Weight loss plan - how to set your goals

November 26, 2008 | By Valen | In Weight loss plan

Oops, looks like I have taken a short break from this blog. Yeah, I was working on a writing assignment for the past couple of weeks, and my butt had been glued to the chair a lot! Haha! No wonder I put on weight so fast nowadays!

The truth is - I have put on a 8-9 kg extra fat over the past 10 years, with most of the weight gained after I started working from home, and 99% put on around the waist.

So, now, weighing at 55 kg, I would like to set a goal for my weight loss plan. The short-term goal will be to lose 3 kg before February 2009 (i.e. before I go for a island vacation, so that I can put on a nice swimming suit without a bulging belly). Whereas my long-term goal will be to maintain this weight for as long as possible.

Speaking of weight loss plan, it is important to have goals, long-term or short-term. Knowing where you are today, and knowing where you want to go in the future (i.e. your weight loss goal), you are able to make better decisions on your weight loss plan.

Here are some tips on setting your weight loss goals and having the right mindset.

1. Be realistic

Most people’s weight loss plans are more ambitious than they have to be. For example, if you have been weighing 90 kg for the past 10 or 20 years, your plan to reach 60 kg within 6 months (or even a year) may not be a realistic weight loss goal. Let your body mass index (BMI) tell you whether or not you need to shed of pounds. The ideal body mass index range, according to the National Institute of Health, is between 18.5 and 24.9. If your BMI is between 25 and 29.9, you are considered overweight. Any number above 30 is in the obesity range. You will then need a sensible weight loss plan that will correspond to the required BMI based on your height.

Set realistic weight goals

2. Set appropriate objectives

Having a weight loss plan just for vanity’s sake is psychologically less helpful than losing weight to improve health. If you have decided to undergo a weight loss plan, then include regular exercise and right eating habits, so that you will feel better and have more energy to do something positive in your life.

3. Focus on doing, not losing

Rather than saying that you are going to lose a pound this week, say how much you are going to exercise this week. Enjoy the process that makes your body and mind feel good. Keep in mind that your weight within a span of a week is not completely in your control, but your behavior is.

4. Build bit by bit

Short-term weight loss plans should not be “pie-in-the-sky.” This means that when you have never exercised at all, your best weight loss plan for this week should be based on finding three different one-mile routes that you can walk next week. Slowly add up the distance over time, and you’ll see how much your body has become fitter few months from now.

5. Encourage yourself

Self-encouragement should definitely be a part of your weight loss plans. Learn to evaluate your efforts fairly and objectively. If you fall short of some goals, just look ahead to accomplish it next week. You do not need to set a perfect record. An all-or-nothing attitude only sets you up to fail.

6. Use measurable measures

Things that you say to yourself, such as “I’m going to be more positive this week” or “I’m going to really get serious this week” is not a goal that you can measure, so don’t make it a part of your weight loss plan. This is another reason why you should incorporate exercise on your weight loss plan and focus on it. How much time you spent on exercising can be measured.

In a nutshell, weight loss plans remain ‘a plan’, until you put them into action. And remember, always incorporate goals that will motivate you to succeed.