What You Need To Know About SMART Goals for Weight Loss
The holiday season can be full of festivities, food and social gatherings that can lead to the enjoyment of more food, drinks, and desserts than usual. These, coupled with the onset of a new year, contribute to the culture of making diet-focused New Year’s resolutions and setting smart goals a common tradition. (And let’s be honest, breaking these resolutions within a few weeks is also a common tradition–and yet we continue to do it).
I’m here to tell you, there is nothing wrong with wanting to improve nutrition, fitness, and health right after the holidays. This is referred to as the “fresh-start effect” where smart goals center around a time-related milestone—like the start of a new year.
I encourage and celebrate health goals at any time of year. But, let me share with you some strategies to help you see more success and well-being than the typical New Year’s resolutions.
Why we should rethink diet-focused New Year’s resolutions and smart goals
Research shows that most people who make New Year’s resolutions give up on them before the end of January. Wait…what? Before the end of January? Is it worth the effort? Well, I can assure you, it’s not the fault of the person who gives up. Resolutions are often too ambitious, inflexible, framed negatively, and are attempted without support. If a mechanic tried to work on a car without any tools, he wouldn’t get very far, would he? You need the right tools before getting started. I want to help you.
I want to propose a different way of making health goals. A way that is more achievable, sustainable, and can more easily become lifelong regular habits.
Fun fact: Out of all of the personal goals that people make New Year’s resolutions about, two out of every three revolve around eating habits, physical health, and weight loss. As a dietitian, I have worked with many clients and have seen this movie far too many times. If you are considering to jumpstart your health goals this year, stay tuned.
There are a few things to think about when considering diet-focused New Year’s resolutions and setting smart goals.
Firstly, there is no physiological reason to wait for a specific date to take a step toward better health. You can start eating slower, choosing a fruit or vegetable, and moving away from the plate when you’re full at your very next meal. You can decide to implement your “fresh start” goal right here and now. TODAY!
Secondly, the motivation behind many diet-focused goals may have unhealthy origins. Rather than coming from a place of love, empowerment, and future health, there are many not-so-healthy reasons some people make diet-focused New Year’s resolutions:
- Because others around them (or online) are doing so and it must be the thing to talk about
- Feeling guilty about the current health status or feeling that since you have hit a certain age, you need to “get it together”
- As a “free pass” to overindulge during the holidays by thinking, I don’t have time to plan my meals, I’ll just start next year.
Thirdly, diet-focused goals are often unrealistic and unattainable. So don’t be surprised when you can’t stick to it. Diet-focused goals can lead to disappointment, shame, more guilt, and possibly even worse health habits and outcomes. I would hate for you to feel like a failure simply because you enjoyed a piece of birthday cake. Some experts believe there may be a link between certain diet-focused New Year’s goals and worsened well-being. Not to mention, unrealistic health goals may contribute to frequent dieting.
A better way to set smart health goals
Making smaller, more sustainable changes can lead to more success. Studies show that certain types of goals are also more likely to contribute to—and not take away from—a sense of well-being. Here are some research-backed strategies to help you make better health goals at any time of the year.
Have more flexible goals
A 2021 study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that over the course of time, people with New Year’s resolutions that are flexible report greater well-being than those who are less flexible around their goals.
What makes a goal flexible? Researchers define goal flexibility as, “the ability to view setbacks with equanimity and adjust goal pursuit as required.”
This positive impact of having more flexible goals may be because when reaching a goal becomes difficult, adjusting the goal itself may help to maintain a sense of well-being. The ability to respond to challenges and opportunities helps us “to feel more autonomous in relation to the self and the future,” said the study authors.
When I decided to give up chicken (the last meat before becoming a vegetarian), I said to myself, I will give this up but if I want it again, I’ll eat it. That was it. No pressure, no planning and no court room deliberations. I simply stopped eating it. That was over 20 years ago and I have no regrets. It was a small decision and I allowed myself the freedom to be in control of the situation.
Have more flexibility in the way goals can be reached
That same 2021 study also looked at the outcome of “goal tenacity,” which is being more persistent when obstacles appear. Perhaps surprisingly, goal tenacity does not help people reach their goals. In fact, the rigidity in how goals are reached was harmful to some because it chipped away at their sense of well-being. Possibly some bitterness because one might feel deprived or perhaps other feelings of guilt rear its ugly head.
Why are there negative effects of being tenacious? First of all, being more rigid and persistent in how goals are reached can make reaching the goal more difficult because of the inability to adjust and adapt. Tenacity can also lead to an “all-or-nothing” approach where when progress is not felt, some goal-setters abandon the goal altogether, rather than adjust the actions needed to reach the goal. This is a common practice. If we don’t see a 20 lb loss, something must be wrong. Also, being inflexible in the process of achieving goals is linked to perfectionism, depression, and anxiety.
I can’t stress this enough! Please, give it time. Be patient. Show yourself grace. This is a lifelong mission, not a marathon.
Set goals around the positive outcomes you’d like to achieve (rather than the negative outcomes you want to avoid)
A 2020 study published in the journal PLoS One found that “participants with approach-oriented smart goals were significantly more successful than those with avoidance-oriented goals”. An approach-oriented goal is one where your goal is to achieve a positive result. For example, a goal of getting fitter and stronger is a positive, approach-oriented goal that is more likely to be achieved, rather than an avoidance-oriented goal such as to not get diabetes. Can you think about the verbiage of how you word your goals? Is it approach or avoidance? What changes can you make to help you shift your mindset towards approach-oriented goals?
Enlist support
In the same 2020 study, it found that people who had some social support were more likely to reach their goal than those who tried to go at it alone. Having someone, like a friend or family member, can have positive effects when it comes to reaching goals. In all actuality, this is one reason why having a health coach or personal trainer is helpful. If we are left to achieve our goals on an island it would be easy to give up because, who would know otherwise? When we have an accountability partner, we have a life line that can help us get through the tough times.
Examples of better smart goals to improve health
Here are a few examples of small, flexible health goals that can become sustainable over the long term. Whatever goals you choose to make, set them from a place of self-love.
Snack smarter (on most days)
Small snacks can add up to a big impact over time. Instead of pre-packaged, processed snacks, commit to eating fruit and nuts as snacks three or four times per week. There is overwhelming evidence of the healthful effects of eating fruits and nuts, and most people don’t eat nearly enough. Choose seasonal fruits that are delicious in their season. Frozen is another option.
Choose water (a couple of times a day)
Water is a great way to hydrate while reducing the amount of sugar (and empty calories) that come from sugary drinks. Being hydrated with less sugar is a win-win for your health. Period.
Check out this FREE 3-Day Radiant Reset for tips on how to incorporate more water in your day.
Beyond what you choose to eat and drink, is how you eat and drink. By slowing down and savoring the aromas, tastes, and textures of food, you can enjoy food even more. Try having your meals at a table (not a desk or in the car), ignoring all devices and screens while eating, chewing the food well, and putting the spoon or fork down to relax a bit between bites. Mindful eating may also help to realize when we’re satisfied with food, preventing unnecessary overindulgence.
Listen to your body and be kind to yourself (this is HUGE)
Part of health and well-being is how you treat yourself and your body. Setting and reaching health goals does not guarantee happiness, nor make you more worthy of love and kindness than you are right now. You are enough and deserve respect. Make self-love, self-care, and kindness—regardless of challenges or discouragement—goals too.
You are the person who is most able to feel gratitude and appreciate yourself every day of the year—whether you reach other goals or not. Don’t be too hard on yourself. You haven’t failed and you don’t have to give up. Keep listening to your body and being kind, no matter what. Each day is another opportunity to make a change, do something different or plan your meals ahead of time. Mindset is key! In fact, it can make the difference in whether you stay on course or your throw in the towel. But here’s the beauty, you get to choose which path you take.
How we choose our health goals can make a big difference in how long we’ll stick with them, how they impact our well-being, and how much success we see. We have to understand that there is no finish line. We don’t eat right, exercise, get more sleep and take of our bodies, only to wake up one day a stop living our healthy lives. Always strive to make a positive change. It will pay off.
Remember not to be too hard on yourself when challenges arise, because they will. Allowing yourself some grace in how you set and reach your goals, opting for positive goals, and enlisting support can help you improve your health and maintain well-being throughout the year. These can also help you stick to your new healthy lifestyle for longer and be more sustainable so that you are better positioned to achieve those goals. And trust me, it’s just easier (and not to mention less stressful).
Remember, attainable goals for healthier lifestyle habits can be made any day of the year, including today.
Do you need help setting yourself up for success when it comes to health- or diet-focused goals? As a registered dietitian/nutritionist, I’d love to help.
Want support to make more attainable and sustainable health goals? Need help planning your meals but don’t have a lot of time to do it? Don’t worry, I created a 7-day meal plan to help you get started so you can have more energy, balance your hormones and feel radiant again.
