Goal Setting for a Healthier You - Part 1 : How to set Health Goal
Setting health goals is a foundational step towards achieving a healthier lifestyle. But most of us often fall short of meeting them or give up halfway through the year. So how do you set goals that are effective, realistic, and motivating? Whether you’re looking to improve your nutrition, increase physical activity, or enhance your mental well-being, the right approach to goal setting can make all the difference. Here are some tips to help you create health goals that stick.
Take Time to Reflect
Before we jump straight into goal setting, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on your current health:
What aspects are thriving?
Where do you see room for improvement?
Whether it's hormonal balance, gut health, or overall well-being, identifying your specific areas of focus will help guide your goal-setting process.
Setting S.M.A.R.T. Health Goals
I know we’ve all heard about SMART goals before and you are probably rolling your eyes at me thinking not this again! But here me out. The reasons why you keep hearing about it is because it works. I am going to break it down for you and show you how to write SMART health goals.
(S) Be Specific
Broad goals like “get healthy” or “I want to be fit” are too vague. Specific goals such as “eat three servings of vegetables daily” or “meditate for 10 minutes each morning” give you a clear target to hit. This makes it easier to plan your actions and track your progress.
(M) Make It Measurable
Attach numbers to your goals. If you want to increase your water intake, decide on the exact amount you’ll drink each day. Instead of saying “I want to drink more water” say “I want to drink 8 glasses a day”. This will allow you to track your progress and celebrate along the way.
(A) Keep It Achievable
While it’s great to aim high, your goals should be within reach. If you don’t currently exercise, a goal of running a marathon in a month might be setting yourself up for failure. Instead, a goal of walking 30 minutes a day is both challenging and achievable.
(R) Be Relevant
Your health goals should be relevant to you and your values. If you value family time, consider setting a goal to prepare healthy family dinners three times a week. When your goals align with what’s important to you, you’re more likely to commit.
(T) Set Time-Bound Goals
Every goal needs a deadline. It creates a sense of urgency and helps you stay focused. Without a timeframe, there's no sense of urgency, which can lead to procrastination and we have all been there. Instead of saying ‘I’ll start exercising’, say ‘I’ll begin next Monday and workout three times a week for the next month’.
Some examples of SMART Goals
Achieve a consistent bedtime of 10 PM for improved sleep quality over the next two months.
Meditate for 10 minutes, three times a week, to reduce stress.
Gradually reduce coffee consumption to one cup per day over the next four weeks.
Have a meat-free dinner every Monday for the next 3 months.
Walk for 30 minutes every weekday morning for the next two months.
Increase water intake to 2L per day over the next month.
Attend two yoga classes per week to enhance flexibility and reduce lower back pain within two months.
Increase daily fruit intake by eating at least one servings of fruit every day.
Limit screen time to less than 2 hours per day for the next three weeks to improve sleep.
Increase vegetable intake by having a salad with lunch for the next 2 weeks.
Now that we know how to set SMART goals, it’s time for you to come up with your own Health goal based on your reflection. (you are more than welcome to steal mine). Once you are happy with your goals, now it is time to implement them. Stay tuned for Part 2 -where I share more tips on how to help you stick to your SMART goals.
If you have a specific area of health that is not thriving or would like to improve but you don’t know where to start, let me help you! – Book in for a FREE discovery call HERE to chat more about how I can help you in 2024.