Setting Goals!

I am not here to offer you a quick fix to losing weight...since there is no such thing! I am here, however, to encourage you to make a lifestyle change. Losing unwanted weight will take some time and effort but it is more about setting realistic and attainable goals.

• Resolve to lose the weight slowly. Make a goal to lose 5 to 10 percent of your starting weight.
• A realistic goal is to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week to stay healthy. This also means being realistic about your time frame.
• Set short term goals. No matter the number of pounds you ultimately want to lose, be proud and celebrate each five pounds that gets you closer to the mark. (Hint...don't celebrate with food!!)
• Track your progress by recording your journey in a way that works best for you. There are online programs you can use (such as Daily Burn), a notebook or keep a journal. Track your food intake and log your exercises. This will allow you to calculate your daily caloric intake and compare it how much you expend (by exercising).
• Have a long term goal, but attain your long term goal by focusing on the short term ones!

Focus on the process of changing your habits and not just losing the weight. By changing your habits you are adopting a new lifestyle and are far more likely to keep off the weight you lose!

SOURCES: Janet Polivy, PhD, psychologist, University Of Toronto at Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; Jennifer A. Linde, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities Campus, Minneapolis; Obesity Research, November, 2005; International Journal of Obesity, August, 2005; International Journal of Eating Disorders, March 2005.