If you want to improve your health, start with writing what you want to achieve.
Once you know what you want the outcome to be, turn your dream outcome into SMART goals. Write your goals using the quick guide below then put them on the fridge or bathroom mirror so you have a daily reminder of what you need to do to achieve your goal.
What are SMART goals?
SMART is an acronym: The first letters of Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound spell out SMART. Take a look at the chart below where you will see how to write goals that meet each of these five criteria.
S.M.A.R.T. | Examples |
SPECIFIC - The more specific you are the more chance you have of achieving the goal | Saying "I will lose 5 kilos" is more specific that saying "I want to lose weight." |
MEASURABLE - Write down the things you will do to achieve your goal. This will give you a clear indicator of when you're getting off track. | I will exercise 4-5 times a week. I will follow one of Annette's menu plans. |
ACHIEVABLE - Goals that are too hard to achieve will cause you to give up. On the other hand, goals that are too easy will get boring. | If you haven't exercised in a long time, exercising 40 minutes a day for 5 days in the first week is not achievable. 10 minutes of daily exercise will be much easier to achieve in those early weeks. Then increase the duration each week until you get to 40 minutes a day. |
RELEVANT - Losing weight because the doctor said so or because your family want you to won't keep you motivated very long. Find a reason to lose weight that excites you. | I want to lose weight so I can play with the kids or grand kids. Or so I can fit into 'that' dress for my daughter's wedding. |
TIME-BOUND - Make your goal your number one priority by setting a date to achieve it by. | I will lose 5 kilos by my birthday. |
In some SMART acronyms the R stands for realistic. Not sure if your goal is realistic? You might also like to read my Quick facts on weight loss.