Losing weight is as much of a challenge for those in Michigan as it is for people living anywhere else. While weight loss surgery options like the Lap-band procedure are great in helping you get started, you still need to work hard to meet your weight loss goals. Setting weight loss goals is one way to keep your diet on track and keep you motivated long enough to lose the necessary weight.
Before setting any weight loss goals you need to determine how much weight you should lose. A lot of people hold themselves to unreasonable expectations when it comes to losing weight. As you set your goals, it is important to stay focused on what will help you achieve optimal health, and not what the covers of popular magazines say about cultural expectations of thinness and beauty. If you’re unsure, talk with your doctor who can help you determine what a healthy weight is for you.
Ready to set your goals? Make sure you are SMART about it. A smart goal is:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Result-oriented
Time-bound
Smaller weight loss goals are much more attainable than larger ones. If you start off your weight loss journey where your only goal is to lose 50 pounds then you may quickly become unmotivated. If, instead, you set a goal of losing 2 pounds per week then suddenly the goals become much more attainable and the weekly weight loss will add up over time. Other great goals include: replacing regular soda with diet, walking at least 30 minutes per day, dropping a dress size by your birthday (or whenever), or giving yourself a small, non-edible reward for sticking with your diet for a set period of time.
Instead of focusing entirely on losing weight you can focus on modifying your lifestyle– which will ultimately help you to lose weight. Eating more whole grains, consuming less processed foods, reducing your sodium intake and eating a salad every day are all great weight-loss goals.
The important thing to remember is that losing weight requires hard work and a great deal of commitment. Having to restart your diet several times is quite likely, just remember not to be too hard on yourself and get back on track as quickly as possible.
