As the holiday season approaches, most of us get ready to indulge and then be ultra penitent once the New Year comes around and there are resolutions to be made.
However, most of us find that our indulgences over the holidays don’t seem to come off quite as nicely as we hoped.
Rather than fall victim to a few months of overgrazing, we’ve come up with four tips that will help make and keep weight loss goals that you can start now without having to wait for January 1st.
Be Specific About Your Goal
Rather than saying you want to lose weight say that you want to lose 10 lbs.
By setting a goal that’s more tangible you hold yourself more responsible for the results and you’ll find yourself more committed to your goal.
If you find that you struggle keeping yourself motivated, try to chart your progress regularly so that you won’t just have one weigh-in. Those results tend to be more disappointing.
Be Realistic
If you make a goal that is too adventurous you might find yourself so discouraged that you don’t even come close.
People are more inclined to fight harder if they feel like they actually have a fighting chance. This way your results will be more sustainable as well.
Make a Plan
The more specific your plan is, the better. Say you’ll cut down portions by 30%, or you’ll exercise four times a week.
As your plan becomes routine it will start to become a habit and you’ll find that your weight loss will come without thinking.
Set a Time Limit
If you don’t ever give yourself a date that you’re going to measure your success, you’ll never be accountable and you’ll never really be able to tell how good your attempts were.
Don’t think of this as a negative experience; if you stick to a good plan you are bound to make more progress toward your goal than by doing nothing.