Smart Goals For Weight Loss Examples
Have you made a weight-loss commitment? You aren’t the only one who feels this way. One of our most common New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight. However, many of us will have abandoned our initiatives within a few weeks.
So, what distinguishes a successful resolution from a doomed one? The way you define your objective could be the determining factor in whether or not you achieve it.
Goals Are Important
There is no way to succeed with a diet or weight loss programme unless you establish a goal for yourself. A well-thought-out goal serves as a road map for your weight-loss journey.
You’ll be like a driver who gets in her car and drives without knowing where she’s going if you don’t have this guidance. You won’t get too far unless you give up and return home.
So, how can you develop a goal that will keep you on track with your programme? To set up programmes for their customers, many coaches, trainers, and lifestyle experts employ the smart goal setting method.
The system is frequently utilised in corporate settings because it aids employees in defining specific plans and outcomes that will ensure their success. It can, however, be used to achieve any goal, including weight loss.
What is a smart goal, and how do you make one?
Let’s take a look at a typical weight-loss goal and see how the smart goal technique can help. We’ll use a typical weight-loss resolution as an example: “In the new year, I want to lose weight.” Now, utilising the smart criteria, let’s change this target. Each letter represents a distinct feature.
#1 Specific
#2 Measurable
#3 Attainable
#4 Relevant
#5 Time-bound
Use this procedure as a model, then apply the same concepts to your own goals. Take note of how the starting goal is tweaked for each piece until the ultimate objective is a smart one.
Specific
Setting too broad goals is a bad idea. The first step in the goal-setting process is to narrow down your objective to a specific achievement or milestone that you want to achieve. Speaking with your doctor is one method to help refine your aim.
If you’re thinking about reducing weight, talk to your doctor about how lowering a certain amount of weight will benefit your health.
If you lose weight to a specified goal weight or BMI, you may be able to lower your risk of disease or lessen your medication dependency.If your weight isn’t affecting your health, you can make a goal to shed the weight you’ve acquired in recent years or over the holidays.
However, keep in mind that while having a weight-loss target is specific, it may not be practical.Even if you make continuous and reasonable efforts, you might not be able to reach your weight loss target.
Setting a specific behavioural objective, on the other hand, might be a superior strategy. Specific food adjustments or changes to your everyday activity may be part of a weight-loss-related behavioural objective.
New resolution: “Every morning, I will walk for 20–30 minutes to boost my daily activity.”
Measurable
The target you establish must be measurable if you want to measure your success during your weight loss journey.As you progress through your journey, decide how you’ll assess your success.
Some persons aiming to reduce weight, for example, may opt to track their BMI (body mass index). Those with access to body composition tools can keep track of their body fat percentage.
You can keep track of your progress on a calendar or spreadsheet if you’ve set a behavioural goal (like our example objective).Many fitness apps and activity trackers also allow you to track your daily behaviours in various ways. Make a note of the measurement you’ll be using.
Resolution has been lowered “Every morning, I’ll walk 20–30 minutes to increase my daily activity. I’ll use my Fitbit tracker to keep track of my progress, and I’ll check my dashboard once a week to see how far I’ve come.”
Attainable
You should assess your previous experience with weight loss or behaviour modifications in order to make your weight loss goal realistic. If you’ve never lost more than 10 pounds before, a 30-pound weight loss target may not be realistic.
A daily exercise goal is probably not realistic if you’ve established a goal to exercise every day and have never met it for more than a few days.Keep in mind that you may always create a new goal once you’ve accomplished one.
All goals should be difficult, but not to the point of being impossible to achieve. Allow yourself some wiggle room and lower your aim to a more manageable level.Resolution has been lowered “I’m going to walk for 20–30 minutes four times a week to increase my daily activity.
I’ll use my Fitbit tracker to keep track of my progress, and I’ll check my dashboard once a week to see how far I’ve come.”
Relevant
In order for your goal to be meaningful to you, it must be important to you.When complacency sets in, remembering why the objective is important will help you stay focused.
Write out how weight reduction will influence your health if you went to the doctor at the beginning of your weight loss journey.
To fit more easily in your clothes, you may want to trim down. Alternatively, you might desire to lose weight to be able to spend more time with your children or grandchildren.
Define how your objective is important to you, and keep these reasons in mind when you’re tempted to give up.
Resolution has been lowered “I’m going to walk for 20–30 minutes four times a week to increase my daily activity. I’ll use my Fitbit tracker to keep track of my progress, and I’ll check my dashboard once a week to see how far I’ve come.
Increased physical activity may assist me in losing weight and lowering my diabetes risk. When I go hiking with my pals, it will also help me walk more comfortably.”
Time-Bound
There should be a time restriction for each resolve. To put it another way, you should decide on a fair time frame for achieving your goal. If you’ve established a weight-reduction target, keep in mind that a weekly weight loss of 1-2 pounds is regarded healthy, but people tend to lose more quickly at the start of any shift.
If you’ve set a behavioural objective, set a deadline for checking in on your progress and making any necessary revisions or additions.
Resolution has been lowered “I’m going to walk for 20–30 minutes four times a week to increase my daily activity. I’ll use my Fitbit tracker to keep track of my progress, and I’ll check my dashboard once a week to see how far I’ve come.
Increased physical activity may assist me in losing weight and lowering my diabetes risk. When I go hiking with my pals, it will also help me move more comfortably.
In 8 weeks, I’ll reassess my aim and either increase my walking time or make adjustments so that physical activity on most days of the week becomes a habit.”
