SMART GOALS - Setting yourself up for success!

Hi all! 

This idea is called S>M>A>R>T> goals (an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely).  It's a more refined take on the typical new year's resolution that too quickly get forgotten because they are too vague, unmeasurable, unrealistic etc.  I did this to kick start me last year and found it really helpful for turning "hopes" into habits.  I used this goal making guide to change some basic habits for a whole month before I turned my attention to calorie counting - actually, I think that I would probably have failed if I tried calorie counting right away as I was addicted to caffeine and bread and couldn't imagine eating a lot of fruit and veges!

A resolution such as "Eat healthy in 2008!" was almost certainly doomed to failure.  Why?  Not specific enough!   It's not measurable (how do I know when I have achieved it?), it's not achievable as I know that I won't always make healthy choices, and I've given myself no time limit...

So instead of saying "Eat healthy", the idea is to make a S>M>A>R>T> goal, eg. I'll eat 2 pieces of fruit every day, ticking them off on a chart, and reward myself by going to the movies if I get 50 ticks within 4 weeks (in 4 weeks, you could actually tick off 56 if you never missed a fruit snack!).  That's a good goal because it is very specific, you can measure it, it is achievable (provided you can afford the fruit), it is realistic (you can maintain it and you've made an adjustment for some days when you may only eat one piece) and it is timely - there is a easily remembered time limit which is over 21 days.  For a good online article that gives a more detailed explanation, go to http://www.topachievement.com/smart.html  ;

(sorry don't know how to hyperlink this!)

The idea of doing it for four weeks is that research shows that it takes at least 21 days to form a habit.  So after your fruit challenge you should be so used to adding fruit to your shopping trolley and snacking on it, it will be a habit that stays with you!

///////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////// ////////

what to do - post your goal here and check in to let us know how you are going!  Be very specific and realistic - that way you set yourself up for success.  Post only one goal at a time, to allow yourself the chance to really focus on it.

Alright, in Australia this is New Years Eve so this is the time to refocus on some healthy goals.

First goal for me is water.  I'm a shocker for not drinking enough and tend to get really swollen feet and all over fluid retention if I don't drink enough.  Lately, i've been forgetting, and been drinking caffiene with added sugar again!  It's summer here, so I plan to make up unsweetened fruity ice teas...

GOAL:  During January, I will make up a 3L jug of iced tea each morning to be drunk by the end of the day.  I'll tick it off on my calendar and if I get 25 or more ticks I will treat myself to a cappuccino in a nice cafe. 

Getting the idea?  It's specific and measureabe.  It's achievable (though I'll be peeing a lot!) and realistic - I'm only aiming for 25 ticks as I am moving house and there'll be days that I won't be able to monitor my fluid intake so easily.  And it's timely as the end of January is not too far away to seem like forever but long enough to re-establish a habit.

OK - second goal is regarding food.  Last few months I've gotten very slack with regards to fruit and veges. 

GOAL: During January, I will eat 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of veges every day.  I'll tick it off on my calendar and aim for 25 or more ticks for fruit and 25 or more ticks for veges.  If I meet my goal, I'll add a piece of cake to that cappuccino. 

Goal 3 is about sleep and rest.  I have a bad habit of staying up very late watching TV, mucking around on the computer or reading - I know it affects my mood, gives me baggy eyes and pretty sure it slows my metabolism down too!

Goal:  In January, I will go to bed at 9.30 each night. I will meditate rather than read if I have trouble sleeping.  I'll keep a tick chart beside my alarm clock.  I am aiming for 25 or more early nights this month and if I achieve this, I'll treat myself to a massage.

Achieving this goal will give me heaps more energy - I'm going to need it!  We're moving towns, houses and jobs!  Both hubby and I are teachers and we're on summer holidays now - end of January marks the start of a new school year... I can't afford to let myself get tired!  As I'm only aiming for 25 ticks, this will let me have a late night or two on weekends or big moving/cleaning days. 

Jella, I must say. I really did and still do love your Smart Plan, and I have to get myself set up with doing that again. Thank you for sharing your Smart plan with us, and I really did enjoy your plan, and I'm going to take it into my 2009 shoot for the Goal Plan.. Thanks once again. This plan is Gold, and for those of you who haven't seen or done one of her plans... Get ready, because it's really worth the E for effort. I still eat around 14 servings of fruit a week, and 14 servings of veggies a week too. It get hard at times, but I have to stay focus, and eat right and this is what Jella's SMART PLAN is all about. Goals and Effort.
Thanks!

Jella,

I can't believe my eyes. Are you BACK? :)) YAY.. how have you been? I love your smart goals. How is your weight loss journey going? I didn't do very well in 2008 and ended up gaining almost all the weight back. I really hope that 2009 will be much better. keep us posted.

Hi girls!  Yep, I'm back!  2008 was a huge year for me - far, far too busy.  I lost 10 kilograms over the year - about 22 pounds.  And went from an Australian size 20 to a size 16.  Lost my grandfather in September and this well and truly distracted me from focussing on my health - things got really hectic at work around that time as I was successful in my application for a new job. Those who know me, know that i am a teacher and school principal.  There was a lot to finish off before the end of the year when I had to "hand the reins" over to a new principal. 

My scales are broken - my boys used them as a trampoline!!!  But I don't think that I have gained back a huge amount as I am still wearing the size 16 clothes (though a few are bit tighter!)...

So anyway, I'm not bothering to weigh in for the start of January.  I'd rather focus on some healthy habits that will boost my energy for the start of the new year (schools in Oz start on January 27).  I'll start thinking of calories and pounds later on.  These goals will - I know - kickstart weight loss...  Drinking more H2O and eating more fruit and veg will automatically reduce my calorie intake.  Going to sleep earlier will boost my metabolism and eliminate late night snacking.

I'm hoping for a size 14 later in the year!

Jella, I know you can do it. You are going to make it into those 14 before you know it.

I hate that your scales are broken, but you are doing so good.

I'm glad to see you back in the swing of things. I always remember baby steps.

Good luck, and my Smart plan will stay the same. Adding a better bed time is going to take a lot of work.. I work odd hours some days.

I am a huge chocolate/lollie fan but try not to eat much of it therefore i end up eating heaps so my goal for january is

Apart from my once a week treat day, i will not consume any more than 150cal of chocolate a day. If i get more than 25 ticks, i will join the library.

I moved from WA to QLD and have not got around to joining but i would like to so its a good incentive as well as another goal i want to achieve.

I should add my Smart Plan before the New year.

• 96-128 ounce of water and tea.
• 2 servings of fruit per day
• 3 serving of veggies per day

I'm doing these things already, and I'm getting ready for the new year.

Hi Lynn,

Good goals - how are you going to measure your success & what time are you going to give yourself to achieve your goals? 

Remember to treat yourself if you succeed. I don't normally do food treats (kinda defeats the purpose) but cos I'm moving to a new town, I thought that it'd be nice to organize to go out to a cafe with some of my new workmates.  If you want to make friends - you have to put in the effort.  Also finding a hairdresser and beautician is a good way to get the feel for a new town (small north Queensland town - about 20 000 people only). 

G'day Rainbowjelly!!!  Another Aussie????  I'm a Queenslander too - just shifting to Ayr.  Where've you shifted to?  Aaahhh, chocolate.  I've got out of the habit now of having any choc on a regular basis but earlier last year I was a real addict!  I ended up buying a block, measuring it out into calorie counted portions, then wrapping it in alfoil and freezing it.  I'd get my daily allowance out before dinner and it would be defrosted enough to nibble on as my late night treat.  Because I froze the rest, I couldn't really just keep eating.  There was enough time delay in waiting for it to defrost for my will power to assert itself over cravings. 

Today's New Year's Day - so HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! 

My jug of tea was full this morning and is two thirds empty now.  I've eaten my two serves of fruit - apple and strawberry mango - yum!  I had salad on my ham sandwich and carrot and zucchini strips for a snack.  So long as I have a good serving of veges with my dinner, and pop into bed by 9.30pm, I'll be able to tick off all my goals for January 1st, 2009.

Good luck with your goals!

Greetings!

jella, I really like your plan for setting goals, and I can think of a few goals to set, but I can't think of any rewards.

My first goal will be to pack a healthy, well balanced lunch each day so that I'm not eating at restaurants all the time. I'll set my goal for the month of January, since most of my activities are based on a monthly schedule. When I do pack a lunch, I always have a yogurt, and I use a plastic spoon. I think I'll save the spoon each day, and if I have at least 25 spoons at the end of the month I will feel I've deserved my reward (if I figure out what it shall be).

My second goal is to keep to a regular exercise routine. I tend to overdo it, then when I'm sore, I get discouraged and give it up. I'm going to keep a chart and limit my exercise to what is balanced, then stay with it! This one is going to be difficult for me, but I know its very important. If I acheive 20+ days this month, I will be fairly happy with that. Now I just need to think of a reward...any ideas?

Original Post by jella:

Hi Lynn,

Good goals - how are you going to measure your success & what time are you going to give yourself to achieve your goals? 

Remember to treat yourself if you succeed. I don't normally do food treats (kinda defeats the purpose) but cos I'm moving to a new town, I thought that it'd be nice to organize to go out to a cafe with some of my new workmates.  If you want to make friends - you have to put in the effort.  Also finding a hairdresser and beautician is a good way to get the feel for a new town (small north Queensland town - about 20 000 people only). 

 

Today's New Year's Day - so HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! 

 

Good luck with your goals!

 Well Jella, I've done your Smart Goal before, and these are my smart goals for this month.

Jan. 4-09 - Jan. 31-09

~96-128 ounce of water a day. = 3 to 4 32oz bottles per day.
~2 Serving of fruit per day.
~3 Serving of veggies per day.
I have my calendar ready for my Smart Plan.
Not only that.. I have a Monthly Planner, and that's how I plan on Keeping up with my Smart Plan marks for January, and so on. I've done this before, and I did well.

My Reward for doing this will be Rewarded to me at the end of each week.
I plan on giving myself a dollar each day I complete my Smart Goals. If I do good that's 7 dollars. If I'm good for the whole month. That's $28.00 to spend on something I could really use.

That's my smart goal one, and I'm going to build on these smart goals per month. Adding more servings and adding another challenge.

I've decided to join in on the smart goals and listed a couple below:

1. Eat 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of veggies every day during the month of January. This one is just a basic but good goal! Reward - a pedicure!
2. Starting on Jan. 5th, I will go swimming for at least 45 minutes, no less than 3 days per week for the next 4 weeks. Reward - a manicure!

This should be fun!

I've made up a little chart that I've stuck to the side of the fridge with the water/iced tea goal and fruit and vege goals.  There's 31 boxes below each goal for each day of January.  I've bluetacked a green pencil beside the chart and already coloured in the first day. Here in Australia, it's already the middle of the day on January 2nd, so I'm working on my second day now. 

Sadly, I was up emptying out closets and packing boxes till 3 in the morning... so I didn't get to tick off my early to sleep goal!  THis will be the hard one I think!  How on earth did we manage to accumulate so much junk....hate shifting!

Hi Lizalea - I love your spoon collecting idea!  Rewards are a personal thing.  I like to do things for myself that I'd otherwise neglect.  Meeting up with friends after work, beauty appointments etc are things that I wish I did more often but tend not to do cos I talk myself into thinking that I am too busy.  But if it is something that I've been working towards and earning as a treat then I'm more likely to do it! One of my rewards last year was to buy all new bras and lingerie!  I'd actually shrunk out of my old ones, but because I replaced them as a reward I ended up buying much nicer garments than the boring practical I used to buy... 

Lynn, I like your idea of paying yourself a daily allowance.  I'm a frustrated home decorater - been collecting home styling magazines for 15 years - but I always feel that buying a new cushion, lamp shade etc is too frivolous even though it gives me a real thrill.  So, I'm thinking that in February, I'll give myself some money rewards to buy some little house warming items for my new home...

g'day v_avila.  Where is Cabo San Lucas??? The fruit and vege goal is a really good one.  It's amazing how many calories you reduce and the increase in fibre by making this a habit.  Well done on the exercise goal.  That is my downfall.  I haven't made any exercise goals this month as I'm busy moving - but all that shifting, lifting and cleaning is exercise anyway - right???  With my new job, I gain an extra hour every day as there is less travel time.  I plan to devote some of that time to exercise.  I'd appreciate a not so gentle reminder about that when it comes time to make February goals!

Hi Jella, Cabo San Lucas is a small town located on the southernmost point of the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. We are on the Pacific Ocean. It is beautiful!

Hey, packing to move and cleaning are definitely exercise in my book! I am sure you'll get there, we all just need to tackle a few things at a time and you are definitely doing that!

Your pics are gorgeous!  I also live on the coast - for a few weeks more any way!  My pics are in my gallery.  We're moving 3 hours drive to the south.  Won't be right on the beach anymore but it only takes 20 minutes to drive to the nearest beach from our new home.

I added this url to the original post.  http://www.topachievement.com/smart.html

Don't know how to make it an active hyperlink - sorry.  But it gives really good explanation of the SMART plan.  I read about it in an onflight magazine last year - an article on why most people's new years resolutions don't work.  I think on the web article it has the A as being Attainable whereas i remember it as being Achievable.  Either way - it means the same thing - breaking it down into little manageable steps...

Well, apart from a few items to live and work in, i have now packed up the clothing into suitcases for my whole family.  I'll have to wash every night for the next few weeks but who cares?   One job done - 999 to go!

Jella, I'm not a good linker either. But let's see if I hyperlink- it for ya.

http://www.topachievement.com/smart.html

I'm sure if it will open but you can give it a try. I love giving myself money. It's a good reason to work harder so I can have money to shop with.

I love the mountains. I'm afraid of snakes, so we do very little hiking in the summer, because of the snakes. We did go hiking a few times this summer, and the whole time. I was thinking a snake would just jump out from no where. But I love the mountain, hill and valleys here in Alabama.

Edit to add..

It works, go and check it out.

hey all! I'm going to join in with the SMART goals.  I'm making up my calendar right now and getting organized.  Will go grocery shopping this afternoon for supplies.

Goals for January:

1. eat 1 serving of protein, 2 servings or fruit and 3 servings of veggies a day (reward is a small bag of chips)
2. Drink 3 liters of water a day (reward is my favorite Booster Juice smoothie)
3. Work out at the gym for at least 30 minutes, 3 times a week (reward is a back massage)

this is going to be a tough start since I fell off the workout/eating well wagon a few months ago. I'm getting married in Greece next June and that will be my motivation to get a healthy body! I'm excited and scared at the same time

Hi there Meeshelle!

Congrats on the upcoming wedding!  Back massages are divine - I love that reward!!!

Hey, thanks Lynn!  How'd you do that???

Looks like the early to bed goal is going to be the tough one for me this month!!! Still haven't earn't a tick for that one yet! 

Hey everybody!  I just did some cruizing through your profiles and galleries - WOW - some of your have come a long way already!!!

Congrats to lynnhaslost!  What an awsome journey so far - I love the determination that you have and lack of self pity and excuses for when you hit a rough patch.  I need some of that!  Only 30 to go - wow!

V - you are looking very fine in that bikini.  What a difference thirty pounds makes! 

Rainbowjelly - I'm like you and measure in kilograms but usually convert it for the forum chats as almost everyone talks pounds.  You've already lost 15 pounds  - well done!  I wish I'd had your good sense and stopped myself at the stage when I was only 15 to 20 pound over my goal weight. 

lizalea - you've come so far!!!  I can't believe that you started at 351lb - you should put up a before photo!  Only 70 more to go to get to 140 - that's awsome!

meesh - we're starting the new year at around the same place!  Well done on losing that first ten pounds - I know you'll look and feel gorgeous for your wedding.  By the way - GREECE????  Wow!