You have probably tried setting goals for weight loss before but were they SMART goals?
When it comes to weight loss you should set more than one goal. We usually set a goal, for example, to lose 10 kg.
But that has no real meaning behind it, and it may not include the actions required to get there, or the other factors that come into play as you lose weight. Like your energy levels, do you feel healthier? Or, how you are feeling – happy, excited, humbled, annoyed, angry etc.
Trying to lose weight is never linear, meaning sometimes weight loss stalls, sometimes it goes up, and this can be so frustrating. But having SMART goals that have meaning and when you move toward them and reach them you feel rewarded, that is magic.Take pleasure in the little steps along the way. The new habits you form. The routine you are slowing putting into place to reach your health goals
To help you think about setting SMART goals here is a better understanding of what a SMART goal is.
S – the goal must be SPECIFIC. Examples include reducing three dress sizes, losing body fat by 10%, being able to walk for 20 minutes every day, or decreasing your blood pressure to within the healthy range.
M – the goal must be MEASURABLE. Using number or percentage type measures that you apply to the SPECIFIC component means you can track your goals. For example, lose 10% of body fat.
A – the goal must be ACHIEVABLE. Your goal has to be somewhat challenging but you also have to believe it is achievable. If you don’t believe you can achieve it, you will quickly lose motivation.
R – the goal must be REALISTIC. Telling yourself you plan to lose 10 kg in 2 weeks is a fairytale. It just won’t happen. Being realistic will keep you motivated. And, if you have a lot of weight to lose, know that you are in it for the long haul.
T – the goal must be TIME-FRAMED. A goal without a time-frame is just a wish. The time-frame helps you stay accountable for achieving your goals.
When I chat with you about your goals – you have to own them. What do I mean? I mean that I might make suggestions but ultimately, you have set goals specific to you. Everyone has different reasons for losing weight. It’s not just about the weight. It could be to reduce medications, have more energy, be able to play with the grandkids, be able to hike a mountain, be able to live life on your turns. So what is your WHY?
Knowing your WHY will help you keep motivated. And, you might have several WHY’s.
Here are a few example SMART goals.
I want to reduce my body fat by 10% in 5 months. Here, I know the average person can lose 0.5% of total body fat each week. So this is a realistic achievable goal.
But once we set that goal we will also look at what needs to change or what new habits need to be formed to achieve that goal. And, how will you reward yourself once you get there?
A reward could be going to see a play. Going Hiking. A facial – just doing something to celebrate your success.
Here’s another example.
I want to reduce my weight by 20 kg in 40 weeks. This is a medium-term goal. So here, I would break it down further to 4 weekly time-frames to make it feel more achievable and not such a long haul, which can be less motivating.
These short term goals every 4 weekly as above act as checkpoints along the way to keep you focused.
With any goals remember – ‘if you do the same thing over and over again, you cannot expect a different outcome’. – Albert Einstein.