As with dieting there are many things in life, setting goals is very important and when you look at things honestly and objectively you must remember that most of the things you achieve in life have been accomplished. Because you not only had a goal but also a clearly planned and well thought out process for achieving that goal. That being said, why is goal setting so important when it comes to diet?
1. First of all, it is difficult to achieve a goal if you do not have a clearly defined goal. There are times in life when it is almost impossible to tell whether you are succeeding or failing because you are not sure what the desired outcome should be. Identifying your diet goals before you start eliminates this particular possibility.
2. Second, having dieting goals gives you a measuring stick by which you can judge your progress. This is important so that you know when your efforts are falling short and when you are going on schedule or ahead of schedule. In other words, you know when to celebrate and when to give yourself a swift kick in the rear.
Now that we know why we set weight loss goals, let's discuss setting goals that are critical to dieting success. You want to set goals that are aggressive without being impossible to achieve. If you set goals that are beyond your reach you will find that frustration will be your dieting partner until you reach the point where you give up all together. To avoid this, you must take great care to ensure that your goals are achievable.
Be specific when setting your goals when it comes to weight loss. Instead of setting a total goal of 40 or 60 pounds, start with a specific goal like 10 pounds a month. Then you can extend the goal over the next month until you reach an overall goal of 40 or 60 pounds. It's much easier to lose 10 pounds four times than it is to lose 40 pounds all at once. It's a mind trick but it works. Ten pounds sounds simple and achievable. Forty pounds sounds like an insurmountable obstacle.
Another thing about goals is that you want to hold yourself accountable but you shouldn't put the whole thing off if you only lose 9 pounds instead of 10. Instead, find where you left the ball for the last pound and set your 10-. Pound target for next month.
You should also make sure that you are working with your personal goals and not the goals that someone else is pushing on you. The truth is that if it is personal to you, it will be more rewarding than if you were doing it for someone else. If your heart isn't in it, there are very few goals that are going to motivate you well.
Finally, you should establish small (non-food) rewards for meeting your diet goals. Perhaps your reward will be a new accessory for your new (or new old) wardrobe or a pedicure for your new look. Make your reward something fun and trivial and teach yourself that accomplishing your goals can be accomplished by something other than food. This is a key to a successful diet.
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