Your weight loss goal might be that you want to make yourself look more attractive, or even sexy, depending on how you see yourself in the mirror. Every day the media is constantly reminding us about the importance of physical fitness and beauty.
Let’s face it, we are initially more attracted to people who look good with a toned body who are neither obese nor stick-thin. You may be looking for new friends, new business associates, or a new partner. Then again, you may simply be concerned about your overall health.
The quest to be healthy inside and out is the goal that many aim for. It can be as simple as burning more calories than you consume on a daily basis, yet it seems few people ever achieve the fit and trim bodies they so badly desire.
Related reading: Weight Loss vs. Fat Loss. Which is Best?
You might think that by jumping on the latest celebrity endorsed fad diet or taking slimming pills, you would lose weight fast. That is simply not true. It takes a certain amount of consistency and discipline to effectively lose weight and keep it off. Taking shortcuts is counterproductive.
Here are 7 tips on how to set attainable weight loss goals:
1. Learn to commit. Regardless of the stresses of the day never break your regimen. Every now and then you’ll probably end up getting tempted to eat a greasy burger or pig out at the corporate buffet, but just remember to pick yourself up and get back on track. Throwing in the towel at the first obstacle will not do.
Related reading: How to Get Motivated to Lose Weight?
2. Create a SMART plan. You’ve probably heard this a lot to do with business and management , but it applies to every goal-setting aspect of your life. It stands for keeping your goals Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Reachable and Time-Bound. This keeps them tangible and makes sure you’re not literally biting off more than you can chew.
3. Determine how much you actually want to weigh. You can work this out from your BMI or you might want to go back to the weight you were when you were at your best weight. A number helps you track how many calories you need to eat on a daily basis. For a start, try to lose one or two pounds of weight per week.
Related reading: How to Calculate Macros for Weight Loss
4. Turn to a healthy food plan. Fewer carbohydrates, more fiber. Less soft drinks, more pure water. These are very simple tenets of health and weight loss, but you can easily forget them when you’re surrounded by a smorgasbord of choices at the grocery store.
Structure your diet according to a healthy food plan like the keto diet or a lower carb diet than the one you are currently eating and take care of your food intake.
Related reading: Low Carb or Keto For Weight Loss – Which is Best?
5. Create a support system. Ask your best friend, a close family member or significant other to keep you on track for those times when you’re craving French fries or getting too lazy about going jogging for the day. Your partner would be most interested in keeping you trim and fit, so keep him or her close by encouraging an active regimen for both of you.
6. Pat yourself on the back for small victories. Mustering the will to not go to your weekend barbecue shindigs takes a sheer amount of willpower. So does getting out of bed and onto the treadmill. Even if you can’t always measure you success in pounds lost or laps completed, you still need to congratulate yourself for keeping your discipline in check.
It helps to strengthen your confidence as you go through withdrawal pangs and cravings. Small victories also build towards the overall goal and complete victory of seeing your desired weight on the scale. Imagine how good you’ll feel about yourself across the mirror.
7. Take out a gym membership. If you want to take the next step and boost your weight loss efforts, go to the gym regularly and find a routine in line with your goals that works for your body. Find a trainer who can advise you about correct exercises and nutrition and who you can consult with so you waste no time in reaching your goal.
The maxim holds true: no pain, no gain. The same is true with any goal. Pay the price day in and day out, there are no shortcuts. Just hold on to how good you’ll feel inside and out a few months from now when you’ve achieved that weight loss goal!
