Do you know what the best part about setting goals for weight loss is? You’ve probably already done it. Long ago. If you’ve ever said that you would love to lose 30 pounds, or wanted to lose weight to fit into a certain outfit, or felt your life would be better if only you weighed (insert your preferred weight here), then you’ve already set specific goals for losing weight.
So did you reach your goals?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. And just that fact, that you and millions of people like you, have defined goals for weight loss, gave it your best effort, but never managed to stay at your goal weight, tells you something’s wrong. And it’s got nothing to do with you. But a lot to do with the goal-setting process.
How to Set Weight Loss Goals You Can Reach
Try one or more of the following tips to set yourself up for effective goal setting and weight loss success.
- Set Achievable Goals – This is key. And it is one of the biggest reasons that so few people reach their weight loss goals for the long term. Interestingly, the goals for losing weight that people set usually aren’t unattainable because they want to lose too much weight. It’s usually because they want to lose weight too fast.
If you want to lose 30 pounds, do not expect to do so healthily, and keep the weight off, if you go on a 30-day diet. Your body will be fighting you every step of the way.
Set attainable goals for weight loss, generally no more than two pounds a week, and you’ll have a better chance of attaining them. - Set Short-Term Goals and Long-Term Goals – If you want to lose 30 pounds at two pounds a week, that’s four months of a weight loss program just to reach your goal. Then you need to make sure you stay there. That’s a long time to stay committed to a goal. And it doesn’t take into consideration and setbacks along the way.
If your goal is to lose 30 pounds, and the best-case scenario is that you can do so in four months, maybe think about a longer-term goal of eight months or even a year. In the meantime, set shorter-term goals like maybe five pounds in the first month to keep you going. - Set Different Types of Goals – Losing weight isn’t just about creating a calorie deficit. You need to balance your diet, get as much activity as you can into your life, and improve other habits, like getting proper sleep.
- Don’t Let Your Goals Get in Your Way – Have you or anyone you know ever felt like a failure at weight loss because you didn’t reach your goals – but you still managed to lose some weight? Imagine that. You lost weight and felt like you failed.
It’s important to constantly review your goals even while you’re trying to achieve them, and make adjustments to keep yourself on track. Weight loss isn’t easy. Just because it looks like you’re not going to reach your goal in the timeframe you set, don’t let that ruin all your efforts.
Now you know the pace at which you are comfortable losing weight. And if that doesn’t fit with your original schedule, then change the schedule and carry on.
The nutrition counsellors at your nearest Herbal One location are ready to help you set realistic weight loss goals. And they will help you reach them with Herbal One meal plans designed specifically for you and your goals.