When you first decide to lose weight, it’s important to set a realistic weight loss goal. What makes a weight loss goal “realistic”? That depends on where you are starting from, and how far you’ll need to go to get where you want to be. For example, it’s definitely not realistic to expect to lose 50 pounds in one month. It would be virtually impossible to achieve such a rapid weight loss – and even if you could do it, it probably wouldn’t be healthy.
Here are a few pointers on setting a realistic weight loss goal:
Realistic Weight Loss Goal Tip #1 – Steady Improvement
You can’t just leap straight from overweight to slim instantly. In between those two states are a lot of smaller steps that need to be taken, decisions to be made, habits to be changed, and stages of progress to be achieved. If you start a weight loss program with the mindset that you’re going to “lose the weight” you may feel a sense of frustration until you finally reach the goal.
Instead, if you hold an attitude of always seeking steady improvement with your eating and exercise habits, the weight loss will happen naturally and you’ll feel much more relaxed about it. Rather than pushing, you’ll relax into a process of learning how to make better decisions and reaping the rewards that come from those wise choices.
Realistic Weight Loss Goal Tip #2 – Be You, But Better
When many people decide to lose weight, they have this mental image of being a completely different person. But losing weight alone is not going to transform who you are. It will transform how you look, and probably how you feel, but that’s it. Everything else in your life and everything else about yourself as a person will still be the same. This can be a huge disappointment for people who believe that losing weight will solve all of their problems or miraculously transform their lives.
As you set your weight loss goals, don’t try to remake yourself into someone else. Strive to be YOU, but a better version of you. Work on developing yourself personally and professionally, not just physically. Then, when you reach your weight loss goal, you’ll be thrilled with the person you’ve become, not just how you look.
Realistic Weight Loss Goal Tip #3 – Be Patient
No matter how big or small your weight loss goal is, it’s important to be patient as you work toward it. Expect modest results, not overnight miracles. Enjoy the journey to a slimmer you, rather than fidgeting and fuming because it’s not happening quickly enough. Being impatient only seems to prolong the agony – while being patient and calm makes the whole process seem a lot more enjoyable. Either way, it’s going to take some time to reach your goal so you may as well make the time as pleasant as you can.
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