Short-term achievable goals create a path to long-term health.

Diet is a term often associated with going on a diet. Diet involves what we eat, when we eat, why we eat, where we eat and even who we eat alongside. Diet is a noun for a way of life and dieting is an action verb, which means it is something we do on occasion, such as before or after holidays or for the short duration when New Year’s resolutions actually last. Dieting is a short-lived fad while a diet is a lifestyle decision.

Unfortunately, too many people search for fads to help shed pounds quickly. Truth be told, the only real solution is simple. It consists of lifelong healthful eating. Although eating right might not seem as interesting as the trendiest “quick-fix” craze, eating a balanced, varied diet with moderation is the key to success. Fad diets do not last and pounds often return with a vengeance. Many of these so-called “healthy” diets can be detrimental to your body. Eating a balanced diet is the only real way to ensure your body is getting all of the nutrients it needs in order to thrive while still maintaining a healthy body weight.

Since a diet is a way of life, don’t expect to drop 20 pounds instantly. In this fast-paced, convenience-driven world, it is easy to become impatient. However, making gradual progress toward smaller goals is something you can work on throughout your life. Rather than making a drastic change all at once that would make anyone struggle, set SMART goals to take control of your new healthy lifestyle.

SMART is an acronym for specific, measureable, attainable, realistic and timely. Start with small goals that are specific to what you want to accomplish. Success with reaching your goal must be measureable because attainability is extremely important. If you aren’t able to see progress, you will lose interest. As hard as it might be, remain realistic with goal-setting. A home-run first off, can disappoint later if a strike out or even a single occurs.

Finally, have a time-frame in mind when creating objectives. All of these things will help you reach goals, feel a sense of worth and accomplishment and continue to inspire you to make progress toward a healthy lifestyle. An example of a SMART goal might be: I will eat a non-starchy vegetable during both lunch and dinner five days per week.

You can change your life and the way you feel and think by taking time to invest in a healthy lifestyle. So, begin now by setting those proper short-term achievable goals.