|
Setting
realistic weight loss targets is the key to succeeding on any plan.
Learn about realistic goals that you can set, and
then find out ways that you can reach them.
Even a
little counts for a lot
Just a five to ten percent weight loss can
help you increase your overall health when you've determined that you need to
lose weight. When you weigh 150 pounds,
this would mean that a 7.5 to 15 pound weight loss is plenty to fall within
that range. You might lose more, but as
a starting point, these goals can seem much more reasonable and attainable.
Just losing those 15 pounds in the above
example can help you lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes as well as
lower your blood cholesterol and reduce problems with breathing, fertility,
moodiness, joint pains, and even polycystic ovary disorder, and even lower your
chances of dying early.
Stay
sensible
Those that lose weight successfully are
generally more patient about the rate of their weight loss, creating small
goals that they can meet along the way to their larger goals. This allows them to always feel as though
they are succeeding.
Focusing on the benefits of the weight that
you have lost instead of putting all of your efforts into reaching that ideal
weight in your head can help you maintain a more appropriate mindset. And in truth, studies have shown that losing
more than ten percent of your body weight is difficult to maintain.
How fast
is a healthy weight loss?
A healthy rate of weight loss is one to two
pounds each week.
Just a one to two pound weight loss each
week is considered sensible and easy to maintain. There may be months where you only lose two
pounds, but when you think about it, that's 24 pounds over the course of a
year.
Just keeping your weight consistent over
the years is enough to keep your health in check. Most people tend to gain weight as they get
older, so trying to prevent this is a good goal - even over losing weight. Losing weight slowly is much more realistic
when you consider this.
Set SMART
goals
Creating goals that are realistic helps
build your confidence in your ability to change and make changes. What are you trying to achieve? Are you setting yourself up for success as
opposed to failure? If you want to check
to see if your goals are realistic, you can use the SMART method of goal
setting. Here are the five factors in
SMART goals:
Instead of setting the goal to lose twenty
pounds in two months, you might want to consider losing just twelve
pounds. With this realistic goal, you'll
only have to say ‘no' to dessert every other night, rather than every
night. Why make it harder than it has to
be? You'll still be losing weight - with
a lot less deprivation.
Check
progress regularly
If you want to monitor your weight with
more than just the scale, you can take measurements of your upper arms, hips,
and chest.
Regularly checking your progress (weight,
BMI) can show you how your weight loss program is working, and when it is
not. You can also measure your waist and
other body parts to see if they are shrinking along the way. Another option is to find a tight pair of
jeans and try them on at the same time each week to check your progress.
There are special scales that can help you
monitor your overall body composition - that is, the fat and muscle that make
up your body. These scales can be found
in your doctor's office as well as your local gym, but you could also purchase
one for your bathroom for personal use.
They're fairly accurate at measuring your fat loss.
Top tips
-
Everyone is different: differently
shaped and different looking. Instead of
trying to meet an ‘ideal,' find what's ideal for YOU.
-
Try to set smaller goals that
make a large weight loss seem more manageable.
This allows you to have many successes instead of just one.
-
Trying to lose five percent of
your body weight in twelve weeks is a great pace, but if it takes you longer,
that's fine too.
-
When you reach that five
percent loss, wait a month before you decide to lose more. You might find that you're content.
-
If you still feel that you
could benefit from losing more weight, try for another five percent.
|
There is no such thing as an ideal weight for all. Bodies are all different and every person is unique – so the healthy weight for you as an individual will be something assessed depending on several different factors. 
Your Weight 
