New Year’s Resolutions
If you are like millions of Americans you have probably made a list of New Years resolutions to improve your health. But if you are like almost 1/3 of Americans, you won’t make it past of the end of January. So what do you do to make those resolutions stick?
Let’s first take a look at the top reasons resolutions fail:
- Your resolution was driven by someone else, not your own inner motivation
- Your resolution is too broad or vague
- You don’t have a plan to make your resolution work and stick!
So how do you create a resolution that lasts? Set a SMART goal.
SMART:
Specific – what exactly will you do
Measurable – how will you measure success
Achievable – is it realistic for you to achieve this goal
Relevant – does it align with your broader goals
Timeline – when will you do it
Let's look at each component in a bit more detail.
Specific – this is where a lot of folks can get off track with resolutions. They say something like “I will lose 10 pounds” or “I will go to the gym.” These are both too broad. Losing 10 pounds, for example, should be broken down into smaller, more specific goals. Like tracking calories or increasing steps. “I will go to the gym” is a bit better, but still broad. How often will you to go the gym (I.e. 3 times a week) and for how long (I.e 45 minutes) and what will you do (I.e. walk on the treadmill). If you don’t set parameters for your resolution, you are setting yourself up for failure.
Measurable – this sort of ties into what we discussed above with specific. How will you measure success? Will you track calories everyday to lose 10 pounds? Will you go to the gym at least 3 times a week for at least 45 minutes to walk on the treadmill? Being more specific helps to create a measurable goal. You will know you are successful if you track every day or go to the gym at least 3 days a week for at least 45 minutes.
Achievable – this is another area where folks can struggle. Setting unrealistic resolutions will set you up for failure. For example, if you currently never go to the gym then saying you will go everyday is unrealistic. Or if your goal is to lose 10 pounds by tracking everyday, saying you will do this in one week is unrealistic. We recommend losing 1-2 pounds a week, so stating that you will “Lose 10 pounds in 5-10 weeks by tracking calories everyday” is more in line with a SMART goal.
Relevant – make sure your SMART goal is in line with your broader goals as well. So you want to lose 10 pounds, but how does that align with your broader goals, and thus, your motivation? Do you want to feel better? Sleep better? Have more energy? Live longer? Identifying your motivators can help you stick with it.
Timeline – last but not least, set a timeline for your goal. Will you achieve your goal over the next few months? Over the next year?
And of course, don’t forget to always update your goals! For example, if you want to start out by exercising at least 3 times a week over the next 3 months, assess your goal again at the end of 3 months. Can you increase your goal to 5 times a week? Or if you lost your 10 pounds in 10 weeks, can you re-set the goal and lose another 10 pounds over the next 10 weeks? Maybe you will add that you not only will track calories but set a calorie range for yourself.
So let’s test your knowledge, which of the following is a SMART goal?
“ I will go to the gym more”
“ I will go to the gym at least 3 times a week for at least 45 minutes to walk on the treadmill over the next 3 months.”
If you picked the second one, you are correct!
What are your SMART goals for 2023? Do you have questions about SMART goals or how to make them stick? Reach out to Dr. Maria with questions!
