The Importance of Goal Setting for Weight Loss

If you have a goal to lose weight, you are by no means alone. Recent research has shown that there are millions and millions of people from all around the globe who want to lose weight. In fact, ‘losing weight’ has been recognised as one of the world’s most popular goals. And none of this is surprising when you consider some of the following statistics;

• Recent studies have revealed that a billion people out of the worlds 6 billion population are now considered overweight (WHO World Health Report).
• In the US it is considered that 30% of adults are clinically obese (some 60million people)
• In the EU there are some 200m adults that are measurably overweight, fully 45% of the population.

Despite the huge numbers of people who have set weight loss as their objective, only 12% of these will reach and maintain their ideal weight. The reason for such a low success rate is purely because the vast majority of people do not set effective goals for their weight loss. Research has shown that if weight loss goals are set in the right way, the probability of success increases significantly.

According to www.itcanbe.com, the leading goal community, there are four key steps which will maximize your chances of achieving your weight loss goals.

1. Clearly identify your goal and put it in writing

The first step to achieving weight loss is to clearly identify your goal and put it in writing. The way that you identify and write your goal will affect the likelihood of its success. When writing your goal, consider the following:

• Make it specific. ‘I want to lose weight’ is a general goal. A general goal is weak; it does not provide clarity or inspire motivation and, as a result, is unlikely to be achieved – especially to the desired extent. ‘I want to lose 10lbs’ is a specific goal. A specific goal gives a definite aim; it brings the target into focus and, as a result of this, is much more likely to succeed.

• Make your goal realistic. Make it achievable. A goal which is too ambitious can be de-motivating if you feel that it is out of reach. For example ‘I want to lose 2 stone in the next 2 months’ may not seem achievable and it is unlikely to motivate or inspire action.

A goal which is too easy will also fail to motivate, it will lack challenge. ‘I want to lose one pound over the next 2 months’ is hardly going to inspire big changes in your life.
Make your goal challenging but attainable.

• Give your goal a deadline. A deadline is the one thing which separates a goal from a dream. A goal without a deadline is far less likely to inspire immediate action and, as a result, is unlikely to succeed. By setting a time limit you inspire action towards the outcome, you bring it alive.

2. Set a pla

A goal without a plan is merely a wish. Surprisingly few people set plans, in fact research has shown that only 3% of people who set a weight loss as a goal have a formal plan of how they are going to achieve it. Given this statistic, it is of little wonder that only 12% of people wanting to lose weight will reach and maintain their target weight.

A plan allows the goal to be broken down into smaller manageable steps. Not only will this provide clarity on how you will lose weight, it will also make your desired target weight appear more attainable.

Start your plan by focusing on your desired weight and the intended deadline and work backwards to determine what actions need to be performed at what times. From this you can create a plan and ‘to-do’ list which, once followed, will guarantee success.

3. Make a list of the reasons you have chosen to lose weight

Make a list of the reasons you have chosen to lose weight and keep it with you at all times. Whenever your motivation is lacking, get out this list and read it – it will remind you of all the good reasons you have set this goal. And less face it, there are plenty of great reasons to lose those unhealthy pounds – here are just a few of them:

• It can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, and is considered to reduce the risk of diabetes, cancer, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, and other unpleasant things.
• It will boost your sex driven • It could boost your self esteem, your energy levels and will make things easier on your back and joints.

4. Find other people working towards weight loss

Research has shown that when people work together to achieve weight loss, not only will their motivation increase but they will be able to share their knowledge and experience which has been proven to vastly speed up attainment of the desired weight.

Setting effective weight loss goals needs a little more thought and time upfront, but your efforts in doing this will be well rewarded.

One site which I would highly recommend to all those setting weight loss goals is www.itcanbe.com, a community based goal setting site. This site is a fantastic free resource which provides users with tools allowing them to clearly establish their weight loss goals and set a detailed plan of working towards them. It will also link users to other people working towards the same goals.

We all deserve to live a fantastic fulfilling life, and being healthy and feeling great is a big part of this. Once your goals have been effectively set, your desired weight is only a matter of time.