Many of us are working toward at least 1 health goal on any given day. It may be a New Year’s resolution to exercise more or a mid-year commitment to drop a few pounds after your favorite jeans feel too snug. Perhaps it’s an acknowledgment that you need more sleep.
Setting a goal to be healthier is the easy part. Taking steps to achieve the goal requires more than willpower—you need a plan. Following a method known as SMART goals can give you the framework and motivation to succeed.
About SMART goals
SMART goals were first developed in the 1980s as a tool for increasing workplace productivity, and defining and measuring success.[1] But you can follow the same principles to achieve health goals, too.[2]
SMART goals are:[3]
- Specific: You have a clear goal to work toward.
- Measurable: You can measure your progress and results.
- Attainable: You have the time, resources, and capabilities to achieve the goal.
- Realistic: You have reasonable expectations about what it takes and how long it takes to achieve the goal.
- Time-bound: You have deadlines for smaller goals that will help you achieve the main goal by a specific date.
Let’s take a look at how you can use the SMART goal approach to help improve your health:
Step 1: Be specific about your health goal
A general goal, such as “eating healthier,” is a step in the right direction toward improving your health. But eating healthier can mean a lot of things. Do you want to cut back on sugar? Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables? Get more fiber in your diet? These specific goals clearly state an action you need to take.[4]
Goals that are too general or broad can become overwhelming. You may feel the need to take all of these steps—cut back on sugar, eat more veggies, and get more fiber—and struggle to accomplish any of them.
Examples of specific goals include:[5]
- Being physically active for 30 minutes each day.
- Drinking less alcohol or sugary beverages.
- Getting 1 extra hour of sleep each night.
- Meditating every day.
- Trying a new fruit or vegetable each week.
Step 2: Make the health goal measurable
To keep you motivated and working toward a goal, you need a way to measure your progress and evaluate success.[6] For example, a specific goal is to cut back on sugar. To make the goal measurable, you could swap 1 sugary food each day for fresh fruit. Or you could replace 1 sugary drink each day with flavored seltzer water.
To make the specific goals from step 1 measurable, you might:[7]
- Walk for 30 minutes after dinner.
- Drink no more than 2 alcoholic beverages or sodas each week.
- Go to bed 15 minutes earlier.
- Meditate for 5 minutes before going to bed.
- Include 1 new fruit in your breakfast.
Step 3: Determine how you’ll attain your health goal
Your goal should be attainable, meaning you have the time, resources, and skills to make it happen.[8] Attainable goals set you up for success because they consider your capabilities and limitations.[9] For example, is going from a sedentary lifestyle to running your first marathon attainable? It might not be if you don’t have the time to train, or have a health condition that makes running too dangerous.
To make the specific goals from step 1 attainable, you could:[10]
- Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to go for a walk after dinner.
- Buy nonalcoholic beverages and unsweetened drinks.
- Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to turn off electronics and get ready for bed sooner.
- Download free meditation apps. Try a new app every week until you find one that works best for you.
- Explore the produce section of your local grocery store and choose a new fruit to try.
Step 4: Be realistic about your health goal
A goal of losing 10 pounds in a month might sound great if you’re overweight. But since it’s unlikely you gained that weight in a month, it’s even less realistic to think that you can lose it that fast.[11] A more realistic goal might be to lose 1 pound each week until you hit your weight loss goal of 10 pounds.[12] With a realistic goal, you’re less likely to get discouraged and give up. [13]
Looking again at the specific health goals from step 1, it may be realistic to:[14]
- Find an extra 15 minutes twice a day to achieve your goal of a 30-minute daily walk.
- Enjoy 1 alcoholic or sugary beverage once or twice a week.
- Gradually move up your bedtime.
- Make meditation part of your bedtime routine.
- Prepare fruit the night before so it’s ready for breakfast.
Step 5: Use time-bound deadlines for health goals
Giving yourself a deadline for realistically achieving your primary goal can help you stay focused and motivate you to act.[15] You can then set timelines for the smaller goals you need to hit along the way. It’s easy to put off, or stop making, healthy changes when you don’t have a date set for recognizing a success.[16]
Achieving (or not achieving) smaller health goals gives you an opportunity to reevaluate whether your main goal is realistic.[17] You can assess how you’re doing and feeling. You can also pinpoint obstacles that are slowing your progress, then make adjustments to get you back on track.[18]
You can have time-bound deadlines for any of the specific health goals from step 1 by setting: [19]
- A start date
- An end date for when you want to achieve the main health goal
- Dates for smaller health goals as you work toward the end date
In summary: Make SMART health goals
In today’s on-the-go world, it can be challenging to find time to incorporate healthy lifestyle changes. The SMART approach can help by breaking down goals into smart, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound steps. Making too many changes at once can be a setup for failure.[20] Instead, focus on and achieve 1 SMART health goal at a time. You can then expand on it (for instance, increase your daily walk to 1 hour), or set a new health goal.
Now that you know how to use the SMART goal-setting method to realize your health goals, you may be curious about next steps. The Sincerely Health nutrition tools in the grocery app can help.
You can start by downloading the grocery app. You’ll save $10 on groceries* for creating an account. Next, create a personalized Sincerely Health nutrition profile to receive 1,000 points*.
Your nutrition profile allows you to:
- Set specific nutrition goals.
- Earn 10 points for items you purchase for a maximum 100 points per order (that’s 10 items at 10 points each).*
FAQs about SMART goals for better health
What are SMART goals?
A SMART health goal is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound.[21] This approach to setting goals can help you make small health changes that make a big impact on your overall health.[22]
What’s the difference between an attainable and realistic health goal?
A SMART health goal should be both attainable and realistic. Attainable means you have the time, resources, and capabilities to achieve the goal.[23] Losing 10 pounds in a month might be attainable. But it’s not realistic to think you can achieve that goal in a healthy or sustainable way.[24]
Why is it important to set deadlines for health goals?
A time-bound deadline gives you something to work toward and helps you stay focused and motivated.[25] Smaller goals that have deadlines provide a chance to reassess your progress and make adjustments, as needed.[26]
Sign up for Sincerely Health and create a nutrition profile to help you get healthy today!
Sources
[1] Positive Psychology. The Science and Psychology of Goal Setting 101. Last reviewed May 2, 2019. https://positivepsychology.com/goal-setting-psychology/#; UT Southwestern Medical Center. Be SMART About Setting Health-Related Goals. Last reviewed January 19, 2023. https://utswmed.org/medblog/smart-goals-health-wellness/
[2] Positive Psychology. The Science and Psychology of Goal Setting 101. Last reviewed May 2, 2019. https://positivepsychology.com/goal-setting-psychology/#; UT Southwestern Medical Center. Be SMART About Setting Health-Related Goals. Last reviewed January 19, 2023. https://utswmed.org/medblog/smart-goals-health-wellness/
[3] Positive Psychology. The Science and Psychology of Goal Setting 101. Last reviewed May 2, 2019. https://positivepsychology.com/goal-setting-psychology/#; UT Southwestern Medical Center. Be SMART About Setting Health-Related Goals. Last reviewed January 19, 2023. https://utswmed.org/medblog/smart-goals-health-wellness/
[4] University of California. SMART Goals. Last reviewed 2017. https://www.ucop.edu/local-human-resources/_files/performance-appraisal/How+to+write+SMART+Goals+v2.pdf
[5] UT Southwestern Medical Center. Be SMART About Setting Health-Related Goals. Last reviewed January 19, 2023. https://utswmed.org/medblog/smart-goals-health-wellness/
[6] UT Southwestern Medical Center. Be SMART About Setting Health-Related Goals. Last reviewed January 19, 2023. https://utswmed.org/medblog/smart-goals-health-wellness/
[7] UT Southwestern Medical Center. Be SMART About Setting Health-Related Goals. Last reviewed January 19, 2023. https://utswmed.org/medblog/smart-goals-health-wellness/
[8] Collegiate Information and Visitor Services Association. How to Set SMART Goals. Last reviewed February 28, 2024. https://civsa.org/how-to-set-s-m-a-r-t-goals/
[9] Collegiate Information and Visitor Services Association. How to Set SMART Goals. Last reviewed February 28, 2024. https://civsa.org/how-to-set-s-m-a-r-t-goals/
[10] UT Southwestern Medical Center. Be SMART About Setting Health-Related Goals. Last reviewed January 19, 2023. https://utswmed.org/medblog/smart-goals-health-wellness/
[11] Mayo Clinic. Setting SMART Goals for Success. Last reviewed December 20, 2022. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/setting-smart-goals
[12] Mayo Clinic. Setting SMART Goals for Success. Last reviewed December 20, 2022. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/setting-smart-goals
[13] Mayo Clinic. Setting SMART Goals for Success. Last reviewed December 20, 2022. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/setting-smart-goals
[14] UT Southwestern Medical Center. Be SMART About Setting Health-Related Goals. Last reviewed January 19, 2023. https://utswmed.org/medblog/smart-goals-health-wellness/
[15] Positive Psychology. The Science and Psychology of Goal Setting 101. Last reviewed May 2, 2019. https://positivepsychology.com/goal-setting-psychology/#; UT Southwestern Medical Center. Be SMART About Setting Health-Related Goals. Last reviewed January 19, 2023. https://utswmed.org/medblog/smart-goals-health-wellness/; University of California. SMART Goals. Last reviewed 2017. https://www.ucop.edu/local-human-resources/_files/performance-appraisal/How+to+write+SMART+Goals+v2.pdf
[16] Positive Psychology. The Science and Psychology of Goal Setting 101. Last reviewed May 2, 2019. https://positivepsychology.com/goal-setting-psychology/#; UT Southwestern Medical Center. Be SMART About Setting Health-Related Goals. Last reviewed January 19, 2023. https://utswmed.org/medblog/smart-goals-health-wellness/; Collegiate Information and Visitor Services Association. How to Set SMART Goals. Last reviewed February 28, 2024. https://civsa.org/how-to-set-s-m-a-r-t-goals/
[17] Collegiate Information and Visitor Services Association. How to Set SMART Goals. Last reviewed February 28, 2024. https://civsa.org/how-to-set-s-m-a-r-t-goals/; UT Southwestern Medical Center. Be SMART About Setting Health-Related Goals. Last reviewed January 19, 2023. https://utswmed.org/medblog/smart-goals-health-wellness/
[18] Collegiate Information and Visitor Services Association. How to Set SMART Goals. Last reviewed February 28, 2024. https://civsa.org/how-to-set-s-m-a-r-t-goals/; UT Southwestern Medical Center. Be SMART About Setting Health-Related Goals. Last reviewed January 19, 2023. https://utswmed.org/medblog/smart-goals-health-wellness/
[19] UT Southwestern Medical Center. Be SMART About Setting Health-Related Goals. Last reviewed January 19, 2023. https://utswmed.org/medblog/smart-goals-health-wellness/
[20] UT Southwestern Medical Center. Be SMART About Setting Health-Related Goals. Last reviewed January 19, 2023. https://utswmed.org/medblog/smart-goals-health-wellness/
[21] Positive Psychology. The Science and Psychology of Goal Setting 101. Last reviewed May 2, 2019. https://positivepsychology.com/goal-setting-psychology/#; UT Southwestern Medical Center. Be SMART About Setting Health-Related Goals. Last reviewed January 19, 2023. https://utswmed.org/medblog/smart-goals-health-wellness/
[22] Positive Psychology. The Science and Psychology of Goal Setting 101. Last reviewed May 2, 2019. https://positivepsychology.com/goal-setting-psychology/#; UT Southwestern Medical Center. Be SMART About Setting Health-Related Goals. Last reviewed January 19, 2023. https://utswmed.org/medblog/smart-goals-health-wellness/
[23] Mayo Clinic. Setting SMART Goals for Success. Last reviewed December 20, 2022. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/setting-smart-goals
[24] Mayo Clinic. Setting SMART Goals for Success. Last reviewed December 20, 2022. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/setting-smart-goals
[25] Positive Psychology. The Science and Psychology of Goal Setting 101. Last reviewed May 2, 2019. https://positivepsychology.com/goal-setting-psychology/#; UT Southwestern Medical Center. Be SMART About Setting Health-Related Goals. Last reviewed January 19, 2023. https://utswmed.org/medblog/smart-goals-health-wellness/; University of California. SMART Goals. Last reviewed 2017. https://www.ucop.edu/local-human-resources/_files/performance-appraisal/How+to+write+SMART+Goals+v2.pdf
[26] Positive Psychology. The Science and Psychology of Goal Setting 101. Last reviewed May 2, 2019. https://positivepsychology.com/goal-setting-psychology/#; UT Southwestern Medical Center. Be SMART About Setting Health-Related Goals. Last reviewed January 19, 2023. https://utswmed.org/medblog/smart-goals-health-wellness/; University of California. SMART Goals. Last reviewed 2017. https://www.ucop.edu/local-human-resources/_files/performance-appraisal/How+to+write+SMART+Goals+v2.pdf
