Just like any important project, weight loss should be handled the same. You don’t just wake up and you embark on losing weight, it needs planning. Plan the diet, workouts and how you are going to execute losing weight. But here is where most people go wrong, by choosing unrealistic weight loss goals. It all comes about by over expecting and setting difficult feats to accomplish. Making difficult goals will make you quit losing weight very soon. And here come the questions how do you set realistic weight loss goals? How do I know it’s a realistic goal?

In this article, I have written on how you can set realistic weight loss goals that will not break you but support you in losing weight. You will also read on the tips that can help you keep your goals to success. 

How to set realistic weight loss goals.

When making realistic weight loss goals, these are the things you should put in mind;

Figure out your ideal body weight.

Since everyone has a different body weight, setting up a weight loss goal should depend on body weight. There is no one for all bodyweight loss target due to the different sizes people are.

Getting a body scan or any way you get yourself measured will help you get the right range of fat you have to burn.

Schedule

In setting weight loss goals, make them while thinking of your schedule. Don’t make a plan that will intervene with your daily or important things. Realistic weight goals are those that will let you live your life, have fun and get time to work.

Affordable?

In making realistic weight loss goals, you should put in mind the price of either workouts or diet. Don’t make a weight loss goal that involves workouts and diets that are expensive to keep up with. An affordable weight loss goal will keep you healthy and stress-free guess you understand what I mean when you are free from high bills.

Win along the way.

Try to set other small weight loss goals to motivate you. Setting a big goal which can be achieved over a long period like a year may seem vague and probably it may bore you during the course. For example, people may set a year’s resolution of losing 25 pounds.

If you split it into sections of progress, then you will see progress and stay motivated. Also setting other short-term goals along the long-term weight loss goal will keep you motivated by seeing progress from the short-term goals.

Have in mind the time it will take.

When setting realistic weight loss goals, consider the time it will take to accomplish them.  Don’t rush yourself or else it will hurt while attempting to accomplish unrealistic goals. Weight loss takes time and so don’t make a goal of losing weight in just a very short period of time.

Make one considering that the normal weight loss is about 1 to 2 pounds per week and plan around that. With this, you can make realistic weight loss goals.

Are you ready?

This is a question that you should ask yourself while making a realistic weight loss goal. Losing weight is a commitment from the foods you eat to the workouts you do. These are changes that will affect your style of living.

Are you motivated, with no pressures on you and not just an excitement? Don’t attempt to set weight loss goals when you aren’t ready as you will not be able to stick to them.

Set realistic goals

It’s obvious we are talking about how to set realistic goals. But you know yourself right, the things you can do and things you can’t do. Don’t set goals that will break you. Say like running 30 miles a day to lose weight yet you haven’t even tried on half a mile yet.

The normal weight one can lose per week is about 1 to 2 pounds, don’t make a goal where you are losing 20 pounds a week. This is not healthy and may not be achievable.

Map down something you can do with ease and will not affect your health. Examples of realistic weight loss goals are; ‘’walk for 30 minutes a day’’, this is achievable. ‘’Lose one a pound every week’’ is an example of a weight loss goal you can achieve and its

Changes you can live with?

I know of a friend who said she had discovered a weight loss smoothie. It had the worst smell since it involved garlic and other ingredients. No one could withstand her smell, we always avoided her. She had chosen a lifestyle she can’t live with, she quitted a few days later.

While making a weight loss goal, make it around activities and a lifestyle that you can live with. Not one that you will quit just a few days after due to the discomfort.

Is it Safe?

Safety should be first when you are setting a weight loss goal. Aim at a goal that will keep you safe from injury or illness. Don’t set a goal that involves strategies like starving yourself and consuming around 500 calories in a day. This is not safe as it will make you lose weight but the consequences are not healthy.

Put in mind the workouts you choose to involve in your weight loss goals, avoid workouts that will injure, strain or break you down. This all leads back to setting achievable goals. Don’t set goals that will injure you however much they may help you lose weight fast.

Are you in a position to start losing weight?

When making a weight loss goal you should value your overall health. If you aren’t in great shape to start losing weight don’t attempt to.

Many diseases like Peptic ulcer disease, insomnia, and many others can be a hindrance to weight loss. If you aren’t perfectly healthy don’t make a weight loss plan and goals.

You may want to read on how to lose weight permanently

What is a good weight loss goal?

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A good weight loss goal should have the following qualities.

• Healthy: Good or realistic weight loss goals shouldn’t be affecting your health negatively. What defines a good weight loss goal is the possibility to improve your health not destroy it.
• Achievable: A good weight loss goal is achievable, in short, it is realistic and not a huge impossible goal.
• Affordable: A good weight loss goal is that which can be afforded without making you bankrupt.
• Fun: A good weight loss goal shouldn’t be boring.
• Time friendly: a good weight loss goal should not interfere with your important tasks and shouldn’t be so time-consuming.

Tips to help you stick to your weight loss goals

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• Pick a weight loss diet and workout plan that you can stick with for a lifetime. Choose wisely a diet plan which won’t exclude important nutrients from your diet. This includes vegetables, lean proteins, fruits, carbs and vitamin sources. With this, you will leave a healthy life and you probably won’t quit.
• Never skip breakfast since it is said to be the most important meal of the body. Eating breakfast is related to many benefits like kick-starting your metabolism, keeping you satisfied so as you don’t do unnecessary snacking and eating less at lunchtime since your stomach won’t be completely empty.
• Get a weight-loss patterner to support you on the weight loss journey. Having a patterner will keep you motivated and you will always be reminded to either workout or stick to the diet. It’s also possible to share weight loss tips. Joining a support group will work in keeping your weight loss goals progressing.
• Record every progress whether feats or failures to help you in your weight-loss journey. Having records will help you know how much weight you have lost, where you are going wrong and works as a reminder to why you are losing weight.
• Don’t be a quitter, stick to your weight loss goals. Stop comparing yourself with others. It’s wise to take things slow, never switch weight loss goals frequently because a friend has one that seems ‘better’. Stay to your weight loss goals and appreciate your efforts other than comparing yourself to others.
• Write down or print your weight loss goals and stick them somewhere where you can look at them often to be reminded. A spot like a fridge door will always get you reminded when you are to check in the fridge. With this, you can make wise decisions while picking food from the fridge.

What is a reasonable rate to lose weight?

We all want to lose weight fast but how much is fast are you talking about. For those who aim to lose with a thought of fast should know it may not be healthy. The reasonable amount of weight one can lose is 1 to 2 pounds per week.

This is achieved through exercise and a good weight loss diet. Such a weight loss progress is reasonable and it won’t affect your health or make your life hard with starving and working out 8 hours a day.

Is losing 5 pounds in a week healthy?

No, it’s not realistic or healthy for your body. First of all, it will require you to consume very few calories and this will make you starved. The workouts will also be vigorous and it may break you down.

The reasonable weight to lose in a week being 1 to 2 pounds in a week, aiming to lose 5 will be too much for your body. This is the type of weight loss plan that you will quit soon after because of discomfort or when your body can’t handle the pressure of workouts and poor diet.