Weight Loss: Prepare to Succeed

Do you want to lose 10 lbs. by summer? Do you want to get down to a certain waist size? Do you just want to lower your blood pressure? What ever your reasons are for weight loss, you should always have a goal in mind. Having a clear concise goal lets us track our progress to see if we are doing what we need to do. I once worked with someone who said they wanted to lose 15 lbs in 2 weeks. Not only is this an unhealthy amount to lose in such a short time, but it is extremely difficult. On the other hand I worked with someone who had a simple goal; it was to be able to do one pull up and had given herself a few months to achieve it. I would say the latter would be a much more attainable goal.

Keeping in line with the idea of goal setting we also need to set smaller attainable goals or objectives. Setting a realistic time frame to complete each objective is also important. Setting these objectives will let you track your progress more accurately. It also helps to give us a bit more motivation in being able to see what we have done so far and where we are headed. I once had a coach tell me, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” Taking the time to carefully plan out our weight loss goals and set realistic objectives and time frames can only fuel our success.

Let’s take a look at two people. The first is Moe Tivated, he is a planner and decides to set a goal of losing 10 lbs. in the next three months. The other is Don Needanyhelp, he also sets a goal of losing 10 lbs. in three months. Moe plans to reduce his calorie intake and will start walking for 20 minutes before going to work in the morning. He will also monitor his weight at the end of each week to see what he needs to change. He also is keeping a diary to write down any obstacles he might have in the way. He participates in a weekly forum on an online weight loss site to share his achievements and ask about any problems he is facing. He has set out to lose 3.5 lbs. a month and has reduced his caffeine and fast food intake. Don on the other hand thinks that 3 months is a long time and he can start dieting in a few weeks or maybe next month. He also thinks that he can stop eating out any time he wants to and will do so sometime within the next three months.

Between the two of them, who would you think is more likely to achieve their goal? I am betting on Moe. Think about school, how many kids did you know who did all their homework and did well on quizzes (objectives) and ultimately got an “A” in the class? Or on the flip side, how many kids did you know who barely did homework and barely passed quizzes who ultimately got either a failing or close to failing grade in the class?

If we just use our everyday experiences and wisdom, we can achieve a lot of things. This is no different in the area of weight loss. The saying is so true and crosses many topics. Don’t prepare to fail. Instead prepare to succeed.