It is a well-known fact that it can be pretty hard to lose weight, but when you succeed, you’re sure to find the effort was more than well worthwhile.
After you lose weight you not only look better but you feel so much better too. The key to permanent weight loss is making a permanent lifestyle change. When you set effective weight loss goals, you can guarantee your success.
Here are the 3 simple steps to create effective and doable weight loss goals that will last a lifetime.
1. Start by taking baby steps. Too much too soon just doesn’t work long term.
If you are very overweight, you may quite possibly feel that it’s right to set your total weight loss goal as your only weight loss goal. But this is a big mistake. If your only goal is to lose say 20 kilos or even 50 kilos then you are sure to feel overwhelmed by the sheer size of your objective.
That’s why it’s smart to set multiple small goals that are realistic and easily achieved.
Begin with the goal of losing three or five kilograms. These are attainable goals that you can accomplish fairly easily. When you succeed you will have good reason to congratulate and reward yourself (not with junk food though) before kicking on to your next level. Now you can set your next goal a little bit higher if you wish as you will have had the taste of success and know exactly what it takes to reach your next level.
2. Make sure you set a time line.
When you have made up your mind that you want to lose weight, give yourself a timeline to follow. When you know that you have promised yourself you will lose two kilos in the next two weeks, you will not become complacent.
Having a timeline to follow motivates you to take positive and measurable steps and you will be making yourself responsible for your progress.
One very smart way to do this is to establish a sensible and achievable goal of losing one kilo a week. I know this may not sound like much, but really it’s a bit of a challenge, and it is a healthy way to lose a large amount of weight.
Your one kilo weekly goal will be your objective, and your overall weight loss will represent your ultimate goal. Achieving each objective will be a milestone in your journey and will take you another step closer to reaching your desired weight.
As an example, imagine starting your weight loss project as a New Year’s resolution. If your overall goal is to lose five kilos, you will achieve your goal in only five weeks if you lose one kilo of weight a week. This means you will have attained your goal within five weeks of whenever you started. It is amazing how quickly five weeks goes but five kilos is quite a noticeable weight loss which will spur you on no end.
3. Personalize your exercise and diet regimens.
If you want to lose one kilo every week then it means you must create a 700 calorie deficit each week. So you must reduce your caloric intake by 100 calories a day. You can achieve this in two ways. You can reduce the number of calories you consume and /or you can increase the number of calories you burn through exercise.
This will only work if you are eating good clean food (i.e. very low on processed foods, takeaways and high sugar content junk foods).
To burn off the extra calories remember if you do half an hour to an hour of extra cardiovascular exercise every day, you will burn off at least 100 calories. Combining an increase in exercise with a decrease in calories is a smart and easy way to create the calorie deficit you need to meet your objectives.
I find I get the best results from HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and it takes less time for better results than the old solid state cardio. You might like to take a look at these 6 Good Reasons Why HIIT Should Form Part of Your Exercise Program.
But don’t stop at cardio. A good program of functional resistance exercise will burn plenty of calories as well so a combination of both will do the best job for you. If you are not sure how to go about this then have a personal trainer at your local gym write a program for you.
In conclusion…
………you may feel these tips are simplistic, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised if you put them to work and stick to it. If you try to do too much then it is too easy to fall off the wagon. Following these three simple tips on a consistent and ongoing basis will help you reach your weight loss objectives and attain your overall fitness goals.
Just remember what Jim Ryan said and you are sure to succeed: “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”
Good luck with your journey.
[…] Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally and fortunately, by not forgetting to do your cardio on a regular basis, you will be writing your own personal insurance policy to counteract this widespread disease. As you get fitter you might like to try these 3 simple steps for setting-up weight loss goals that are guaranteed to work. […]