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Healthy eating

Setting goals for lifestyle change

Goal setting can help you make lifestyle changes to improve your health.

If you're ready to make a change, it can help to start with 1 or 2 goals and break them into smaller steps. Change can be hard, especially if you try to make too many changes at once. You're more likely to reach smaller goals.

You can use the Setting goals for lifestyle change worksheet to set a goal that’s important to you and that you can reach. You're the expert in your life and the best judge of what will work for you.

The goal-setting worksheet guides you through the following steps:

Choose a goal that's important to you.
Break your goal into smaller goals.
Make your goal SMART.
- S-Specific
- M-Measurable
- A-Attainable
- R-Realistic
- T-Timeframe
Finish your plan by thinking about
- things that might get in the way of your goal
- people who can help you
- ways to track your progress

Current as of: February 20, 2025

Author: Nutrition Services, Alberta Health Services

This material is not a substitute for the advice of a qualified health professional. This material is intended for general information only and is provided on an "as is", "where is" basis. Although reasonable efforts were made to confirm the accuracy of the information, Alberta Health Services does not make any representation or warranty, express, implied or statutory, as to the accuracy, reliability, completeness, applicability or fitness for a particular purpose of such information. Alberta Health Services expressly disclaims all liability for the use of these materials, and for any claims, actions, demands or suits arising from such use.

Healthy eating

Setting goals for lifestyle change

Goal setting can help you make lifestyle changes to improve your health.

The goal-setting worksheet guides you through the following steps:

Choose a goal that's important to you.
Break your goal into smaller goals.
Make your goal SMART.
- S-Specific
- M-Measurable
- A-Attainable
- R-Realistic
- T-Timeframe
Finish your plan by thinking about
- things that might get in the way of your goal
- people who can help you
- ways to track your progress

3-day food and activity journal

Use this journal as a tool to help you meet your eating goals. When you review your journal, you can see the progress you’ve made, or you may decide to make new goals.

How to fill in the journal

Print or save the 3-Day Food and Activity Journal.
Write down everything you eat and drink. You may want to record 1 weekday (or workday) and 1 Saturday or Sunday (or day off).
Include:
- How much food you ate. See the suggestions below to estimate portion sizes. If the food comes in a package, just write down the package size. For example: 175 mL container of yogurt.
- How the food is cooked. For example: fried, baked, boiled, barbecued.
- Anything you add to food during or after cooking. For example: cream, sugar, oil, butter, jam, syrup, ketchup, dressings, or other sauces or condiments.
- Details about restaurant foods, fast foods, or packaged foods. For example: McDonald’s Big Mac or KFC chicken.
Measure the food you eat for a day or 2 to help you understand how much you eat and drink. Use measuring cups and spoons.
Write down all your activities for the day. Include planned activities (going for a walk or swim) and activities of daily life (housework or grocery shopping). Comments may include where you ate, your mood, or stress level.
Print more copies of the journal if you need more space to write.
Read over your journals to see what is working well and what you may want to change.
Keep on tracking. Use this tool to help you meet your goals, or to make new goals.

To estimate portion sizes, use the guidelines below:

This amount of food:	Is about the same size as:
2½ oz. (75g) of meat	a hockey puck
1½ oz. (50 g) of cheese	2 white erasers
1 cup (250 mL)	a baseball or fist
½ cup (125 mL)	a hockey puck
1 medium piece of fruit	a tennis ball
2 Tbsp (30 mL)	1 golf ball
¼ cup (60 mL)	2 golf balls
1 tsp (5 mL) – use for butter, margarine, mayonnaise	a thumb tip or 1 die

Example of how to fill in your food journal:

Meal	Day 1: Thursday	Day 2: Saturday
Breakfast (first meal)	1 cup Bran Flakes with 1 tsp sugar and ½ cup 1% milk 1 cup coffee black 1 slice whole wheat toast with 2 tsp soft margarine	1 egg fried in 1 tsp butter with 3 strips of bacon 2 slices whole wheat toast with 2 tsp soft margarine 2 cups tea (chamomile)
Snack	1 carrot muffin - Tim Hortons 1 medium black coffee - Tim Hortons	1 medium apple
Activity	Stressful day at work	30-minute walk

Download the 3-day Food and Activity Journal.

Current as of: February 20, 2025

Author: Nutrition Services, Alberta Health Services

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Related to Healthy Eating

Healthy eating

Setting goals for lifestyle change

Healthy eating

Setting goals for lifestyle change

3-day food and activity journal

​​​How to fill in the journal

How to fill in the journal