Setting Reasonable Weight Loss Goals

Here are five questions to help you set reasonable weight loss goals:

1. What is your ultimate target weight? Ideally, you'll talk to your doctor to answer this question. He can help you factor your body type, your frame size, how much muscle you have and other health issues into the target number.
 

2. How close are you to your target weight? Set short-term, attainable goals. While you will likely have an "ideal" weight, you should set interim goals and not simply say "my goal IS my ideal weight". Losing weight and getting fit is difficult, and the psychological boost of repeatedly setting and achieving your goals can be a huge help. If you want to lose fifteen pounds overall, carve that up into three-five pound stages and go after the first one.
 

3. Generally speaking, a healthy and reasonable rate of weight loss is 1 to 1.5 pounds per week. However, it is not uncommon for people to lose weight faster than that at the beginning of a diet when they start exercising and/or lose a lot of water. Unfortunately, the opposite tends to hold true if you are within ten pounds of your target. When you are that close to your ideal weight, weight loss will likely be slower than 1.5 pounds per week. Simply put, it takes longer to lose the last ten than it did to lose the first ten. If you've got more than 10 pounds to lose, calculate the time you'll need like this:

Current weight – Target weight = Weight loss goal

((Weight loss goal – 10) / 1 lb per wk)) + (Last 10 pounds * .5 lbs per wk) = Length of diet in weeks.

If you've got more than 30 pounds to lose, your first ten might come off faster than one pound per week. Factor that in if you like.

4. How much time do you have to exercise? Exercise burns calories and the more you exercise, the more calories you'll burn off. And DOING SOMETHING burns more calories than doing nothing! Don't set your expectations too high, especially if you don't exercise now. Your main goal is to feel good about exercise and you can get there by doing things that make you feel good! Start small by doing some small active thing every day. Walk one block. Go down one flight of stairs instead of taking the elevator. The key is to do something, to feel good about that and to build on that good feeling.

5. What is your history with weight loss? Consider what you have tried in the past, what has worked, what hasn't, and why.

All of these factors should influence your goal setting. Use them in setting reachable goals. Having reachable or reasonable goals will help you stay on your healthy eating plan.