Nutrition by Dawn - Blog

Hi there! Dawn McGee your nutrition coach here. Today, I want to talk to you about setting SMART nutrition goals. It's a time of year where we all set resolutions and new goals, and our food-related goals are no different: The number one New Year’s resolution is to lose weight. But that's very vague and nebulous, right? Which is exactly why I teach setting SMART goals to my clients--and why I wanted to tell you all about them today! So, let’s dive right in.

What's a SMART goal?

SMART is an acronym. S is simple, M is measurable, A is achievable, R is realistic, and T is time-based.

Why is it important to set SMART goals?

There's a saying that goes, "A goal without a date is just a wish." If I say, "I want to lose 15 pounds," and I don't have any plan for it or a deadline in mind, then, it's very unlikely that I’ll lose 15 pounds, right? It’s not enough to simply identify our health goals; we need to plan for them and set some rules for ourselves, too.

How can I turn my goals, my dreams, my wishes, my hopes for my nutrition for this year into SMART goals?

Since actions sometimes speak louder than words, here’s an example. I just started a 90-day journey back to good nutrition, for a variety of reasons. Over the last couple of years, I’ve not always been super faithful to my program and to my nutrition. I have not been saying “yes” to me--I've been saying “later.” It's time to start saying yes. So, I’ve set some goals.
 

My numeric goals are to lose nine percent body fat (about 15 pounds) in 90 days. If we take a look at that, that's my overall goal. How can I aim for something that’s a bit shorter-term, still measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-based? This week--week number one of my recommital--I'm focusing on my food foundation, and I'm getting back to clean eating. What am I going to do? I have put together a meal plan for a full day of food that I like, that's clean, that's nutritious, that's going to keep me eating well-balanced meals of protein, fat, and carbs every 3-4r hours, and I plan to repeat that seven days in a row.
 

Is it terribly exciting? Nope! But it is going to get me focused on my food foundation and back on track. It's simple: I've got the same meal plan for seven days. It's measurable: again, this is my situation for exactly seven days. Is it achievable? This might vary a little from person to person. Admittedly, if I said I was going to stick to this same meal plan for 30 days, that may be unattainable. But for seven? Yeah, I can do that. Is it realistic? One meal plan, seven days. I’m making a few small changes instead of tons of huge changes. It's definitely realistic. And finally, is it time-based? Yep--seven days, no more and no less.
 

That's how I've turned my first milestone into a SMART goal, and I'm feeling really good about being able to achieve it because I've got a plan in place. That's what happens when we take our wishes and use them to set SMART goals.

As always, if you have any questions or if you’re working on a specific goal right now, drop me a line in the comments! If you’re unsure of how to turn your long-term goals into SMART goals, let me know--I’ll gladly help you shape them into SMART goals so you can succeed.

For more great info like this, grab my Eat, Drink, & Be Healthy Guide.
 

Until next week, what I really hope for you is that you live a life that you love, without being hungry, feeling deprived, or giving up your glass of wine. Take care.