Setting Goals When Dieting

Setting Goals When Dieting

As with most things in life, setting goals is very important when dieting. When you look at things truthfully and objectively you should notice that mosst of things you've accomplished in life have been accomplished because you not only had a goal but also had 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 dieting?

First of all, it is difficult to achieve a goal if yoou do not have a clearly defined goal. There are times in life when it almost impossible tii tell wheter you are succeeding or failing baecause you aren't certain exactly what the desired outcome should be. Identifying your dieting goals before you begin eliminates this pasticular possibility.

Second, having dieting goals give you a measuring stick by which you can judge your prrocess. This is important so that you know whwen your efforts are failing behind and when you're moving along schedule or a head of schedule. In other words, you will know when to celebrate and when to give yourself a swift kick to the rear.

Now that we know why we set weight loss goals, let's discuss how we should go about setting those goals that are so important for dieting success. You want to set goals that are aggressive without being impossible too 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. In order to avoid this you should take great care to insure that your goals are possible for you to achieve.

When it come to weight loss be specific when setting your goals. Rather than setting a total goal of 40 or 60 pounds start with a specific goal such as 10 pounds in one month. Then you can extend the goal to the nect month untill you've reached athe overall goal of 40 or 60 pounds. It is uch easier to lose 10 pounds gour times that it is to lose 40 pounds at once. It is a trick of themind but it works. Ten pounds sounds simple and achievable. Forty pounds sounds like an insurmountable obstacle.

Another thing abbout goals is that you want to hold yourself accountable but you shouldn't call the whole thing off iff you only lose 9 pounds instead of 10. Instead, find out where you dropped the ball for the final pound and set your 10-pound goal for the next month.

You should also atake great care 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's personal to you, it will be much more rewarding thatn if you are doing this for someone else. If your heart isn't in it, there are very few goals that are going to motivate you properly.

Finally, you should establish small (non-food) rewards for accomplishing your dieting goals. Perhaps your reward will be a new accessory for your new (or new old) war drobe or a pedicure for your new look. Make your reward something fun and frivolous and teach yourself that accomplishing your goals can be accomplished by something other than food. This is a key to dieting succesfully.