Healthy Lifestyle Changes: SMART Goal Setting
Healthy Lifestyle Changes: SMART Goal SettingPg 1TranscriptAnytime you decide to change something about your life, something that has become a part ofyour routine, it can be difficult and even overwhelming. For best results make your goals SMART.SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. And setting SMARTgoals when making healthy lifestyle changes will help you take the idea of healthy change and turnit into real action.First, be specific. How many times in your life have you thought you are ready to get healthier andhave made that your goal? How did it go? The idea is great, but without a clear goal you probablyfelt frustrated because there was never really anything to reach.Instead, make a goal that is specific. Do you plan to walk 3 times a week for 30 minutes eachtime? Maybe you want to make sure you get 2.5 cups of vegetables each day. Or maybe youwould like to quit smoking and decide to reduce the number of packs you smoke each day from 2to 1. Whatever goal you set, if it is specific, you now know what you have to do to reach it. And youcan do it.To easily find out if you have reached your goal, it must be measurable. Did you walk for 30minutes, 3 times this week? Did you get your servings of vegetables each day? Did you reduce thenumber of packs you smoke each day to 1? Measurable goals allow you to see how well you aredoing and make adjustments if necessary.And is your goal Attainable? In other words, can you reach that goal? It’s important to set goalsthat aren’t too easy because where is the challenge in that? And not too difficult because then youwill get frustrated and give up. Try to set a goal that is not too far from where you are now, but farenough that you have some work to do. Avoid words like “always” and “never.”For example, deciding to quit smoking cold turkey “I will never smoke again”, when you havesmoked for years, may not be an attainable goal at this point. Try reducing the number ofcigarettes you smoke each day, and then gradually decrease the amount you smoke each week. Ifquitting smoking is your long-term goal, you will get there over time.Trying to run a marathon the first time you add exercise to your daily routine, may be hard toachieve, but may also cause injury. Instead, think of a goal that is attainable and work towards itsafely.Each goal you set should also be Realistic for you. After all, they are your goals and need to fit intoyour life. With your busy work and family schedule can you walk in your neighborhood 5 nights aweek? Maybe 3 nights a week and once at lunch is more realistic for now.If you have a medical condition make sure you take it into account when setting your goals. Meetwith your healthcare provider to ensure your goals won’t increase your risk of injury or make yourcondition worse. You are making healthy changes for the long-term, so do it safely.And finally, every goal you set should be timely. Set an end date. You can have both short-termand long-term goals, but without a timeframe to reach each goal you may never get there.This program is for informational purposes only; for all health related issues please contact your healthcareprovider. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this videofor medical decision making. gn_10223_98 ©Milner-Fenwick, Inc.Healthy Lifestyle Changes: SMART Goal SettingPg 2I will switch from whole fat milk to low-fat milk this week. I will join a weight loss support group thisweek. I will join a water aerobics class before my birthday.Starting to make healthy lifestyle changes can be difficult. But seeing results can give you themotivation you need to keep going. Make your goals SMART. Specific, Measurable, Attainable,Realistic, and Timely, and you will have a plan that fits into your life for the long-term.This program is for informational purposes only; for all health related issues please contact your healthcareprovider. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this videofor medical decision making. gn_10223_98 ©Milner-Fenwick, Inc.
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