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There are so many angles from which to tackle todays FAQ: How To Set An Effective Weight Loss Goal.

I’m going to combine a post I wrote on 5 Crucial Criteria for Weight Loss Goal Setting… and Getting with some other assorted goal getting goodness.

Starting with your 5 crucial criteria:

1. KNOW YOUR OUTCOME

Your unconscious mind cannot process a negative so it’s vital that you focus on what you want.

=> If you’re currently feeling “I hate what I see when I look in the mirror, it’s time to lose my love handles and bat wings” then sadly more love handles and bat wings are likely flying your way.  

If you can communicate it, you can have it – so get specific on exactly what you want. State your goal as Personal, Positive, Present tense and Precise.  

So for example: “I look and feel great naked and fit easily into my super sexy size 10 jeans”

If this language doesn’t come easily – it’s worth practicing it! – and it’s also helpful to find a picture of someone with the physique you’re looking to attain and putting that somewhere you will regularly see it.

It doesn’t matter where you’re coming from – just where you’re going.

2.  TAKE ACTION

=> And consistency is key.  The good eating and exercise regime you can stick to is far superior to the excellent plan you keep ‘slipping off’.

Aim to build one new reference point for success each day and acknowledge yourself for each success as small hinges can swing big doors…Having the discipline to eat 1 clean, planned meal at a time will grow to a day, a week and before long a habit that turns your body into a fat burning machine!

Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly at first …so if you found that 30 minute walk exhausting or you could only squeeze out a couple of push ups from your knees – you got through it – that’s a tick for a positive reference point, the ‘finesse’ can come later.

3.  HAVE THE SENSORY ACUITY TO KNOW WHAT’S WORKING

=> If you find yourself constantly rolling back over for some more shut-eye instead of your planned walk before work, then it’s not working!  

=> If you still keep your fav dark chocolate in the house and break your own ‘1 square per day rule’ consistently, it’s not working!!

It’s time to either get more leverage on yourself by building the pain “What will my body look like in 12 months time if nothing has changed…what will I be telling myself and how will I be feeling?”

Or get a new plan of attack that does work.  For example book a regular training time with a friend or trainer to hold you accountable, it’s amazing how readily we will let ourselves down though wouldn’t do that to someone else.

For the chocolate lover – how about keeping the house a junk-free zone and enjoying the whole bar one a week, guilt free on your planned cheat day?

You are only as free as your options & the only real limits on what you can do are self imposed.

4.  HAVE THE BEHAVIOURAL FLEXIBILITY TO CHANGE WHAT’S NOT WORKING

=> We’ve all heard that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result, however how strongly do you apply this with your health? 

If you spent 10K on advertising that delivered zero return I imagine your wouldn’t be racing to rerun the ad.  However how many people ‘spend’ hours of their time (with the high opportunity cost of all else they could be doing instead) start, stopping the same old ineffective hap-hazard approach to fat-loss that has failed for them in the past?

Within every difficulty you face is the seed of an equal or greater opportunity.

5.  ALWAYS OPERATE FROM A PHYSIOLOGY OF EXCELLENCE

The Mind – Body connection now has been proven to be a fact scientifically; if we can manage our physiology we can manage our emotions.

=> Think of a situation that you find challenging and notice in terms of your physiology, how do you consistently respond to that situation?  Is your physiological response getting you the results that you want?  First step is to become aware – then you can change your response and change your state.

Your life only gets better when you get better.

Moving beyond the 5 criteria…

If you’ve struggled with hitting a goal DEADLINE in the past, perhaps Action Based Goals will serve you better.

So your goal is based on actions rather than outcomes. 

For example; you could create a daily action-list of thing to do that support your ideal health… tick off the actions each day and aim for 90% compliance at the end of the week.

i.e. If you had 5 actions each day you’d be looking for 32 out of 35 ticks at the end of the week to stay on track at 90%. Perhaps; => get up 30 minutes earlier

=> do 30 minutes exercise daily (even if it’s a walk)

=> plan your meals based around fibrous veg, lean protein and good fat

=> eat those planned meals

=> get to bed by 10pm

These action based goals should applied through the filter of the 5 Crucial Criteria. 

They should also be highly achievable – even mini goals in themselves.  Make it easy for YOU to succeed.  So each action you take is not only a step towards your greater goal but also a reference point for success and reason in itself to celebrate.

The vital consideration I’m yet to mention is DESIRE. Or your Why.

Here’s how the pieces fit together… your goal needs:

The DESIRE that is driving you.

The ACTIONS that you take to actually get there… because desire alone makes it a wish rather than a goal.

The RESULT that will guide your actions.

So, back to desire and our original example, “I look and feel great naked and fit easily into my super sexy size 10 jeans” the final factor to get clarity on is:

What will achieving this goal mean to you and to your ideal life?  What experiences will it allow you and those you love to enjoy? 

Time to make this actionable.

Too often in our fast-paced lives we’re on to the next thing. Setting the next goal. Before even acknowledging our successes. If what you focus on expands – and it does – then it is vital to take the time to focus and appreciate your accomplishments. To get good at positive reinforcement.

What would you like to acknowledge yourself for today?

That’s it for another week in Healthification.

My most geninue thanks to the awesome people who have left me iTunes reviews… like The Vice Skipper, ContentMaximiser and Jess Hobbs.

If you liked this you’ll also like: Smart Simple Weight Loss: Align Your Goal

and Smart Simple Weight Loss: Most Effective Strategies

If you’re yet to share the Healthification love – just click here to zip over to iTunes and leave an honest rating and review. It’d help me out big time. With gratitude, Kate.