Good things rarely happen overnight. It takes time to create lasting change in life. Habits don’t start overnight; routines aren’t established in just a day. It’s like that with losing weight. You want it to drop off quickly, but in fact, it took a while to put on and it’ll take a season to come off.
We need to make healthier life goals; we need to make appropriate and realistic goals. Fad diets and claims aren’t healthy; it’s a short-lived success with little longevity. Steer clear of plans that boast double-digit losses in a short period. The suggested healthy rate at which to reduce weight is one to two pounds a week. Anything more is generally unhealthy.
Make achievable goals for weight loss. When you repeatedly reach your weekly goal along the way, it creates a personal momentum that’s necessary for the long haul. Make allowances for plateaus and don’t get too discouraged with the week the needle doesn’t move.
For me, I had to learn how to set achievable goals. I started by making unrealistic goals which were unhealthy for me. Pulling back and choosing the right pace for weight loss made a huge difference for me. Establishing a maintenance weight was next. You’ll need to discover what an ongoing healthy weight is for you. Again, my goal had to change from what I thought would work to what was healthy and realistic. But, finding that number and keeping it is where the real work begins. It’s relatively easy to lose weight; it’s harder to maintain.
It won’t happen without goals. Make it realistic and achievable. That’s the secret to success.
