How to set achievable Weight Loss goals

Majority of questions I get are about weight loss, especially in the Spring/Summer months. There is so much misinformation on the internet, Weight loss can be a minefield to cross, but here I am cutting through it for you to bring a clearer understanding to achievable weight loss.

With this in mind, I think one of the most important aspects of weight loss is goal setting. Think of your goal like your end destination on Google Maps...because if you don’t know where you’re going, how will you figure out how best to get there?

Most people have heard of the “SMART” acronym when it comes to goal setting, though it’s often used in the context of personal finance or business.  This acronym can be efficiently applied to weight loss too.

SMART Goal Setting

The SMART acronym is probably the most common template for setting goals.

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Timely

Applying SMART Goals To Weight Loss

How do you use these five factors to create weight-loss goals you can achieve? Let’s break them down one by one.

Specific

When it comes to weight loss, I most commonly hear people say, “I want to lose weight.” Well, that’s pretty ambiguous! Let's be more specific: How much weight? How long are you giving yourself to lose this weight? Would you like to lose just fat or increase muscle tone? All of these components roll into the specificity of goals. Don’t just say “lose weight”—give yourself some accountability.

Measurable

When it comes to fitness goals, specific and measurable often mean the same thing. As long as you outline a goal that’s specific, it’s probably going to be measurable as well. For example, if your goal is to lose 5 kilos of body fat, you’ll measure it using a scale and body composition tool.

The one thing I would recommend with your goal measuring is that you use the same tool(s) throughout your tracking process. If you use the scale at your house to measure your weight change, always use that scale at the same time on the same day each week to get a consistent measurement.

I would highly recommend using a full body composition scanning tool like MeasureUp DEXA scan to obtain data and information about your own body to help you measure and manage your health and weight loss goals.

Find more information for MeasureUp.

Attainable

In my opinion, attainability is most important component when it comes to weight loss. You have to set realistic goals in the time frame you’re giving yourself. Recall the example goal of losing 5 kilos. This is a realistic goal for many people who are looking to lose weight; however, the time frame you give yourself is really what dictates the attainability of this goal. If you say, “I want to lose 5 kilos in three days,” there’s really no healthy way to do that. Setting realistic goals is a key aspect to avoid failure on your weight loss journey.

Relevant

This one is a bit of a no-brainer as we’re already talking about setting goals for weight loss, which is relevant to anyone reading this article or interested in losing weight. If your ultimate desire is to lose weight, you wouldn’t make a SMART goal about how many dogs you plan on petting throughout the year (don’t get me wrong, that’s an awesome goal to set!), but it just wouldn’t be relevant and would distract you from your primary objective.

Timely

Timeliness is probably the second most important aspect of setting goals, and especially important when it comes to weight loss. Defining the time limits on your goal keeps you motivated throughout that period.

Say you give yourself two months to lose 5 kilos and increase your muscle tone, that’s an attainable goal within healthy parameters of weight loss. Whether or not you fulfill your goal, you can always set a new fitness goal for the next two-three months to keep your exercise routine interesting.

The Bottom Line

Setting goals and creating plans play a huge role in achieving weight-loss results. They go hand in hand. In today's society of instant gratification, the road to results can go sideways if you only focus on the destination and punish yourself if you don't see instantaneous results, so it’s important to engage fully in the process when setting goals for yourself. By optimizing parts of the process—like exercise, nutrition, hydration, rest, and stress maintenance—you’ll be more successful in losing weight. If you’re constantly focused on where you want to be in six months, you’ll always be disappointed with your day-to-day achievements no matter how small they might be.