Setting weight loss goals: How much do you want to lose in 6 weeks?

Learn the steps required for setting weight loss goals and succeed at losing weight within a predetermined period of weeks.

The what, where, and when of weight loss

Before you start any plan or program to lose weight, you have to decide exactly what you want to achieve and set specific goals for yourself.

It is not enough to say “I want to lose weight”. You need to know exactly how much weight you want to lose.

It is not realistic to say “I want to lose 40 lbs in 2 weeks”. It did not take you 2 weeks to put on 50 lbs, so why would you expect to lose 40 pounds in 2 weeks? Besides, that’s not what’s considered a healthy amount of weight loss.

It is not advisable to start a weight loss program without first knowing what your current situation is. That’s like getting into your car and driving off without first checking whether you have enough fuel to get you where you want to go. You need to know what your starting point is as well as what you need to do to get you where you want to go.

The basics of goal-setting

To be successful at losing weight, your weight loss goals must be:

  1. Specific
  2. Measurable
  3. Achievable
  4. Challenging, but realistic
  5. Time-bound with a deadline

So the first thing you need to do is take a piece of paper and write down:

  1. Where you are now, for example how much do you weigh right now?
  2. Where you want to be, for example how much weight would you like to lose?
  3. When you want to get there, for example by when would you have liked to achieve that amount of weight loss?

Putting it all together

Once you’ve written down your weight loss goals, you can start putting together a strategy to reach them. And once you’ve started your weight loss journey, you should periodically monitor and measure your body. This will give you a good indication of whether you are on the right track, whether you are getting closer to your weight loss target, and also give you that extra motivation you need to stay on track and keep losing weight.

Goal-setting is an important part of any weight loss program. If you do it right, you’ll be on your way to weight loss success.

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Disclaimer: Any content published on 'The Weight Loss Digest' is not meant to replace the advice of medical practitioners. All articles published on 'The Weight Loss Digest' are the opinions of a layman. We are no medical experts (just very experienced fitness fanatics) and take no responsibility for any injuries, malnutrition, or harm that you may incur after reading any of the articles published on 'The Weight Loss Digest'. We strongly encourage you to seek the advice of a doctor before engaging on any diet or exercise program.