Realistic Goals for Weight Loss

There are lots of positive reasons for people who are overweight or obese to lose weight. Losing weight can help you be healthier, be more energetic and look better. And most importantly, losing weight can help you feel better.

Successful and lasting weight loss and healthy weight management are dependent upon reasonable goals and expectations. If you set reasonable goals for yourself while dieting, chances are you will be more likely to attain those goals and a higher chance of keeping the weight off.

Remember that your weight was not accumulated in a day. Most people have spent years adding on the pounds they want to take off. Expecting to lose five years worth of weight gain in less than two months on a "miracle diet" is simply not a reasonable goal.

By placing unrealistic expectations on your weight loss, you can cause yourself to become frustrated, which in turn can affect your motivation towards achieving weight loss.

Unrealistic goals can leave you feeling unsuccessful even after significant weight loss. Rather than feeling proud of your weight loss and developing skills to maintain it, some people will only focus on how much more they have to lose.

Most overweight people should plan to lose weight gradually. For safe and healthy weight loss, you should try not exceed two pounds per week. Talk with your doctor about a safe rate of weight loss for you as an individual, and to find out what goals you can set for your weight loss that can be realistically attained.

Three Basic Goals