What Are Your Weight Loss Goals?

One Step at a Time- Examine the reasons behind your desire to lose weight!

Before embarking on any serious weight loss journey, you need to contemplate the why and wherefore of your weight loss plan.

No journey has ever begun without at least a general idea of what the destination will be.

Be it a desire to fit into this summer’s hottest swim wear or a conscious decision to improve one’s health and physique, no rationale is too small and insiginificant not to warrant acknowledgement.

So commit your reason for wanting to lose weight to memory, write it down on a large cartolina with lots of inspiration images and place it in a place of prominence in your home, tell all your friends about it on Facebook or Twitter.

It’s time to step out of your weight-loss shell and begin taking steps to making it a reality.

Your wholehearted acceptance of your decision to lose weight and the reason behind it is the first step to achieving that goal.

Be SMART About Your Weight Loss Goals!

Have you heard of the SMART framework for goal-setting? It is the most widely-used and highly-regarded frameworks for making intelligent and well-thought out plans.

S stands for specific. Your weight-loss goal must have a specific and precise outcome in mind. It can be as simple as wanting to be a size 2 by Christmastime or deciding to work your waistline down from 30 inches to 26 inches in two months. Know your goal.

M stands for measurable. Your progress needs to be measurable. This will keep you from giving into the temptation to fall back into habits that can damage your weight loss plan. Make a commitment to lose, say, three pounds per week. Weigh yourself at the beginning and end of each week to see how you’re doing.

A stands for attainable. If you would type the words “weight loss, oprah, dramatic” into a search engine, you will find many inspiring stories of people who have lost hundreds of pounds without the help of artificial aids. What you have to figure out is what weight loss goal you should be focused on. If you can clearly visualize it, then you are already one step closer to achieving it.

R stands for realistic. The tesimonials on Oprah and other television shows that have featured weight loss are inspiring, but is losing hundreds of pounds really what you have in mind? The main point to remember is that although looking svelte and stunning may be a dream that you have nurtured since you were a child sometimes being those things and being healthy are two completely different things. Don’t expect to come out of this after a mere week as a contender for America’s Next Top Model. Weight loss isn’t easy and it isn’t for the faint-hearted and easily discouraged. So take a step back and try to discern how commited you are to the weight loss journey ahead of you.

T stands for time-bound. In order for your weight loss plan to be measurable, there should be a time frame that you can follow and mark your progress with. It will also serve as your weight loss schedule or countdown chart. It can seem like a daunting undertaking at first but when you begin the program and start noticing the amount of change happening it can serve as greater motivation for you to reach the end of your goal.

Become Accountable to Yourself and Others-Involve your Community!

So you’ve examined your reasons behind wanting to lose a few pounds and you’ve drawn up a plan using the SMART framework that you’re comfortable with and are committed to following. What’s next?

As you begin to follow the weight loss plan that you have decided on it is important that you become accountable not only to yourself but also to someone who is as committed and as dedicated to your weight loss goal.

It could be a friend, a concerned family member or even a trainer from your local gym or health club. Weight loss is not an individual journey. You need to involve other people in your quest to a happier, healthier and better-looking you.

Get your local barista to switch your regular latte with a non-fat soya concoction. Ask your favorite delivery service if they have any healthy alternatives on their menu. If you have been a good customer for a long time, there’s no reason why they won’t fall all over themselves to help you out or risk losing the business that you bring to them. Get them involved.

Be accountable to other people but most of all, be your own best watchdog. We are all weak but we are also born with the capability to rise above our weaknesses. Keep your eye on the goal at all times and remember, baby steps are still steps.

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