noon and 4:00 pm, and the final 10-20 ounces finished at least 2 hours before bed. Breaking down your goal into smaller sub-goals will help your goal be MEASURABLE and ACHIEVABLE.
ACHIEVABLE goals are also realistic, if you currently only drink 20-30 ounces of water a day, increasing to 100-120 ounces may not realistic, or even necessary. 80 ounces of water is likely an ideal amount for most, though not all, people. Which is why it is important to make sure your goals are RELEVANT.
If your goal doesn’t support an actual improvement in your life, it may not be relevant and worth making the changes. For example, if you already drink 80-100 ounces of water a day, does your body need more based on your activity level and consumption of other food and beverages in the day? If not, then spending the time and energy to increase your water consumption may not be worth it.
Finally, is your goal TIME-BOUND. In our water example, this isn’t a change that we typically try to achieve for a short period of time, the goal is more enduring. Breaking down the goal into smaller amounts throughout the day, does include a level of time measurement. Another example of using time when it comes to goals could be related to something that has a more definitive end point, such as weight loss, weight gain, or a physical achievement like running a marathon.
If the goal is weight loss or gain, setting a specific weight or pant/dress/shirt size to achieve in a specific period, like 6 months helps keep your goal on track. The same is true for physical achievements, such has improving running speed or strength. After setting a specific, and realistic, date to achieve the long-term end goal, then break that down into smaller, short-term goals, like our water example. For weight loss or gain, set realistic and achievable 4-6 weeks goals to help keep you on track for your long-term goal.
If you have health and wellness related goals, working with a professional like a Health Coach, Personal Trainer, or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist will increase your likelihood of success. A professional can help you set realistic goals, support you through the process, and provide accountability. Reach out to several professionals and find the one that fits your budget (working with a RDN may be covered by health insurance) and you connect with well, because not all professionals may be a good fit for you.
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