Weight Loss Goal Setting

Before you start setting any goals for weight loss, it is important to determine how much weight you would like to lose and why you want to lose that weight.

Both of these things are important if you are to do weight loss goal setting successfully.

However there is more to weight loss goal setting than just coming up with a few numbers, because unless you are familiar with the various goal setting techniques, you may set the wrong type of goal and as a result won’t achieve it.

In this article we will look at how you can do goal setting for weight loss properly, so that you can maximise your chances of reaching your goal.

Setting Your Weight Loss Goals

Everyone has a set amount of weight they would like to lose, unfortunately however many people set goals that are completely unrealistic and then give up when they don’t get the results they were hoping for.

So when it comes to setting weight loss goals, the amount of weight you should aim to lose should be high enough to challenge you yet low enough to make it seem possible.

For example, an unrealistic weight loss goal would be to say “I want to get rid of all my belly fat before my holiday which is in 2 months time“.

Whilst getting rid of your belly fat may be the end result you hope to obtain, this is such a large long term goal that it cannot be obtained all in one go.

Rather it would be better to break that goal down into smaller goals, such as by saying “I want to lose X amount of belly fat before my holiday, and then X amount of belly fat by Christmas.”

By breaking down your larger long term goal into smaller short term goals, you give yourself the best chance of achieving it.

This is because it is much easier to do goal setting by completing a series of short term goals, than it is to tackle a large long term goal all at once.

Setting and achieving short term weight loss goals will also help to keep you motivated, because you will be able to see and monitor the progress you make.

Monitoring Your Goal Setting Progress

One of the most common problems people have when trying to lose weight is sticking to the goals they set.

It is quite easy for example to feel as though you are not making any progress and then starting binging on junk food.

For this reason all weight loss goal setting should be recorded on a piece of paper, so that you can visually see your goals and how much progress you have made towards them.

A good way to do this is to make an 8 week plan of all the things you need to do to reach your first goal.

This weight loss plan should be realistic, which means it should take into consideration your current work schedule and your social life, in addition to the diet you will follow and amount of exercise you will do.

Goal Setting For Exercise

Whether or not you choose to exercise everyday is up to you, although if you are new to exercise, or haven’t exercised in a long time, then this probably won’t be necessary as your body will need time to adjust before you get used to exercising on a regular basis.

Generally it is recommended for beginners to set a goal of 2-3 days exercise a week. Then as your fitness levels improve, increase this to 5 days exercise a week using a combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercises on alternate days to maximise fat loss.

Setting Goals For Food

The best foods to eat for fat loss are foods that contain complex carbohydrates (e.g. green vegetables) and protein (e.g. chicken).

All sources of sugar should be avoided, as sugar causes you to put on weight. This can also be true for fruits, which is why some vegetarians who eat lots of fruit or drink fruit juice remain fat.

The same principle of gradual exercise should be applied to food, where you gradually improve the quality of your diet rather than trying to become a healthy eater overnight.

So it is a good idea to set goals to phase out certain types of foods throughout your first 8 week weight loss plan.

Keeping Yourself Motivated

It is one thing to set a goal that you think you want, and another to set a goal that you really want.

All the goals you set should therefore have reasons why you want to achieve them, because unless you strongly desire something, you are unlikely to get it.

Having a reason to complete a goal will also help to keep you motivated, and so you will be less likely to give up on your weight loss goals.

So take the time to think about each of the goals you have set and why you want them. The more reasons you can come up with, and the more those reasons excite you, the better.

As you begin to achieve your goals one by one be sure to use non food based rewards to celebrate their completion. Rewards can serve as a powerful motivator, and will help to keep you on track

What To Remember About Setting Goals For Losing Weight

• Decide upon a long term weight loss goal and make it as specific as possible.

• Check to see if your goal setting is realistic.

• Break down your goal into smaller short term weight loss goals.

• Think of the benefits achieving each goal will bring to your life.

• Create a realistic 8 week weight loss plan.

• Monitor your progress, and celebrate whenever you achieve a goal.