Now that you know exactly where you are (your current habits) and where you have been (your recent weight changes), you are ready to move on to where you are going. The first step is to determine a goal. This may seem very simple, and indeed it is, but proper goal setting is key to your success.

Goal Setting

The best way to ensure success is to make a very specific goal. For example, a non-specific goal is “to lose weight.” A more specific goal is “to lose 50 pounds.” Quantifying the amount of weight you would like to lose will help you know exactly what you need to do in order to achieve your goal (see step 2).

While quantifying the amount of weight you would like to lose is important, it is also important to quantify the amount of time you would like to achieve your weight loss goal. If your goal is to lose 50 pounds, you must determine how long it will take you to lose that weight in order to make the appropriate lifestyle changes. If your goal is to lose 50 pounds in 2 years, the changes you need to make to your current diet and exercise regimen may be small. However, if your goal is to lose 50 pounds in 6 months, then you will need to make more drastic changes.

Try to make a reasonable time frame for the amount of weight you want to lose. If you force yourself to make drastic changes in order to lose weight quickly, you may hinder your overall success. Often times this leads to yo-yo dieting, and short-term success. Making subtle lifestyle changes resulting in weight loss of about 1-2 pounds per week, on the other hand, has been shown to have the most successful and lasting results.

After you have set a specific goal to achieve within a specific and reasonable time-frame, you should break it down into smaller goals. This can take something that seems overwhelming and impossible, and make it “do-able.” For example, if your goal is to lose 50 pounds in 1 year, your small goals should be to lose 1 pound each week. This will not only make the goal seem more attainable, but it will also help keep you accountable and on track to success.

How You Will Get There

Making short-term specific goals is also useful in determining exactly what you need to do to achieve your goals. From steps 1 and 2 you know that losing weight depends on calories-in (foods you eat) versus calories-out (physical activity). This is much easier to think about on a short-term basis.

For example, to lose 50 pounds in 1 year, you would need to create a 175,000-calorie deficit in 12 months (3,500 calories/pound x 50 pounds = 175,000)! Calculating the amount of food and exercise necessary to create this deficit if virtually impossible, even for the most diligent soul. However, to lose 1 pound per week, you would need to create a 3,500-calorie deficit every 7 days. At the end of 1 year, you will have lost that 50 pounds, and without doing excessive long division.

After making weekly goals, you can determine what you need to do each day to create the appropriate calorie deficit. Again, to lose 1 pound per week, you would need to create a calorie deficit of 500 each day (see steps 1 and 2). As you can see, being specific in your goal setting allows you to know exactly what you need to do to achieve your weight loss goals instead of leaving it to chance.

In summary, in order to get to your goal weight, you must:

• Determine exactly how much weight you would like to lose
• Determine exactly how long you have to lose this weight (remember to be reasonable)
• Determine the amount of weight you need to lose each week
• Divide total weight to be lost, by total number of weeks you have allotted to lose the weight
• Determine how many calories you must cut each week
• Multiply 3,500 calories by number pounds you want to lose each week
• Determine how many calories you must cut each day/li>
  • Divide the number of calories you must cut each week by 7

The Plateau

You may start-off right on track, and then without making any changes, or going back to old habits, you possibly will notice that your weight loss has slowed, or even stopped. This is no time to become frustrated and give up, it is just time to readjust your plan. No need to worry though, there are no new tricks, just a familiar regimen.

Basically, it is time to return to square-one. Start by reflecting on the past few days, or weeks of your diet and exercise. Then you will once again need to make changes depending on your current weight changes (or lack there of). For example, if you were losing 2 pounds per week, and now you are only losing 1 pound per week, you will need to cut back on another 500 calories per day to get back on track.

Revisiting your diet and exercise regimen, and making changes along your weight loss journey will be inevitable. This is because the more weight you lose, the fewer calories your body will use to perform basic functions. For example, a 200-pound person would burn about 300 calories during an hour walk, where a 130 pound person would only burn about 200 calories. This is because it requires more energy to carry extra weight.

This is just one more reason why making short-term, small goals is very important. If you were not paying attention to your progress knowing exactly where you need to be each week, you may not notice you have reached a plateau. Then you would not make the necessary changes to continue on the road towards your big goal. The bottom line is to have a plan, know the logistics, and keep yourself in check. It is no weight loss secret, just simple math!