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foundation 3: goal setting
The key to losing weight is changing unhealthy habits to healthier ones. It is important not to try to change too much at once.
s m A R T
People who set too many goals or make them too difficult, may simply give up. That’s why we ask you to set just 1 or 2 small, achievable goals each week. As you are changing long term habits, you will need to focus your efforts and practice the change until it becomes something which you do naturally. Over the course of the 12 weeks on this programme you will be amazed at how these small goals have changed your lifestyle.
Specific Not a vague intention but something that you can ‘pin yourself down to’
Measurable This means that you can assess how far you have come towards achieving your goal
Achievable Set a realistic goal, aiming for small, specific steps
Relevant This means setting a goal that means something to you regarding a healthy lifestyle
Time-specific Set yourself a realistic time frame for your goal. One week usually works well
Examples of vague intentions translated to SMART goals:
1. Vague: “I’m going to start swimming.”
SMART: “I will go swimming after work every Wednesday and I will review my progress in 1 month’s time.”
2. Vague: “I’m not going to eat any more fat.”
SMART: “I’ll switch to low fat spread in the sandwich I take to work and if I succeed for the next two weeks, I’ll switch to reduced fat mayonnaise as well.”
3. Vague: “I’m going to eat more fruit and vegetables.”
SMART: “I’ll eat 2 vegetables each day with my evening meal and if I succeed for 1 week, I will eat 2 pieces of fruit each day too.”
When thinking about setting goals some people prefer to simplify it to: 1. What will you do? 2. When will you do it? 3. How much? 4. How often? 5. How long for? It is important throughout the programme to keep a record of your goals so you can see your progress and achievements. You can find a printable goal log and some ideas for SMART goals in the weight loss tools section on the main page of our website. More ideas about changing eating habits:
