Re-wiring Those Resolutions
Of all New Year’s resolutions, the most popular is exercising to get in shape (19.7%) followed by eating better to lose weight (18.3%). Unfortunately, only 11.3% turn these goals into long-term lifestyle changes, which is a little bleak, right? I did not want to write about New Year’s resolutions in December, because we can all use a little inspiration to keep going in the middle of an already chaotic January. 2021 can still be the advent of those long-term lifestyle goals with a few SMART tweaks.
A goal without a plan is just a wish (thanks, Antoine de Saint-Exupery) because a plan allows the goal-setter a surefire way to avoid barriers to achieve goals. SMART goals, which I am sure many of you have heard of, can turn general goals of eating better or losing weight, or both, into Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound plans aimed at making resolutions more successful.
It just takes a little effort to plan them out.
SPECIFIC
A key component of successful planning is to turn a general goal into something specific so the brain can focus a little easier. For example, instead of the general resolution to eat better or lose weight, pinpoint that effort to lose five pounds by eating one extra vegetable or fruit at each meal for the next month, or replace that sugary Starbucks with an iced coffee with low-fat milk and sweetener for the next month. This specific monthly goal of losing five pounds by eating additional fruits and vegetables or replacing the calorically high drink with a lighter option gives the mind a clear focus to stay motivated.
**Healthy weight loss is typically 1-2 pounds per week**
MEASURABLE
The specific goal to lose five pounds in a month is easy to measure whether it was achieved or not. The scale is a reliable tool that can keep the goal-setter on track. Adding a weekly weigh-in (preferably in the morning) to the goal will allow for a way to check progress. By the end of the month, if the goal of five pounds was achieved or not allows a way to adjust for the next milestone or to reach that first one.
For example, if the goal was reached, there should be a new challenge to consider preventing plateaus. If the goal was not reached, one can use this information to reassess the plan. Perhaps veggies and fruits are already a primary staple in each meal, so maybe the goal should be adapted by eating better proteins with each meal to make the meal more satisfying (i.e., eggs, grilled chicken breast, or turkey sausage instead of pork sausage at breakfast, or replace a low-quality carbohydrate, like white rice or granola, with a whole-grain option, like quinoa or oatmeal for more staying power with each meal).
**Healthy hack—Quinoa is also a complete protein and can be a viable granola or rice replacement.**
ATTAINABLE
Attainable goals are those types of small goals that are tough but not out of reach, allowing for incremental progress. For example, even if your ultimate weight loss goal is 25 pounds, no one can (or should!) lose that much weight in a month. Breaking this large amount of weight into manageable five-to-seven-pound increments allows the body to adapt to its new baseline in a healthy way.
REALISTIC
Realistic goals should be goals that align with your lifestyle. Key questions to ask when considering these goals are: “Is this a sustainable behavior change for my life? Does this really matter to me?” This is a huge component of goal setting, because caring about the goal engages internal motivation. If the goal is eating better to lose weight, fad diets that eliminate complete food groups are most likely not optimal ways to achieve balanced weight-loss, because removing dairy, grains, alcohol, or eating liquid meals can be restrictive or difficult to adapt in families or social situations. If the diet is not sustainable or personally satisfying long-term, weight loss will not be long-term!
Attainable and realistic goals are essential in the SMART goal setting system because they keep goals in check, small wins build self-efficacy, or a personal belief in oneself that success is inevitable. As each smaller (monthly) goal is achieved, belief in achieving the long-term goal is improved!
TIME-BOUND
Deadlines contribute to specificity and add increased focus to short-term goals, which allow you to reach your long-term goal in a reasonable amount of time. In our example of losing five pounds by replacing the daily sugary coffee with iced coffee for a month or adding one serving of fruit or veggies to each meal, this gives the participant a way to measure progress but give it time to be effective, while also making sure it is a sustainable change.
If losing 25 pounds in six months is the long-term goal, losing an average of five pounds each month would keep the goal-setter on track to reach that deadline in a healthy way—physically and mentally!
So, if you’re losing steam on those resolutions, think about ways you can make them SMARTer, and they don’t have to be exercise or diet-focused goals. Goals focused on finances or mindfulness can be SMART, too. I write my SMART goals out to make sure I have a way to reconnect with them when I am losing motivation. Telling a friend or spouse about your resolutions can bring support and accountability to the goals as well.
Finally, if you have more than three resolutions, work on your top three and save the rest for later to prevent motivational fatigue; and I do not necessarily mean next year. Jan. 1 is not the only date to start a new goal—start when you have the highest motivation to hit the ground running!
My goals this year?
- Find a sustainable replacement for tortilla chips! (Any suggestions? 😊)
- Do 10 pull-ups; my goal last year was to do 5.
- Participate in three “dry” nights per week.
Information for this post came from:
A realistic approach to goal-setting, by J. Ross
Yessss, love me some SMART goals! We do this with the AWN Command Team (less tortilla chips, more leadershippy-writing-social media things) but this is totes my jam. Thanks for sharing it, Beth!