Goal setting is an integral part of losing weight.
There are two kinds of goals to set: short-term goals and long-term goals.
Short-term goals should be set to guide you in your daily actions. For example:
- physical activity day by day
- how many calories to consume each day
- buying healthy food
- keeping a food log
- weight each week
Long-term goals are set to help you keep your motivation going - for example: an ultimate weight-loss goal or improving your health.
Goal setting works best when it is specific and detached. For example: I will walk for 15 minutes every morning before work. Or: I will prepare a lo-cal snack in the evenings that I can bring with me and have at my desk mid-morning.
Short-term goals like these can lead to the achievement of long-term goals, like losing weight.
But: both short-term and long-term goals need to be realistic and obtainable. So, for example, if you set a goal for yourself of running 10 miles a day - unless you're well-trained to do this - that would not be realistic. Also, a long-term goal like being a size 2 might be unrealistic and unobtainable.
Both short and long-term goals need to be stated in specific, objective terms. This is the only way you can know when your goal is actually reached. For example, if you say "my goal (long-term) is to get healthier", this may be hard to judge. But if you say "I'd like to lower my blood pressure and cholesterol levels" then you have a good way to evaluate whether you've achieved the goal or not.
Take away lesson: when you are setting your goals - both long and short-term - be specific, be objective, and be realistic.
