January 2025
Happy New Year! Are you one of the 1 in 3 Americans that made a new year’s resolution? In 2024, of those Americans who made a New Year’s resolution, 59% reported that they were still going strong on January 30th.
In Healthcare we talk about making “SMART” goals. These goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound.
A specific goal is well defined. An example is a goal that states “I will lose 3 pounds by a specific date”, which is clearer than “I want to lose weight”.
A measurable goal is one that makes it easier to assess your success. An example would be “I will be able to walk a mile in 20 minutes by the end of January”, rather than “I will get in shape.”
An achievable goal is one that sets you up for success. Setting a weight loss goal of 1/2 pound per week is likely achievable and sustainable, but a goal of 2 pounds per week probably is not.
A relevant goal is one that is worthwhile to you. Some examples of this might be completing a 5K in six months’ time or losing a dress or pant size to help you look and feel your best for a family wedding next summer.
A time-bound goal has a definite time or date frame. For example, “I will quit smoking by my birthday in April of this year” is more motivating and specific than “I will quit smoking this year.”
Goals are often complex and can be overwhelming. It can help to create an overarching, larger goal, and then break that goal into smaller steps. Let’s say that you have a goal of running a 5K (3.1 miles), which you believe will help you to improve your cardiovascular fitness. You believe you can accomplish this in about 10 weeks, and you sign up for an event that you would like to do. You pick a training app or website, and you follow the instructions. These instructions will give you goals to follow from week to week, breaking the 5K goal into smaller walking and running intervals while increasing the time spent running each week. Whether you end up walking or running that event, it is important to complete the goal of participation that you set at the beginning. Doing this will give you a sense of achievement and the steps leading up to this participation have changed your physical activity level for the better.
Here is your smart goal for the 5K: Your specific goal is to run a 5K in 10 weeks. This is relevant to you because it is going to contribute to improving your cardiovascular fitness. The measurable part is meeting training intervals in the program you choose to use. This goal is achievable for most people, although some will need to make the goal a walking a 5K or they may find during the training that they need to repeat a week before moving onto the next interval. This goal is time-bound because you have an event date set for your participation. When that date arrives, I recommend that you participate in the event whether you reach the goal of running a 5K, must extend your training intervals, or choose to walk instead of running. Falling short of the original goal can make individuals feel that they have failed, but participating in the event is a win because there is no question on that day that you have improved your cardiovascular fitness.
If we can help you to set smart goals for a healthier you in 2025, please schedule an appointment at the Medical Center.
Fun facts:
- Julius Caesar established January 1 as New Year’s Day in 46 BC, marking the beginning of the new year and creating the Julian calendar.
- The name January comes from the God Janus, who was the God of new beginnings.
- The ball dropped in Time’s Square for the first time in 1907. The ball drop tradition comes from a time when time-keeping methods aboard ships were primitive. To solve this problem a giant ball was placed in a port which could be seen from the sea, and it would drop at the same time every day, typically 1 PM, to help sailors adjust their sense of time.
*These facts obtained from: from https://becauseisaidiwould.org/newyearsresolution/
Laurie Anderson, APRN-C, CDOE