Weight Loss Goals, Setting Realistic Ones

One way to derail any chances you have of reaching your weight loss goals is to set unrealistic ones. Creating goals that are unlikely to be reached is an easy way to justify why you should give up. You will convince yourself that it’s not worth it. You will hear that little voice in your head that you can’t do it. What’s the point in setting weight loss goals that you know you can’t achieve?

Some examples of unrealistic weight loss goals are:

• To have a body like Matthew Mcconaughey (six pack abs) when you’ve always looked more like Michael Moore (watermelon abs).
• To have a body like Jennifer Aniston when you are five-foot-one and come from a family with a history of being stocky and big boned.
• To lose 15 pounds in a week. Unless you plan on having liposuction, losing that much weight that fast is neither possible nor healthy.
• To enter a bathing suit contest in two months when you haven’t had the courage to wear a bikini in 2 years.

To be effective, weight loss goals should be both realistic and specific. They should reflect small steps that can be achieved in discrete amounts of time. The following are examples of realistic, specific goals:

• To lose a pound a week.
• To go down a clothing size in two or three months.
• To be able to run a mile without stopping.
• To be able to complete the hardest aerobics class at your club by the end of the year.
• To be working out four times a week by the end of six weeks.
• To be able to bench press 30 pounds more than you can now by your next birthday.

A motivating factor in reaching your weight loss goals should be the obvious long term benefits such as:

• Reducing your risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.
• Lowering your blood pressure if it’s high or avoiding high blood pressure.
• Prevent, delay or control diabetes.

There are other convincing reasons to accomplish your weight loss goals. You will be happier and healthier when you succeed.

To be successful in achieving your weight loss goals they must be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely). You should believe in your mind and heart that your weight loss goals you set are achievable. Believe that you can and will achieve what you believe in.