SMART Weight Control

Take Control of Your Weight Today With SMART Goals

When it comes to losing excess weight and keeping it off, research continues to show the basics still apply—eating a healthy, reduced-calorie diet, becoming more active and shaping healthy lifestyle habits are critical to maintaining a healthy weight. However, there isn’t a “one size fits all” approach to weight loss. Tailoring your goals and planning regimen to meet your specific needs is critical for successful weight management.

Make your goals SMART 
Small, gradual changes in your behavior can have a tremendous impact on your health. Start now by carefully crafting meaningful goals to help you lose weight. Here’s how:

Specific—Instead of setting a goal of “losing weight,” think about the specifics involved to reach your goal and define them. For instance, set a goal to avoid or minimize sugary, fatty, and processed foods, one of the easiest ways to cut excess calories from your diet. Your next goal may be to walk 30 minutes every day.

Measurable—In order to evaluate your success, goals need to be measurable. The point of setting measurable goals is to determine whether you are making progress. One way to measure success is to keep a journal that logs your exercise regimen and daily food intake so that you can see whether you are meeting goals on most days.

Attainable—Agoal needs to be attainable, yet it also needs to present a challenge. It is better to break a lofty goal into “bite sized chunks,” starting slowly and working your way up to a larger goal than to try too much initially, get discouraged, and then quit.

Realistic—Set realistic goals. For example, healthy weight loss is 1-2 pounds a week.

Timed—Putting a time frame on the achievement of a particular goal is essential for success. This allows you to be proactive today. Otherwise, you may become victim to the “I’ll do it tomorrow” approach.  

There is no miracle for slimming down but only discipline and hard work...