Setting Smart Health Goals

Setting Health Goals

It’s that time of the year again where we set our New Year’s Resolutions, so why not set a goal to reach your optimal health?

Reaching your health goals needs you to be committed and this can be achieved by creating a clear health vision that you want to achieve. Whether it be big or small, setting a SMART goal should make it easier for you to stick to your goals – making them into lifelong habits.

What is a SMART goal?

SMART Goals

Specific

Being specific about your health goal, make it clear and detailed. For example, in December I will start running 5km daily. Setting specific goals as to what healthy food you will start eating and when, or when will you start exercising is detailed enough for you to achieve your goal.

 

Measurable

If you do not have a way of measuring your health goal, there is no way of knowing that you have achieved your desired goal. E.g. Set a target that in the next two months you will eat three to five leafy green vegetables each day.

Attainable

Set realistic goals that you will be able to manage. The aim is to stretch your ability but still be able to achieve your goal. For example, if you could run five kilometres with no shortness of breath when you were younger but now you are struggling with one kilometre, aim for 3 kilometres.

Relevant

Your health goal needs to be relevant to
your current needs. Making a health goal that does not have a purpose will only make it more difficult to stick to your health goal. For example, if you are happy with your weight, setting a weight loss goal wouldn’t be motivational, setting a goal to increase your fitness might be abetter option.

Time-bound

Setting a time limit as to when you want to achieve your goals, makes you accountable for your actions. It’s also important to make sure that you set enough time for you to achieve your goal. For example, if you are planning to run five kilometres, you probably won’t get to that goal in a week. Set a realistic time-frame and break it up into small targets.

Source: Harvard Health Publishing

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Key Dates

1 January: New Years Day
24 January: International Day of Education

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