SMART Goals for Healthy Eating: The New 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines

Picture of Mindy Meuli, MS, RD

Mindy Meuli, MS, RD

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What Are SMART Goals?

Setting SMART goals can help us make small changes to improve our health at any life stage. SMART goals are especially valuable because they provide a step-by-step plan to reach our goal. They provide us with a sense of direction, motivation, and clear focus for actions to take.

SMART Goals Image explaining acronym

S – Specific

A good goal is specific – think about a specific food group or activity, rather than generally eating healthier or being more active.

M – Measurable

Measurable goals have a number attached to them, such as eating one extra cup of vegetables/day or walking for 10 minutes after dinner.

A – Attainable:

Goals that are attainable can be acted on and met with reasonable effort.

R – Relevant:

Goals should be relevant to what a participant wants to attain.

T – Time-Bound

A time-bound goal has an end date (for example, after one week), after which the individual can evaluate their progress and set new goals.

Example: A SMART Goal for Healthy Eating

An example of a healthy eating SMART Goal is:

Let’s break this down into a SMART goal:

Once you have reached your goal and it has become a routine, add another goal until you have achieved a balanced diet following the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans:

For more information on the new pyramid go to https://realfood.gov

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