How to Set a Dietary SMART Goal

Goals are a road map to help us succeed: they give us a clear idea of where we want to be and how to get there. Creating a SMART Diet goal is very useful because it is:

  • Specific: You choose concrete actions to help you reach your goal. Choose specific activities you can do to improve your health.

  • Measurable: You choose how much will be done, and how you will know when the goal has been achieved. Ask yourself, what, how much, when, and how often?

  • Action-oriented: You commit to take action to achieve your goal. Focus on behavior, not outcome (e.g., eat 2 cups of veggies each day vs. lose 2 pounds).

  • Realistic: Your goal is achievable given available time and resources.

  • Time-based: Your goal can be completed within a specified time frame. 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.