Setting objectives in nutrition

Stages in which the coaching process can be divided into

• Establishing goals.

• Examining the current situation.

• Analysis of the available alternatives.

• Construction of an action plan.

• Evaluation and follow-up feedback.

The goals

Although many authors consider that an objective and a goal are the same, it is safe to say that an objective is qualitative and a goal is qualitative. For example: "I am going to buy a house", could be an objective, but if you add "...in two years", then you specify a goal.

There is a technique for determining objectives in a comprehensive manner, the SMART method, which indicates that the objective must be specific, measurable, adaptable, realistic and must consider time. The SMART method can be illustrated as follows.

What do I want? To become independent. Stated in this way it does not expose the strengths and weaknesses to achieve it, so using this technique it can be illustrated as follows:

• Specific: To become independent in 2 or 3 years, when I have achieved adequate job training and have learned a lot about the process.

• Why is it measurable: It is measurable because in 2 or 3 years of working in a place that is dedicated to what I am interested in, I will learn the business.

• Is it realistic and applicable: Yes, because in that time I would learn the business and allow me to become independent.

• Time: You have the goal that in 2 or 3 years you will achieve it.

To set goals, it is important to identify the situation we are in right now:

• How do I currently feel about myself?

• Where do we stand with our family?

• Where do we stand with friends?

• What is the situation with work or school?

• What problems are troubling me?

• Can I solve my problems or is it up to someone else to solve them?

When determining goals in coaching, there are a few things to consider.

Determination of goals by oneself: When goals are set to look good socially with someone there is a high probability that the goal will not be achieved, it is important to determine them by oneself and it will depend on following a scheme:

• Why do I want to achieve it?

• How long will it take?

To avoid this, it is good to remember everything that has been done, keep trying, even if the pace is slower, review everything and get back on track, finally, remember the dream that was set and what you want when it is achieved:

• What is my current situation?

• What have I done in my life to be here?

• What have I done to achieve my goal?

• What do I expect once I achieve my goal?

• What am I going to do to achieve my goal despite the setback?

• How long will it take to achieve my goals?

• What resources do I need to achieve my goals?

Raise awareness about habit changes: Once the goal is determined, it is necessary to change certain habits, break the paradigm that has been created and may be an obstacle. It is not appropriate to compare yourself to others when determining what habits we need to change. Goal I want to achieve:

• In what time frame do I want to achieve it?

• What things do I need to do to achieve it?

• What is my current situation?

• What things do I need to change?

Reflect that nothing is easy and requires effort: Keep a logbook with the changes you want to make.

Presence of distractions to achieve the goals: The plan should consider that there are both positive and negative distractions, so plan extra time and maintain a positive attitude towards these distractions.

Identifying rewards: You should not think about what you did not achieve despite having made every effort. Do not be disappointed, the important thing is to give all the effort and modify things in the plan. Study the causes that do not allow the goals to be met.

Follow up: Reaching the goal can be difficult, but making sure that you continue to have results can be even more difficult. It is necessary to have the right goals, to set them correctly, to have the necessary tools and to maintain motivation.

In coaching it is essential that the coachee sets the goals, the coachee should not tell you which goals to achieve.

The values to achieve the goal

The value is a principle that allows to guide the behavior to achieve what is wanted. People act according to values, experiences and circumstances. Someone who is clear about his or her values will have clear boundaries and freedoms in the way he or she views life.

When you are coaching, it is good to determine the values that guide the behavior of the coachee and based on that you determine the action plan to achieve individual goals, because when you do something that is not in accordance with the values of the person, you are not being integral.

That is why skills must be promoted in correspondence with values, beliefs and objectives. Coach and coachee undertake a learning process where values or beliefs that may be restrictive or that drive the process are identified. The coach must then detect and seek to break out of the self-learned beliefs.

When the coach considers the coachee's values, beliefs, objectives and goals, he/she can develop a better strategy for the coaching process.

How to define objectives?

Goals are what we want and are as individual as fingerprints, they move us forward. Coaching helps clients to express what they want, to have good dreams, to put legs and to run with them.

The coach helps the client explore their present and design the future, accompanies them to where they want to be, giving them more options and resources for the journey. This involves two kinds of goals, although they can be mixed:

• The objective - outcome: Your final destination, the link to where you are going.

• The objective - process: Your journey, how you are going to get there. The plan to achieve an outcome objective includes a series of smaller objectives that make up the journey.

Golden rules for determining and setting objectives

The objective must be stated in the positive:

• The objective - outcome should be stated in positive terms, stating what you want and not what you don't want or want to avoid. Sometimes clients tell what is going wrong in their lives by saying what they do not want.

• This rule only applies to goals - results. A destination has to be positive, while a process-objective could be defined in negative terms.

Key questions to ask the client:

• What do you want?

• What do you want instead of what you have?

The objective has to be specific:

• The objective should be as specific as possible, this is easy in some cases (like wanting a new car), but with abstract and intangible objects it can be more complicated. It is not easy, for example, in cases of wanting a better relationship, or to have more self-confidence. In that case, it is best to be specific with the tests that allow you to check whether you have achieved the objective.

• For example, if the objective is to have self-confidence, it may mean being able to speak in public for 10 minutes without shivering or thinking too much about it the night before, the speech must be validated as acceptable by at least two people who give their honest opinion.

• For tangible objectives it is recommended to specify it within appropriate limits. The perfectionist is not only too specific but will not settle for anything different.

• For long-term objectives it is difficult to be very specific, the closer in time, the more specific you can be. You can say when, where and with whom you are going to achieve them.

• In the case of abstract objects you should not try to specify the result, it is better to specify the evidence that will let you know that you have reached the desired goal.

One thing that should be specified is the time scale:

• How long will it take me to achieve the goal?

• When do I want it?

• How much time do I need to achieve it?

This applies to both the journey and the final destination.Key questions:

• What exactly do you want?

• Can you describe it more precisely?

• What exactly will you hear, feel or see when you achieve it?

• How long will you need to reach it?

• When do you want to achieve it?

Decide how you will get proof and feedback on your goal:

• It is important to define the evidence that will make you feel you have met the goal - outcome. When you see, feel, or hear X, Y and Z, then you will know that you have achieved it.

• In the objective - process, it will be the feedback that tells you if you are on track to your objective - result. Not paying attention to this means that you may miss the target. A plane taking off for Havana, the pilot not only lets the aircraft fly on its own when it takes off, but also controls the flight conditions, thus ensuring that the plane reaches its destination, that is, he pays attention to the elements that will take it towards its objective, this is vital, even if there are no unexpected situations. In fact, this is what prevents unexpected situations from arising.

Some questions to ask the client to reflect on his feedback:

• How will you measure your progress towards the goal? It is checked in two ways, one is in relation to oneself (you evaluate the performance, later you measure it again and compare) and in relation to someone else (If you want to be the best at something, you don't need to, it is enough if the others get worse).

• How often will you measure your progress? You need to collect feedback constantly to make sure you are on track. It's also important to set milestones, like marking a path.

Key questions:

• How will you know you've achieved your goal?

• What markers will you have along the way?

• How will you know that you are on track toward your goal?

• How often will you check that you are on track?

Organize your resources: You need your resources during the journey, not when you have arrived:

• Objects: Books, technology, audios and videos with needed information.

• People: Family, friends, even contacts you haven't seen in a while.

• Time: Do you have the time to achieve the objectives? If not, how are you going to get it, and if there are delays, how do you manage it?

• Role models: Do