Dietary SMART Goals

Ask yourself: what, how much, when, and how often?

  • Focus on behavior, not outcome (e.g., eat at least 2 cups of veggies per day vs. lose 2 pounds)
  • Start small, then build on the goal over time (initial goals that are too ambitious often result in frustration or a sense of failure)
  • Start with a short time frame (e.g., 1–2 weeks so you can monitor your actions)

Examples:

  1. I will add a green salad to my dinner meal 2 nights per week for the next 2 weeks.
  2. Starting tonight, I will eat at least 1 fruit or vegetable with each meal 4 days per week.
  3. I will choose a fruit or vegetable for a snack instead of potato chips, candy, or cookies, when watching TV in the evening.