Lori McCall RD

Research shows repeatedly that specific end-points are more likely to result in measurable (and meaningful) success compared with vague goals. If you say to yourself, “I’m going to eat healthier,” how do you know you’ve achieved that goal? Answering that question requires breaking down the statement into detailed segments, often referred to as SMART goals.

You’ve probably heard of the acronym already: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. By setting goals that meet these criteria, individuals can enhance their chances of success and track their progress effectively. Let’s delve deeper into each component of a SMART goal:

1. Specific: Clearly define what you want to accomplish. Instead of “eating healthier,” specify actions like “consume five servings of vegetables daily.”
2. Measurable: Establish criteria to track progress. You can monitor daily vegetable intake in a food diary, tick off boxes in your smart-phone reminders, or even use daily wristbands that you remove for each serving you’ve consumed. The measurement aspect is intended to be motivating and affirming when you look retrospectively on your journey, so that you can identify progress even when it’s nonlinear.
3. Achievable: Set realistic goals that can be accomplished. It’s important to ensure that the goal is within reach and feasible. If your starting point is one vegetable per week, then aiming for five a day might not be so realistic.
4. Relevant: The goal should be pertinent to your overall lifestyle objectives. Does eating vegetables directly align with your overarching objective for this season of life? For example, if your primary focus is stress relief, it might be a bit of a stretch to say that eating five daily servings of vegetables directly applies to it.
5. Time-bound: Set a timeframe for achieving the goal, both intermediate and ultimate. For example, in order to consume five servings of vegetables daily within the next three months, you might start with two-a-day in January, three-a-day in February, and so on until you reach five-a-day.

Let’s look at some examples of SMART goals that align with plant-based eating, whether you’re diving in the dietary deep end or just dipping your toes into the shallows.

• I will substitute beans or nuts for meat for lunch on Mondays.
• I will cook double portions of a vegetarian dinner on Sunday and package the leftovers to take to work on Tuesday.
• I will eat 1/4 cup of nuts instead of chips, crackers, or desserts twice per week.
• I will purchase and try one new vegetarian ingredient (grain, fruit, or vegetable) each week during my grocery shopping trip.
• I will keep three quick-heating bean options (canned + frozen leftovers + store-bought black bean burger) for easy meal prep in my kitchen at all times.

Remember that a process-oriented goal (such as the fifth one above) is just as valid as a behavior-oriented goal (such as the first one). In other words, you need goals that feel more like intermediate steps toward achieving the ultimate outcomes. The smaller the starting step, the easier success — and momentum — will come at the beginning. And isn’t the first step always the hardest?

Have a happy and healthy day!