Which option is an example of a SMART goal for healthy habit change?

Which option is an example of a SMART goal for healthy habit change?

• A. Randomly increase activity without a plan.
• B. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound; e.g., walk 30 minutes after dinner three times per week for 4 weeks.
• C. Walk once per month.
• D. Walk after dinner three times per week for 4 weeks.

Answer: (B)

SMART goals give clear, actionable targets you can track and revise. This example shows that well: walking 30 minutes after dinner three times a week for four weeks. Specific: it names exactly what you’ll do (walk) and when (after dinner) and for how long (30 minutes). Measurable: you count the three sessions each week. Achievable: 30 minutes is a realistic, doable amount of activity for most people. Relevant: it directly supports building a healthier habit through regular movement. Time-bound: the four-week window creates a finite period to commit to and evaluate progress. By comparison, plans that say to randomly increase activity lack a concrete target or schedule, while simply walking once a month misses regularity. And a version that doesn’t specify how long you’ll walk each session can be too vague to reliably guide behavior.

SMART goals give clear, actionable targets you can track and revise. This example shows that well: walking 30 minutes after dinner three times a week for four weeks. Specific: it names exactly what you’ll do (walk) and when (after dinner) and for how long (30 minutes). Measurable: you count the three sessions each week. Achievable: 30 minutes is a realistic, doable amount of activity for most people. Relevant: it directly supports building a healthier habit through regular movement. Time-bound: the four-week window creates a finite period to commit to and evaluate progress.

By comparison, plans that say to randomly increase activity lack a concrete target or schedule, while simply walking once a month misses regularity. And a version that doesn’t specify how long you’ll walk each session can be too vague to reliably guide behavior.