Setting goals makes the weight loss process much easier. When you set a goal for weight loss, it is important to consider exactly what you want to accomplish. If you are experiencing health problems due to your weight, losing even 10 percent of your body weight can improve your health significantly. However, setting a goal of getting down to your high school weight could be not only unrealistic, but also damaging. And if you simply want to feel more confident in a swimsuit this summer, setting a goal of exercising regularly and lifting weights may be more beneficial than setting an arbitrary goal weight.
Step 1
Set several, small goals. Avoid setting broad goals, such as losing 30 pounds. One goal could be to exercise more each day, one goal might be to stop eating after dinner and another goal could be to eat at home rather than out most days.
Step 2
Be specific. Set goals that are easy to measure. Instead of setting a general goal to exercise, designate how long you will work out: 30 minutes, five days a week. And don't just say you will eat less, decide how much. For example, your goal could be to cut 250 calories a day from your diet.
Step 3
Be realistic. If you struggle with overeating, it is unrealistic to exist on soup and salad. If you are not a regular exerciser, running six miles a day is probably not reasonable. Set goals that are challenging but not impossible.
Step 4
Focus on the process, not the result. Goals of eating at least four servings of vegetables each day, sleeping at least seven hours each night or exercising at least 30 minutes each morning are all process oriented--and goals over which you have total control. By contrast, losing 10 pounds in one month is a goal that you have little control over, even if you do everything right; the weight might not fall off as quickly as you hope.
Step 5
Keep a journal of your activities and accomplishments. There are several important reasons why this is a good ideal. First, this is as an act of accountability. It is more difficult to skip a workout if you know you must sit down and record it. Maintaining a journal also allows you to look back and see how much you have accomplished; this can be key when the scale is not moving as quickly as you hoped. Finally, if weight loss stalls, reviewing your journal can help you find any changes to your routine that could be to blame.
Step 6
Forgive yourself. The most important step in setting a goal is to understand that goals are fluid. So, forgive yourself if you do not progress as quickly as you hoped, if you backslide and eat too much cake, or if you decide that your initial goal weight was too ambitious.
Things You'll Need
- Journal
Member Comments