Real World Nutrition Podcast Episode 64: Think Goals Not Resolutions

Think Goals Rather Than Resolutions

With the new year comes the inevitable talk of resolutions.

Do you make resolutions? Do you keep them? Do you even bother?

What is the big thing about January and the new year? The fresh start?

First, I encourage people to make goals rather than resolutions.

Lose weight, eat healthier, exercise more, get up earlier, reduce screen time, make home-cooked meals, and floss more.

Nice – but vague.

And make these goals SMART.

If you have worked in any corporate environment, you may be familiar with SMART goals, with SMART being the acronym for Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Time-bound.

Setting your goals means taking a specific, measurable action that is realistic and has a timeframe.

But even before making these goals, consider the following:

PAST: What have you done in the past? What worked well? What was the thing that helped motivate you and keep you going?

PRESENT: What is going on now? What is not quite right? Why did you stop doing what you resolved to do or want to accomplish in the past?

FUTURE: What is realistic now? Remember that you are likely older – and having an idea of being the same person today compared to when you were in your 20s is likely, not realistic.

Now, set SMART goals by considering the following:

What do you want specifically?

Better health or weight loss is not specific. What is better health? Improved blood pressure, improved cholesterol numbers, better glucose control? Keeping those numbers in a good range?

Or is it getting those checkups/screenings?

Weight loss – not specific. One could be one pound down, which is weight loss. What is the number specifically? Even better could be specifying fat loss or change in body composition. That could be down five pounds on the scale or down 3% fat. What specifically?

How is this measured as accomplished?

Scheduling the screening appointments and keeping them is measurable.

Getting your blood pressure or blood work done is measurable.

Measurable is often a value of some sort.

How will you know when you have achieved it? What is the number to reach the goal?

What specific action or actions are needed to reach this goal?

Making a phone call or going on the website to schedule an appointment?

If you want to exercise more, is there some action to happen? Find an accountability buddy and take that first step of the exercise. Are you taking the first class, doing the gym orientation, or getting new running shoes?

Is this realistic? Can you achieve this goal?

Scheduling an appointment is realistic – having the appointment scheduled this month may not be, but having it scheduled is essential.

Exercising every day? Sounds nice, but even pro athletes have a rest day. And what happens if you have a travel day or are sick? Or worse, get injured?

Exercise at least twice a week? Realistic, especially if you haven’t been doing anything. And you can increase it as you get into a groove.

Never eating out? Not realistic.

Eating out no more than twice a week? Realistic. Of course, considers what you are doing now. And remember what do you define as “eating out” to you—going to the coffee shop? Does that count?

Again, here is where the specifics are.

What is the timeline or time frame for this goal?

When will you accomplish this goal? Weeks? Months? This year?

Setting a time frame is often forgotten or missed. Instead, people will say: for the rest of my life.

Some of these things take continuous action, so keeping it in a time frame (and updating it) is essential.

Sample goals:

Eat healthier. Exercise more. Lose weight.

While these may seem like reasonable goals, they are not specific or measurable. What is “healthier” or “more”? What is that specifically? They are realistic - exercising one more day a week or five more minutes is “more,” and losing weight can mean a 1–2-pound weight loss.

These are not goals with a timeline or time-bound.

Here are examples of specific goals:

Eat at least one serving of vegetables a day for 30 days – this is a form of eating healthier and not as cumbersome as not eating out or eating salad every single day. However, it is a start, and you can build on it monthly.

Exercise 300 minutes in 30 days. This goal includes real numbers that are measurable and actionable, allowing for an accumulation of movement in minutes rather than days of the week. This goal allows for rest days, jam-packed days, and days when you don’t have the time to fit it in realistically.

Track weight each Friday and body fat percentage on the last Friday of the month is a way to assess changes in your body. And tracking weight and the changes weekly is realistic rather than making a general “lose weight” thought.

Some of my 2022 goals included:

Doing 22 pushups 22 days each month.
Read 22 books in 2022.
Try 12 new cooking or baking projects.
Write 12 articles for other publications.

The 2023 goals are still in progress, but one will include at least 23 pushups 2-3 days each week (since it needs more recovery days), and another includes a goal of holding a plank for 2:30 minutes by the end of the first quarter.