Let’s Get Started!
Today is the day! I’m starting my own Simply Sweet Challenge. I’m calling it a challenge, but it’s more like the beginning of my personal mission of building lasting healthier food habits. The Simply Sweet Challenge is not a diet and it does not eliminate food groups. Instead, it focuses on being mindful of cravings and leaning into what is really going on inside that is causing me to want to reach for something sweet. The challenge will require me to evaluate my environment and daily food choices I am making in order to be successful at making behavior changes.
Throughout the next 10 weeks I will be dropping a weekly blog post on Sunday with a topic pertaining to the challenge where I will share my knowledge and tools that I am using to support my success. I will show up on social media for accountability and to share simple tips and tricks that I’m using during this journey. I hope others will follow along with me and be inspired to make some simple changes that will influence their own health goals!l. So let’s get started!
With any challenge, there needs to be a goal to strive to achieve. While my overall arching goal is to be healthier, I need to be specific with what behaviors will get me there. This is where SMART goal setting comes into play.
What is a SMART goal?
A SMART goal is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound
Specific – The goal should state exactly what one is going to do.
Measurable – The goal should have an objective measure to be able to monitor success.
Achievable – The goals should be somewhat challenging but not so challenging that it sets one up for failure.
Relevant – The goal should relate to the overall objective.
Time-bound – The goal should have a time-frame set from when it starts to when it “ends”. The end date doesn’t necessarily mean that you stop doing what you are doing; it’s more of a check-point used to evaluate progress and modify the goal if needed.
I have established two SMART goals for this challenge.
- I am going to strive for an added sugar intake of less than 10 grams per day on six days each week and no more than 35 grams on one designated day per week during the 10 week challenge.
- I will pre-prep healthy snacks for my snack box each week on Sunday and replenish it as needed during the 10 week challenge.
These goals are specific to me, but can certainly be used by anyone. However, if these goals seem too challenging for you right now, then I encourage you to create your own SMART goal that meets you where you are on your journey of creating healthier food habits!
~ Megan
*AI Generated Graphic
