Reducing weight is a goal which has become very popular with the passage of time. With the increase of the obesity epidemic, individuals have become more interested in making New Year’s resolutions which involve the idea of slimming down.
It is imperative to employ a targeted approach for preventing challenges and delays while we are trying to reduce weight, and one of the best ways to make sure that we are actually moving in the proper direction is be to set sensible weight loss goals. Below we have mentioned some essential guidelines that should be considered for setting effective weight reduction goals for 2017.
How to Set Effective Goals
1. Be particular with goal setting
Having a target to get in shape is way too vague. Make it a point to jot down an exact goal of how much weight you would like to reduce, what body measurements you would like to have, what size of jeans you want to put on, or your preferred body fat percentage. The more specific you are the better results you can achieve.
2. Establish a deadline for the goals
In order to make some changes which will aid you to create your desired physic, you will require both short-term and long-term goals. A typical short-term goal would be your day-to-day, weekly, or even monthly targets. You might focus on escalating the intensity of your exercises or getting rid of a particular food item from your daily diet as a daily goal.
A typical one-week target might be to shed a couple of pounds. For the one-month goal, you might try to reduce a significant amount of weight which will enable you to fit into a fresh pair of jeans.
3. Have a strong reason behind the goal
Figuring out the most significant motivators behind your objectives will definitely be of tremendous help. For example, appearing great in your brand-new bikini, looking amazing into your 70s and even beyond, appearing attractive for your better half, improving your health, and so on.
4. Turn the objectives into a multimedia campaign
Included in this powerful goal setting technique are:
a. Photographs of your goal
A really successful technique that works well for some people is to find a photograph of the ideal physique which you desire from a publication and cut it out. After that, you can paste the photo of your head over the image of the model and in this way you can picture a new you.
b. Writing down the goals in affirmation formatting, such as “I will reduce 30 pounds or more within the following three months so that I appear great at my wedding ceremony.”
c. Place the goals where you can easily see them
Make it a point to place note cards or stickers on the fridge, the bathroom mirror, your bedside table, or even the dashboard of your automobile. Remember that repetition is essential for all these strategies of setting goals.
How to Achieve Your Weight Loss Goals
It is impossible to achieve success overnight when attempting to lose weight. However, anybody can attain his or her goals when they are practical and sensible. Once we have established our goals, it is important for us to stay focused and determined to achieve them.
In the subsequent paragraphs, we will be talking about a few ways to achieve your weight loss goals.
1. Get more sleep
Adequate sleep will definitely be the easiest way to support your weight loss goals and also balance the production of weight loss hormones. If you're sleeping for less than eight hours every night, hormones like cortisol, leptin, and ghrelin will get out of balance. This will lead to an increase in appetite and a decrease in metabolism.
If you sleep less, you become exhausted during the day, become hungrier, and you tend to perform lesser workouts, resulting in less reduction of weight. Apart from this, you might also be tempted to eat snacks late at night. Sufficient sleep of at least 7 to 8 hours is essential for supporting the weight loss hormones and thus shedding a significant amount of weight.
2. Do not skip meals
When you skip your meals, your body will go into survival mode which will make it very hard to shed pounds. After skipping a meal, your system releases a hormone known as cortisol which is responsible for regulating stress and blood sugar in your body.
When the cortisol levels are increased, your body will be under stress and it will be impossible to reduce your weight. Consuming meals at regular intervals will definitely help to maintain the optimum levels of cortisol, and this will help you to slim down.
3. Drink only water
You can prevent dehydration by drinking sufficient water, and this will also discourage you from consuming an excess amount of food items. Your system has a tough time differentiating between being dehydrated and being hungry.
While you are dehydrated you often tend to eat a lot, which will not help you to attain your goals. Moreover, it is imperative to drink lots of water while performing physical workouts.
4. Reduce the carbohydrates
It has been revealed by recent studies that reduction in carbohydrate consumption can help in weight loss to a large extent. It is suggested for individuals to cut out two of the highest carbohydrate food items from their daily diet – namely, pasta and bread.
Depending on the weight reduction goals of an average person, some carbs in the form of lentils, legumes, brown rice, and small quantities of potatoes might still support healthy weight reduction when balanced with sufficient vegetables and protein.
5. Enjoy your workouts
There is no necessity to spend hours at the fitness center in order to slim down. It is recommended to perform some workouts which you really enjoy and which you can easily integrate into your daily schedule.
However, if your workouts become a chore then you'll be less likely to perform them. Exercises need to become a regular part of your daily routine just like consuming water.
Conclusion
These are just a few aspects that you should take into consideration before making your weight loss resolution for the year 2017. Bear in mind that reduction is not a simple process and there is no single technique which you should follow.
You must use a combination of all these guidelines and also add a few more if possible. In any case, make it a point to consult with an expert prior to doing anything drastic. Your body will thank you.
