Goal Setting Essentials For Weight Loss Success

Success with any project begins with a finished goal in mind.

With weight loss, it's all too common to quickly lose focus without specific goals. Setting goals is one of the best ways to insure success with any weight loss program. Here are some tips for creating and sticking to weight-loss goals. 

Short-Term Goals:

Both short-term and long-term goals are important for weight loss success. 

Short-term goals are essential for staying motivated long enough to meet long-term goals. Short-term goals should be set daily or weekly.

Many people who want to lose weight focus more on the long-term goals, but if you neglect opportunities for success along the way, it is too easy to get discouraged. 

Make it easier for yourself by creating daily and weekly milestones. For example, you could set a short term goal to attend Boot Camp class twice a week. Each time you meet your goal, you have another success, which will increase your motivation to do more.

Long-Term Goals:

Long-term weight loss does not happen overnight. Setting long-term weight loss goals reinforces the fact that weight loss is a lifestyle choice, not a quick fix. Long-term goals really measure the success of your weight loss program. You can set these up monthly, or every two to three months. This is enough time to really gauge your progress. Long-term goals work best if they are measurable and concrete. You could focus on losing a specific percentage of body fat, or a certain number of pounds.

The best way to meet both short and long-term goals for weight loss is to make sure you have everything in place before you begin. This means setting up a healthy eating program, a regular exercise program, and connecting with supportive people. By taking care of these important aspects, you will be more prepared.

Begin by choosing a meal program that offers a variety of healthy foods, and is easy to follow with your current lifestyle. A great way to stick to a nutrition program is to plan out your eating schedule for each week, that way you can anticipate any roadblocks that may arise, and also do your grocery shopping ahead of time. It's much easier to stick to your eating program if you have everything you need.

Regular exercise is also incredibly important but it means NOTHING if your meals aren't good.   

You should incorporate both aerobic exercise and strength training workouts. Not only does exercise burn calories and shed pounds, it simply makes you feel better. You will have more energy and be more enthusiastic about staying focused on your weight loss goals.

One final step is to arrange a support network. Losing weight requires not just physical changes, but also emotional and mental ones. Having a community of people (such as at the Black Phoenix) who are dedicated to your weight loss efforts will help you stay motivated.  You can also enlisting your friends and family in supporting your goals, you may also want to try some of the online communities.

Losing weight is much easier when you start out with a goal in mind. By setting short and long-term goals you will be able to achieve daily success, and also work toward the end result. Making sure you have clear strategies for eating, exercise, and emotional support will contribute to your motivation, and ultimately to your weight loss success.