Setting Goals when dieting

What is the ultimate goal and reason for you dieting?

• Reaching target weight
• losing a few pounds
• fitting into a pair of jeans which don't fit at the moment
• Getting a 26" waist
• Losing 6 stone
• Getting thin
• Lose 12lbs in a week
• Feel better about yourself.
• Get a compliment
• Get noticed in a good way!

Some of these goals are a bit vague, some sound very hard. They should all be achievable !

However setting yourself some goals can make your diet much harder than it should be.

Imagine you have 3 stone to lose. You've put this weight on over the last year and you now want to lose it.

How long do think it will take to lose the weight?

At an average weight loss - if you stick to your diet and exercise - 2lb a week.

3 stone = 3x14lb = 42 lb. That sounds a lot of lbs! At 2lb a week that's 21 weeks. Now that doesn't sound a lot, but its nearly half a year! If you only lose 1.5lb a week then its 28 weeks. If you lose only 1lb a week its 42 weeks!

So how do you make the goals easier?

You set mini goals. You keep your overall goal of wanting to lose 3 stone - but break it down.

Your first goal could be to lose half a stone! 7 lb! Usually your weight loss is easiest when you start the diet so you could achieve this in a couple of weeks!

Goal achieved!

New goal set - set another half a pound. This might take 3-4 weeks - so your goal could be to lose half a stone in a month!

Work this month by month until your last goal is to achieve your target weight -- and have lost in total 3 stone!

By breaking your ultimate goal down a bit you set yourself realistic targets which mean you're less likely to experience disappointment for not meeting your goal.

Think of it this way, if you set your goal to be to lose 3 stone then each week when you weigh yourself you will not have achieved your goal! Yes you might be moving nearer it but you're missing out on having things to celebrate!

You can also apply this smaller goals, long term aim to other areas of your life!