Setting Realistic Goals
Setting goals is one of the things that will help to make or break your weight loss, which is why it’s vital you don’t overlook this part of the weight loss process. In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at exactly how realistic goals will help you lose the weight you want, show you how to set up your goals, and give you some pitfalls to watch out for when goal-setting.
Why Set Realistic Goals
One of the main reasons that people fail in their diets and end up quitting altogether is that they’re not setting realistic goals. They feel that whatever they’re doing isn’t working at all or else isn’t working well enough, so they give up instead. But, if you set up realistic goals for yourself, then you can feel good about meeting each goal as you get there and stay motivated to continue.
How to Set up Realistic Goals
You should have two types of goals. One is your main goal and the others are smaller goals, which we’ll call milestones. Your main goal is your overall, final goal, whether it’s a waist size, a number, or something else. Your milestones are the little stepping stones that it’s going to take to get you there.
Start with your main goal, and make it as specific as possible. If you want to lose a certain amount of weight, add a time frame, whether it’s 1 month, 1 year, or even longer. Typically, you want to give yourself more than enough time to meet that goal, but keep the timeframe short enough that you won’t be putting off getting started because you feel like you have plenty of time.
Then, start setting up your milestones. If your goal is to lose 50 pounds in a year, you will need to lose at least 1 pound per week to get there, so plan out your milestones accordingly. These should be just as specific as your main goal.
Next, you need to consider your weight loss plan, and how that’s going to help you reach those goals. If you have a number of unhealthy habits, then make a goal to change one at each milestone to help you reach the next. For example, to reach your first milestone, you may replace 1 sugary drink a day with 1 glass of water.
Pitfalls to Avoid When Setting Goals
Being too rigid with your goals can be just as bad as being too flexible, so it’s important to find a happy medium. Realize that sometimes life will throw you a curveball and you might have to make some changes to your milestones or even your main goal, and that’s ok. On the other hand, if you get too lenient, then you won’t reach any of your goals.
Except by some miracle, you will not be able to work against basic biology, so be sure to do your research as you’re setting up your goals to keep your goals realistic. For example, most people hit a plateau at some point in their weight loss because their body changes their metabolism to match their new caloric intake, which means it’s going to take more work and longer to lose those last 10 pounds.