Set Yourself weight loss Goals

For most people, deciding to lose weight is better said than done. What do you think could be the reason why a lot of people are never able to follow through with their decision to lose weight? I believe it is mostly as a result of the lack of clearly written down goals. Goal setting is very important in every aspect of our lives. Goals help us to choose where we want to be in life. Not having a goal is similar to driving a car across the Sahara desert without a map. Goals like maps help us get to our destination. In order to follow through with your weight-loss resolution, you need to set yourself goals. Properly set goals can be very motivating and drive you towards losing weight.

How do you set goals that will be effective in helping you to lose the fat and acquire the body you desire?

To succeed, your weight-loss goals must be SMART:

1. Specific

This means that you have to clearly identify what it is you want to achieve. For example: "I want to lose weight" is not really specific, rather "I want to loose 151bs" is better and more to the point. A specific goal has a much higher chance of being achieved than a general goal.

2. Measurable

Have a means of knowing when you have achieved what you set out to do. Using the previous example, a means of measuring this goal could be, "I want my weight to drop to 65kg". This is a good measure because when you stand on a weighing scale it will tell you whether you have achieved it or not. Having a concrete criterion to measure your progress will motivate you.

3. Achievable

Your goal should be something that is within your reach. If you make your weight-loss goals so big that they become impossible to achieve, then you set yourself up to fail. For example, if you are not used to exercising regularly, then a more achievable goal will be " I will exercise 1 hour every week and gradually increase it as I get better" This is better than "I will exercise 1 hour everyday". Considering that exercise is something new to you, this kind of goal will be a recipe for disaster. Remember that Life is such that you learn to walk before you learn to run.

4. Realistic

Your weight-loss goal must be such that you are willing and able to work towards it. It might be quiet possible to achieve your goal, but is it realistic when you consider the time and resources available to you? Be honest with yourself, are you really going to be able to make time to exercise 1 hour every single day?

5. Timed

Your goal should have a deadline. Without a time frame there is no urgency to take action and you may end up putting it off indefinitely. A good plan will be to set yourself a date for the overall achievement of your weight loss goal. So instead of "I want to lose 151bs one day" a timed goal will be" I want to lose 151bs by 31 December 2008.

The initial step to losing weight is knowing what you want to achieve. The next step is having a plan to get there. Your goals are your road map. Follow them and you'll be well on your way to getting rid of all the fat and acquiring a fit and healthy body.