Setting SMART goals for dietary changes and

Any goal that you set must be SMART:

SpecificMeasurableAchievableRealistic Time-specific

• e.g. ‘I will start more walking’ is not a SMART goal.

A SMART goal would be: ‘I am going to walk to and from work everyday’.

• e.g. ‘I am going to drink more water’ is not a SMART goal.

A SMART goal would be: ‘I am going to keep a 1 litre water bottle on my desk and make sure that I drink it before I go home’.

• By making sure that you set SMART goals, you are more likely to achieve them and maintain the changes that you make.

To make and achieve your goals you will also want to think about the following: Support- who will help me to work towards my goals? E.g. husband/wife, work colleagues, friends. In what way can they offer support? E.g. by not offering me biscuits with my cup of tea. Rewards- how will you reward yourself for the changes you make? E.g. a new CD or new clothes in the long term.

Self-monitoring

Keeping a track on your own progress helps you to remain motivated, be more in control and also helps you to identify dietary habits. It also helps you to stop any lapse before it goes too far. Your best tools for self-monitoring of lifestyle changes are: Food and Activity diaries and checking your weight weekly.