How to Set Weight Loss Goals

The journey between where you are now to where you want to be can seem impossibly long, especially with weight loss. However, overcoming this is all a matter of perspective—and setting the right goals that empower, not discourage you.

Setting realistic weight loss goals will help set you up for success. These strategies can help you map out a plan that continues to motivate you across your weight loss journey. Set goals that work for YOU. No two weight loss journeys are the same, so the goals you set should be designed for you. Your lifestyle will help shape the kinds of goals you want and/or are able to make, so take that into consideration. When you work, who you live with, and how you best get things done will all influence the goals you create.

It's also important to take into consideration your individual body. Metabolism and genetics play an important role in weight loss, as do your age and any other health conditions you may be living with. Be sure to talk to your doctor to make sure your weight loss goals are safe and recommended for your body.

Break them down into bite-sized goals

It’s important to realize that healthy weight loss is not something that happens overnight. Transitioning to healthier living is a true lifestyle change. That’s why it’s easy to get discouraged or even give up on the journey entirely. Completing short-term goals that build up to your long-term goals will help you track and measure progress toward your weight loss success. Think of each mini-goal as a stepping stone along your path. Losing 30 pounds is a big goal—but making small changes to lose 5 pounds this month? That’s a goal within reach.

Make your goals SMART

A classic technique for making these small goals that add up is known as the S.M.A.R.T. goal system. S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym that stands for:

Specific: What exactly are you going to do? What specific actions will you take to do this?

Measurable: How will you track your goal and know that you’ve accomplished it?

Achievable: Can you do this goal? Is there anything you need to achieve it?

Relevant: How does your goal ladder up to your ultimate goal (i.e., weight loss)?

Timely: In what time frame do you want to accomplish this goal in?

Using the S.M.A.R.T. system can serve as a checklist to ensure your goals are both challenging and realistic.

Track your progress

Okay, now that you’ve got your SMART, short-term goals ready to go, don’t lose sight of your successes.

Track your progress, whether with a journal or a fitness-tracking app. By creating goals that are measurable, it’s easier to see if you’re meeting them. Vague goals like “eat healthier” are often too abstract for our brains to really analyze. Whether your goal is the number of steps you’re taking or the number of calories you’re consuming each day, when you can measure progress, you can hold yourself accountable and remain consistent in your efforts.

Many small things

The painter Vincent van Gogh once wrote in a letter to his brother, “Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.” If you consider your life to be your very own masterpiece of art, then each small goal (and each small accomplishment) is one of the many brushstrokes required to paint the full picture. That life you want? It’s up to you to create it.

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