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Posts Tagged ‘SMART Goals’

Making Your New Year Resolution Stick

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , , , , on January 13, 2022| Leave a Comment »

2022

Do you pick a resolution each year? I know I do. This year I chose to create a healthier life for myself. After about two weeks or so, I tend lose focus and step off course. If you are anything like me, it can be difficult to get back on track. I am going to share a few tips and tricks that I find helpful to sticking with my new year resolution.

When I am choosing my resolution, I choose something that has smaller targets to push me to accomplish the end goal in mind. If I chose to live a healthier life, that is my end goal. I like to set up list of objectives to accomplish each month, that will get me closer to the end goal. The objectives that I incorporated into my monthly plan are:

            1. Don’t buy soda for a month

            2. Go to the gym, take a walk, or any physical activity three-four times a week

            3. Write a journal entry three nights a week

When you break down your resolution into smaller sections, it does not look as intimidating. The above objectives cover three months out of the year. With just 12 objectives in mind, you can reach your end goal, without realizing it. There are several other tips and trick to help you stick to your New Year’s resolution.

Steps for making your New Year’s Resolution Stick:

  1. Dream big
  2. Understand why you shouldn’t make a change
  3. Commit yourself
  4. Give yourself a medal
  5. Learn from the past
  6. Give thanks to what you do

Something to keep in mind is that you want a goal that will be realistic. Have you ever heard of a S.M.A.R.T. Goal? This is an acronym for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time. This means that you want to set specific goals that can be watched and measured. It also needs to be something that can be achievable and relevant to your life. Keep the time frame realistic and accurate to fit your lifestyle. Take a closer look to help you understand how to create S.M.A.R.T. Goals that fit your life.

Something that works for me, may not work for someone else. This case is true in almost every situation. Test new ways to do things, until you find the right fit for yourself. Even though it may take a while, it is important to remember the reasons why. Why am I doing this? Why should I do this? Remembering the reasons why can help keep you motivated.

Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, shared information on S.M.A.R.T. Goals on Extension Today. Watch the video below to learn more!

Check out the resources below to learn more about sticking to your New Year’s Resolutions!

Author: Megan Zwick, Family and Consumer Sciences Program Assistant, OSU Extension Washington County

Reviewer: Amanda Bohlen, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, M.Ed., OSU Extension Washington County

Resources:

Miller, J. A. (n.d.). How to make (and keep) a new year’s resolution. The New York Times. Retrieved December 17, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/guides/smarterliving/resolution-ideas

Seven Steps for Making your New Year’s Resolutions Stick. Harvard Health. (2020, November 24). Retrieved December 17, 2021, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/seven-steps-for-making-your-new-years-resolutions-stick

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Reclaiming Fitness, Again

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , , , on July 1, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Two years ago, I wrote an article about how I set a personal goal to return to a fitness routine after the birth of my son and subsequent return to work. I set a SMART goal for myself: I wanted to re-stablish a fitness routine by attending at least one group fitness class every week for a month. My previous fitness routine of attending two classes a week had been disrupted by my pregnancy, and I was eager to return to it.

In the summer and fall months of 2019, I met my initial goal and began to attend classes more frequently, returning to a routine similar to what had been my old normal. I kept that routine until mid-March of 2020 when the global coronavirus pandemic shut down my gym and I found my routine disrupted once again!

In the early months of the pandemic, I adapted by doing at-home workouts in place of group fitness classes, and I continued those for many months. However, I discovered that while those at-home workouts provided me with regular strength-training, my daily step count was depressingly low since I didn’t have much space at home to move around or engage in moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity. I knew this was problematic as the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each week for substantial health benefits, though they do also state that any activity is better than none.

A treadmill desk
My Treadmill Desk

At that point in time, I set a goal for myself to reach at least 7,000 steps each day. My husband and I purchased a treadmill desk which helped tremendously! I began to reach my step goal regularly and increased it to 10,000 steps per day. But then, eventually, I had to start returning to my office for work and did not have the treadmill available for use during the workday. My husband is still working from home and making use of the treadmill desk, and while I tried to order one for my office, it was (and is still) on backorder!

So, what to do now? Despite the challenges and excuses I am tempted to claim, I know it is time once again to reclaim a “normal” fitness routine that meets my needs. My gym is open once again and I am fully vaccinated, so I believe it is time for me to rejoin and start attending group fitness classes to get strength-training AND moderate-intensity exercise on a regular basis. I called my gym to rejoin last week and my SMART goal is the same as it was two years ago: to reestablish a fitness routine by attending at least one group fitness class every week for a month. In some ways it may seem like I have regressed, but when I step back and look at the whole picture, I am reminded that we often grow in fits and spurts, even when we encounter setbacks in our life. The most important lesson is to not give up on our goals and to remember that it’s never too late to start again. We owe it to ourselves and to our health.

Sources:

Lobb, J. (2019). Reclaiming fitness. Live Healthy Live Well. https://livehealthyosu.com/2019/08/22/reclaiming-fitness

Stanford BeWell (2021). Achieving your SMART health goal. https://bewell.stanford.edu/achieving-your-smart-health-goal

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2018). Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition. https://health.gov/paguidelines/second-edition/pdf/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf

Written by: Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension, Franklin County, lobb.3@osu.edu

Reviewed by: Laura Stanton, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension, Warren County, stanton.60@osu.edu

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Start the Year with a SMART Goal

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , on January 17, 2020| 1 Comment »

a computer screen that reads "goals for 2020"

Did you make a New Year’s resolution? Perhaps you vowed to lose weight, eat healthier, exercise more, quit smoking, save money or get organized. According to John C. Norcross, a psychology professor who studies resolutions, about 40% of Americans make resolutions each year. Six months into the year, in Norcross’ studies, about 40% of those individuals have kept their resolutions. Norcross says that those who believe in themselves are 10 times more likely to change a behavior with a resolution, compared to non-resolution makers.

Setting a SMART goal is one way to set yourself up for success – and increase your belief in yourself – if you happened to make a resolution this year. A SMART goal is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. In August, I posted a blog detailing a SMART goal I set for myself regarding physical activity. However, you might choose to write a SMART goal for a behavior in any of the nine dimensions of wellness. In her blog “How Well are You?” my colleague Misty explores these dimensions of wellness and suggests small and simple steps you might take to improve your wellbeing in any one dimension.

Some of my other colleagues have shared fun and creative SMART goals to improve wellbeing in these various dimensions:

Bridget set a goal to refrain from purchasing any new clothes for three months, as a way to improve her financial wellbeing.

Emily set a goal of completing a 5K race each month of the year in 2020, as a way to improve her physical wellbeing.

Alisha recently wrote a blog about her “Kindness Boomerang” resolution in which she set out to complete a daily act of kindness to improve emotional and social wellbeing.

Which dimension of wellness do you want to work on this year? Consider setting a SMART goal to set yourself up for success. I know that for me, writing a SMART goal and sharing it with others was a way to make myself accountable to working toward that goal!

Sources:

Harmon, M. (2017). How Well are You? Live Healthy, Live Well. https://livehealthyosu.com/2017/08/18/how-well-are-you/

Hetter, K. (2020). How to Keep New Year’s Resolutions. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/01/health/keeping-new-years-resolutions-wellness/index.html

Lobb, J. (2019) Reclaiming Fitness. Live Healthy, Live Well. https://livehealthyosu.com/2019/08/22/reclaiming-fitness/

The Ohio State University, Student Wellness Center. Nine Dimensions of Wellness. https://swc.osu.edu/about-us/nine-dimensions-of-wellness/

Stanford BeWell. Achieving your SMART health goal. https://bewell.stanford.edu/achieving-your-smart-health-goal/

Written by: Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Franklin County, lobb.3@osu.edu

Reviewed by: Alisha Barton, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Miami County, barton.345@osu.edu

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Reclaiming Fitness

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , , , on August 22, 2019| 1 Comment »

"If you want to reach your goals, you must shrink the size of your but." - Toby Mac #speaklife

July was a big month for me. After evaluating and reflecting on my personal wellness in a blog post in June, I decided it was time to act. Motivated in part by the meme pictured above, which I initially saw on a friend’s social media page, I knew it was time to stop making excuses for my lack of inactivity and re-invest in my personal well-being.

In June, I had identified coping with stress as a priority area for my overall wellness. I knew I needed to either resume an exercise routine (my former go-to method for coping with stress) or identify an alternative stress coping strategy. I decided to resume exercising, and I set a SMART goal for myself to re-establish a routine. 

A SMART goal is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. My goal was to attend at least one fitness class for a week for a month. This goal was:

Specific – I stated what I wanted to accomplish.

Measurable – At the end of the month, I could tell whether I had achieved my goal by looking at my fitness class attendance.

Attainable – Because I did not have a current routine when I set this goal, I started small by challenging myself to attend just one class a week.

Realistic – In setting this goal, I knew I had the time and financial resources to attend fitness classes at a convenient location for me.

Timely – My goal was for the coming month.

I am proud to say that I met my goal, and now I am working toward a new goal of attending two or more fitness classes each week this month!

Before setting and achieving this goal, I was not entirely inactive; I used resistance bands and my own body weight to do simple strength training exercises while at work, and I took walks around my neighborhood when I was able. But, according to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, while some physical activity is better than none, engaging in moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity is key to experiencing substantial health benefits.

Regular moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity:

  1. Reduces the risk of many adverse health outcomes such as coronary heart disease, stroke, certain types of cancer, diabetes, hypertension and Alzheimer’s disease; and  
  2. Promotes brain health by reducing anxiety and depression risk while improving sleep quality and overall quality of life.

The guidelines state that the benefits of physical activity generally outweigh the risk of adverse outcomes or injury. However, if you are starting a new physical activity routine, make sure to choose types of activity that are appropriate for your current fitness level, knowing that you can increase your activity over time to meet your goals. If you have a chronic condition and/or are unsure about the types and amounts of activity appropriate for you, take time to consult with a health care provider before setting a goal or beginning a routine.

Sources:

Stanford BeWell. Achieving your SMART health goal. https://bewell.stanford.edu/achieving-your-smart-health-goal/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2018). Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition. https://health.gov/paguidelines/second-edition/pdf/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf

Written by: Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Franklin County, lobb.3@osu.edu

Reviewed by: Misty Harmon, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Perry County, harmon.416@osu.edu

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Sticking to Your Fitness Goals

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , on March 27, 2018| Leave a Comment »

How many of you set fitness goals for yourselves this year? I know I have. While my husband and I have made a habit out of power-lifting that we both love, cardio is not my favorite. Even though I don’t enjoy it, I know it’s important for me if I want to continue to get healthier and to get more out of my lifts. Cardio can range from walking to swimming, biking, and running. Typically, I love doing things outdoors when the weather is nice, so it’s much easier for me to find cardio activities then. It can just be extra tough this time of year to get excited about a treadmill or an elliptical when it’s so cold and dark outside, and the only acceptable option for me is to stay indoors.

Whether it’s finding a way to stay excited about and committed to your physical activity goals or looking for something completely different to try this year, there are lots of ways to keep yourself motivated and on track for the whole year. Take small steps in the gym. Try one new exercise at a time to really focus on what you like or don’t like about it. When setting goals, consider keeping them short-term; set a small weight goal for just a couple weeks down the line to help you better visualize progress, or set a goal for how many times you want to make it to the gym in the next month, giving you a more definite time frame. Having these smaller, shorter SMART goals can help to make your overall resolution feel less overwhelming and will allow you to continue to have multiple achievements throughout the year.weight-lifting-1284616_1920

As you are thinking about your SMART goals, it is important to consider exactly how you want to achieve them. The best workout for you is the workout that you are going to do. Going to a commercial gym is not a feasible option for everyone. While having a gym membership could sound appealing in theory, the time and effort required to plan for and make it to the gym may never work with your schedule. As a result, it’s important to figure out the best workout setting for you. This could be outside. Being outside is wonderful for your mental health, and soaking up the sun and hearing the birds chirp might serve as extra inspiration for your exercise, whether it be walking, running, hiking, or yoga, for example.

If exercising outside isn’t of interest to you, have you considered working out in your own home? Your home is a comfortable, familiar environment that you likely find yourself in each day, so why not use it as a safe space to try out some exercises? If you don’t have any exercise equipment at home, no worries! There are plenty of exercises and routines that can be done with either just your body weight or with everyday items you might already have in your home. Feel free to get creative and find what you enjoy. Only when you enjoy an exercise will you stick with it long-term and continue to build on that success.

My husband and I have found enjoyment in weight lifting, and we know that we will continue exercising this way for as long as we can. As for my cardio journey, I have found that tabata and interval style cardio suits me best, usually between the elliptical and rowing machines. I hope you find something that you love too and that you are able to achieve all of your fitness goals! Feel free to share your SMART goals or your favorite fitness activities with us!

Written By: Amy Meehan, MPH, Healthy People Program Specialist, The Ohio State University Extension, Family and Consumer Sciences

Reviewed By: Misty Harmon, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Perry County.

Sources:

http://livesmartohio.osu.edu/mind-and-body/woods-485osu-edu/a-walk-in-the-woods-2/

http://livesmartohio.osu.edu/mind-and-body/lobb-3osu-edu/be-kind-to-yourself/

https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/6593/top-25-at-home-exercises

https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2014/12/30/373996649/why-we-sign-up-for-gym-memberships-but-don-t-go-to-the-gym

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Use your Vacation to Jump Start your “Healthy” Resolutions!

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , , , , , on July 14, 2016| 1 Comment »

Beach

It is hard to believe that we are entering the second half of 2016. Where did the time go? Were you like most of us who set a New Year’s goal or resolution?

How are you doing with that goal? Did you achieve it and move forward with your new healthy lifestyle behaviors? Did you get sidelined by events in your life?

If this new habit is part of your routine, great! If not, is it still relevant? Do you need to revise your goal? Recently I encouraged program participants to set a SMART Goal. What is a SMART goal?

One of the best things you can do to start on your road to health is to set goals using the SMART method.  Let’s start by setting a SMART Wellness Goal. Make sure your goal contains all of these components:

S                  Specific – Walk 30 minutes

M               Measurable – 6 days each week

A                Attainable and Action-Oriented – I will walk (I have no limitations)

R                 Realistic – I already walk 15 minutes 6 days of the week

T                Time Specific – By August 15, 2016

SMART Goal: By August 15, 2016, I will walk for 30 minutes at least 6 days each week.

Another Example of a SMART Goal: By August 15, 2016, I will stretch for 10 minutes at least 5 days a week.

Take a few minutes to write down Your SMART Goal: __________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Goal cropped 2

A great website tool to help you set nutrition and physical activity goals is SuperTracker which is available from the United States Department of Agriculture. Visit their website to get started with five simple goals. You will determine your goals and periodically receive encouragement thru your email.

Why should you consider your goals during vacation time? For many of us, vacation offers extra time to reflect on our lives and evaluate our progress. I consider my July vacation as a mid-point check-up. Are there things that I want to change to improve my health? Are there activities/projects that I want to accomplish before the year end? If so, taking a few minutes to pause and identify action steps & setting a SMART goal will help me achieve my goals.

Want a little more motivation? Check out Move it Monday for their Tip of the Week and suggestions for being more active.

Remember that even if you were derailed on your New Year’s Resolutions, it isn’t too late to start again! Write that goal and get started this vacation season!

Written by: Michelle Treber, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Pickaway County, treber.1@osu.edu

Reviewed by: Susan Zies, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Wood County, zies.1@osu.edu

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Set a Wellness Goal for the New Year

Posted in Healthy People, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 7, 2013| 1 Comment »

ChooseMyPlate

ChooseMyPlate

As we begin a new year, we often reflect on the past year and what we hoped to accomplish.  Perhaps we are happy with our outcomes or maybe we see areas for improvement.  Each year always brings many New Year Resolutions.  When I managed a health and wellness center at a university, our memberships soared in January.  The facility was crowded the first part of the year but by springtime it leveled out and included the regulars and a few who established the health habit of working out.Many of us start the New Year with the motivation to get healthy this year.   Did your physician make health recommendations for you?  Did they say?

  • Lose 20 Pounds!
  • Eat more Veggies and Fruits?
  • Reduce your Stress?
  • Move More and Increase your Physical Activity.
  • Reduce the Sodium in your Diet.
  • Drink more Water.
  • .     .     .

Many times we know health and wellness areas that we can improve.   One of the best things you can do to start on your road to health is to set goals using the SMART method.

Set A SMART Goal

Set A SMART Goal

How do I set a SMART goal?  Make sure your goal contains all of these components:

S              Specific

M            Measurable

A             Action-Oriented and Attainable

R             Realistic

T              Time Specific

Let’s take water for an example.  You want to drink more water and this is your first wellness goal.  One of the most important things you can do to achieve success is to write your goal down.

My Wellness Goal:   By February 1, I will drink 5 glasses of water per day at least 6 days each week.

By setting this goal, I have covered the following components:

Specific – drinking more water (5 glasses) per day for at least 6 days each week.

Measurable– I am able to count the number of glasses of water I consume.  (Keep track on a log, calendar or your phone).

Action-Oriented and Attainable– setting the goal of drinking 5 glasses of water encourages me to increase my water intake at a reasonable level.  If I decided to go from drinking 2 glasses of water to 8 glasses, it might not be as easy to attain.

Realistic– setting the goal of 5 glasses of water is a reasonable goal.

Time Specific – one month to achieve this goal helps me to establish a new habit.

Don’t know where to begin?  The 2010 Dietary Guidelines set consumer messages that focus on three different areas.  Perhaps you will select one of these areas and write a SMART goal to help you make the changes.

Action Oriented Consumer Messages from the 2010 Dietary Guidelines:

Balancing Calories

  • Enjoy your food, but eat less.
  • Avoid oversized portions.

Foods to Increase

  • Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
  • Make at least half your grains whole grains.
  • Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.

Foods to Reduce

  • Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals and choose      the foods with lower numbers.
  • Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

How do you get started?

Decide on your first wellness goal for the year.  Make it reasonable, specific, action oriented, time specific and measurable (SMART).  Once you’ve achieved this goal, continue this behavior and add a new goal.  Perhaps the next goal will be a little harder to achieve such as reducing stress in your life.   Look at the specific stressors in your life and explore ways to reduce stress.  How can you add balance to your life? Go through the same process and make this goal a SMART goal.  Remember that it takes time and effort to make wellness changes in your life and that every change does add up.  Here’s to your improved health!

Sources:

www.choosemyplate.gov

Setting a Goal.  (2011). Retrieved December 18, 2012, from http://healthandwellness.vanderbilt.edu/news/2011/09/setting-a-goal/

Vig, T.  (2009). How to Set Achievable Wellness Goals.  Retrieved December 18, 2012, from http://www.unm.edu/~market/cgi-bin/archives/004615.html

Writer:  Michelle Treber, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Pickaway County, Heart of Ohio EERA, treber.1@osu.edu

Reviewer:  Lisa Barlage, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ross County, Ohio Valley EERA, barlage.7@osu.edu

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