How To Set Weight Loss GoalsSetting weight loss goals can help you lose weight fast and keep you motivated. Losing weight usually requires a big lifestyle change. You may have to overhaul what’s in your pantry and refrigerator. You may not like to exercise, but you need to do it on a consistent basis to stay healthy and get the body you want. You’ll have to just say no to some foods that you really love but aren’t good for you. Setting goals will help make it easier to follow through. First we're going to look at how you go about setting a goal to lose weight (or any type of goal), then we'll look at an example of a detailed goal with a deadline and specific action steps. Let's get into it... 1. Set specific goals “I want to get lean” or "I want to lose weight" is too vague. Too general. Specific goals have way more impact. “A vague goal is like the captain of a ship saying, “Go west.” The ship may be headed in the right general direction, but without a specific destination, it will probably get lost at sea.” How many pounds do you want to lose? Ahhh, now we’re getting somewhere! 2. Set measurable goals How do you measure your progress if you don’t have measurable goals? For example, a goal to lose 30 pounds or to reach 15% body fat is measurable. You can measure your progress weekly. One important point... It's ok to have a goal weight you want to reach, but focus mainly on your body fat percentage. Why? If your diet and exercise program are right, you’ll be losing body fat but not lots of weight. The scale doesn’t give you all the feedback that you really need. More on this shortly… If your weight loss goal doesn’t excite you, you’re going to have a hard time finding the motivation to consistently follow through. 4. Set deadlines Deadlines create a sense of urgency, but deadlines need to be realistic. Currently, the established guideline for healthy weight loss is one to two pounds a week or as a general rule 1% of your body weight. How is a weight loss goal of one or two pounds a week supposed to be exciting?? If you have the right balanced attack of a solid exercise routine and supportive nutrition, you’ll be losing body fat while building or maintaining muscle. Sure, 2 pounds a week doesn't sound "exciting," but in 3 short months you would be 24 pounds lighter and look much different. If you lose much more than a couple pounds a week, that means you’re losing water and muscle too. This will lead to is a decrease in your metabolism, and that means your weight loss will be very temporary. You will most likely gain back the weight you lost and then some. There are exceptions... If you're very overweight and have been sedentary, you'll probably lose lots of water and fat at first and that's fine. The pounds-lost-per-week does need to taper down to 2 eventually. By the way... Don't be fooled by all the weight those Biggest Loser participants lose on a weekly basis. Totally different circumstances. See this article for more on this. The take home message is... Judge your progress based on lean body mass and body fat measurements. See these articles for info: measuring body fat and calculating lean body mass. Sample Weight Loss Goal Ready to set your goal? Alright, here we go... Example of a weight loss goal: In 3 months I will lose 6% body fat and 24 pounds. Here are the things that I WILL do to reach this goal: 1) Eat four to six small balanced meals a day 2) I will not go more than 3 to 4 hours without a meal 3) I will stick to the workout schedule that I create 4) I will drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water everyday 5) Avoid sugary, high fat and sodium laced foods 6) Allow myself ONE cheat day per week 7) Exercise 5 days a week minimum, 45 minutes each workout Notice how your goal is broken down into very specific action items. This is important - it will help you stay focused on what needs to be done in order to lose those 24 pounds. You can take things a step further by adding your reasons for wanting to lose the weight. "I will lose 24 pounds so I can fit into my size 6 jeans again." "I will look great in my swimsuit when I go to the Bahamas." Another important thing... It’s ok if you find yourself needing to adjust your goal. If you're not losing weight as fast as you want, change your goal weight or the length of time needed to reach it. Just focus on being consistent and you will hit your weight loss goal. New! CommentsHave your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below. |
