What Is October Theory?

The term October Theory is a relatively recent term coined on social media, but it seems to have taken the world by storm. It’s a simple yet sensible idea for setting goals and bettering yourself.

According to Verywell Mind, October Theory is “the idea that fall, and specifically the month of October, is the perfect time to implement change in your life.”

Understanding that making New Year’s resolutions and jumping headfirst into a lifestyle change, a new habit, or the cessation of a bad habit is often difficult to do (and studies show that the average person sticks to their resolution for less than four months and only 1% of people actually stick to it all year long), October Theory posits that starting with small changes in the fall will mentally prepare you to adhere to those changes in the long term.

Why October or the fall months? To a lot of people, this season signifies change. And the proximity to the new year gives you some time to think about your goals. You can take the few months before January to determine what you want to do and the changes you want to make, and then you can come up with a plan for how you will actually implement it.

Most people make resolutions that have to do with their health, whether that is exercising more, eating less, eating healthier foods, or losing weight. That’s why we want to help you identify some effective ways to set goals so that you can begin now and not feel so overwhelmed when it comes to January, as we know that it’s not uncommon to feel a sense of foreboding or even anxiety when you hit January 1 and set your sights on a new goal. October Theory says that if you have been slowly working toward this goal for two to three months, you will be better able to move forward with the momentum you need.

Researchers have found that, when setting goals, people are much more likely to follow through if these goals are realistic and achievable. For instance, running a marathon next week with no training and no jogging experience is not realistic. But running a half mile is realistic.

To help people determine which goals are achievable and which are not, researchers came up with the acronym SMART. It stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound.

Let’s look at how to set a SMART goal. When thinking about what you want to achieve, ask yourself the following questions:

• Specific: What do I want to achieve?
• Measurable: How will I determine if I have met my goal?
• Achievable: Is this possible with my skill set and experience?
• Relevant: Does my goal align with my life?
• Time bound: What is my deadline for accomplishing this goal?

Many may ask why you would set new goals—especially fitness-related goals—during the time of year when people tend to overeat and attend parties galore. It’s simply because the lead in to the new year allows for practice. And we all know that developing a new habit takes practice.

Let’s look at some of the common lifestyle and health changes that people try to implement and how using SMART goals can make these changes more attainable.

We all know that processed foods and sugar aren’t healthy, but for most people, it’s not realistic to cut these things out entirely. What are some small things you can do to cut down the amount of sugar you eat? You could replace a sweet snack with fruit, vegetables, or healthy nuts. You could replace soda or juice with water. You could limit your consumption of candy or pastries to just one or two times a week instead of daily. What about processed foods? You could start cooking meals from scratch instead of buying frozen meals. You could reduce the number of times you eat out. If you must eat out regularly, you can choose healthy fares, such as salads, lean meats, and vegetables instead of fries as side dishes.

What about exercise goals? Joining a gym and telling yourself you will be there every day is likely not realistic. But joining a gym and promising yourself you will go three times a week is realistic. Maybe then your goal is to work up to five times a week. So you start out going three times a week for a month or two. Then you work up to four times a week. Then five. Incremental change is more manageable. The same goes for taking a walk after dinner, or taking the stairs, or starting a new sport. When you start with manageable goals, you will find that you can achieve them more easily, and you won’t feel like a failure when you miss a day at the gym.

But though you are beginning your new goal-setting behaviors in the fall, don’t be discouraged by the time of year, and don’t feel that you have to forgo sweet treats or an extra plate of turkey and stuffing. Enjoy these things and know that you will not ruin your progress toward your goal if you indulge a little on just a few occasions. Life is meant to be enjoyed, so don’t feel bad when you do enjoy it.

Use realistic goal setting to make plans for how to go about eating at get-togethers or parties. Eat just one piece of pie instead of two. Snack on just a few cookies rather than a whole plate of cookies. Eat only your favorite desserts and foods that you get just once a year. For instance, if you’re at Grandma’s and she has made your favorite cookie, but there are also chocolate chip cookies on the tray, stick with your favorite and walk away from the treats you can get anytime.

Think of the fall months as your planning and practice time. Sit down and reflect on the changes you want to make, then begin making little changes in your life so that the resolutions you make in January do not seem so intimidating and so that you will have already made progress in working toward them. These baby steps will help you create the new habit you strive for, and come January, you will be well on your way to a healthier you.