Setting Weight Loss Goals

"If you keep it simple, it is attainable."
                           -Benjamin Moore-

Remember that last New Year's Resolution? You know what we are talking about, that promise you make to yourself every New Year that you promptly break? According to the website,  U.S.A gov, the number one New Year's Resolution in the United States for seven years straight has been to lose weight. 

Once they make this promise to themselves, people fall short of fulfilling it. That's because they are looking for an "easy fix" the miracle diet or the pill that melts pounds away while you sleep! The answer lies not in the most popular current diet or trendy new pill but rather in using common sense, changing your lifestyle and setting up simple goals.

Evaluate yourself honestly. Ask yourself if you are using food as an emotional tool. Don't be ashamed if you are. When we are infants and we cry, our mothers rush in feed us, or stick a pacifier in our mouths to get peace and quiet. We grow up knowing food offers love and comfort.

You've seen the scene before: a toddler is throwing a fit in the grocery store in front of his mother. He is lying on the floor, kicking and screaming. Embarrassing the parent to death. What does the mom do? She grabs the nearest peace offering, generally a package of cookies, and hands a cookie to her son to placate him. Food offers comfort. This is early conditioning, and most of us learn it well, too well!

Here are some Weight Loss Goals

• • Ask your doctor to do a Body Fat Assessment. This will give you a clearer understanding of the ration of fat to lean of your body mass.
• Exercise- Start weight training. You want to increase your muscle mass while you lose weight.
• Buy a new dress, or a pair of pants that are several sizes to small. Hang these up somewhere visible to you to provide motivation to eat healthy.
• Set a monetary amount for every pound you lose. Put the money into a kitty and at the end of your 3 months of eating healthy, either spend the money, or keep on going.
• Think success! Don't say to yourself that you can't lose the weight. Be positive. Visualize yourself in a bikini or a thong.
• Downsize your dinner plate. The older you are, the less food you need. By making your dinner plate smaller, you will also quit filling up your plate.
• Stay away from polyester and stretch fabric. Wearing pants and shirts that expand causes your waistline to expand as well.
• Join a local gym
• Hire a Personal Trainer
• Talk to your boss about starting a weekend activities program.
• Talk to a Registered Dietician
• Join an on-line weight loss program
• Eat all your meals at home at the dining room table
• Install mirrors in your dining room. Quite a wake-up call to actually watch yourself eating.
• Experiment with cultural home cooking
• Don't nibble while you are preparing food
• When in doubt WALK!
• Eat slower. Society trains us to gulp our meals (15/30 minute breaks, hour lunches). Relish your food.
• Eat Healthy
• Sign up for local outside team sports and activities, or volunteer at a YMCA or Boys & Girl Club.
• Switch your sports interest. Play different sports to stay motivated.
• Stay OFF the scale

Keeping your weight loss goals simple allows you to relax and enjoy your life. Break your goals down into three month increments. Include exercise with every goal you set. Be sure, before you start working on these goals, that you have been to your doctor and discussed the implications of you losing weight.

Some Goal Guidance

• Reduce your intake of refined sugar (switch to honey)
• Lower saturated fats (stop making fast food the only food in town)
• Eat with a conscience
• Add lots of fiber
• Eat smaller meals six times a day
• Carry healthful snacks in a small cooler in your car.
• Water is now your new best friend
• Exercise according to your doctor's recommendation
• Walk as much as possible
• If you have kids or a spouse, involve them in your exercises
• Steer clear of Junk Food- that name serves a purpose that doesn't benefit you in the long run.
• Adopt a dog- walking is good for both of you! Or volunteer to walk the neighbor's dog.
• Make it a point to push yourself away from the table