What You Can Expect When You Set Yourself A Weight Loss Goal

January seems to be the time of year where everyone shifts a focus to the year ahead. It seems to be the ideal time to wipe the slate clean and set yourself new goals and dreams of what you want to achieve. Having just enjoyed a wonderful festive season, there is no surprise that weight seems to be high on the priority list. But while it’s always good to set yourself realistic weight loss goals, I find that January can often be a time where you start with the best intentions and then falter a few weeks later.

Maybe that is because the general buzz of the new year dies down, or you lose the desire to carry on yourself. There are many different reasons for this. So I thought now would be an ideal time to share with you some of the expectations of setting yourself a weight loss goal and hopefully provide you with a few tips to help you maintain your journey and keep on going to success.

Be realistic

What many people tend to do on the first day of January is set themselves a huge weight loss goal. It might be to lose a stone or a few inches off your waistline. While having this ultimate goal is important, you have to be realistic that this sort of loss isn’t going to happen quickly. So it’s just as important to set yourself smaller realistic goals to help you along the way. This is bound to keep you motivated as you begin to smash those smaller more attainable targets.

It’s not always about the diet

For anyone who has tried to lose weight before, you will know that while some diets are great for the short-term, they are not exactly sustainable for the duration. So it’s important to look at your diet as a whole and try and be more balanced. There is no harm in using a detox juicing week or reducing your amount of carbohydrates for a short-term goal. But be aware that your body still requires certain nutrients to function properly.

Try alternative solutions

There are some great alternatives to a dedicated diet that are worth considering. This is focusing on a more balanced way of eating, than denying yourself certain foods. It could be changing your lifestyle and considering a vegetarian or vegan diet. Or perhaps investing in some meal replacements courses which are specifically designed with you in mind.

Exercise is important

It’s vital to remember that exercise is a great way to lose weight, and can help your body tone up and look even better. Of course, this doesn't mean going to the gym each day if that doesn’t appeal to you. Exercise can mean just walking more and being more active in general. So get your trainers on and get outside.

Water is your secret remedy

We all know the benefits of drinking more water, but yet many of us still don’t drink anywhere near enough. Try and slowly increase your intake of water and start to feel the benefits straight away.

Get yourself a weight loss buddy

Finally, it’s always much easier to stick with any journey to attaining a goal if you have someone alongside you to motivate you and keep you on track. So if you can, enlist the help of a friend or loved one and tackle the weight loss together. I also have a weight loss group on Facebook, so feel free to join. It's private so no one outside the group can see what you post.

I hope these tips will help you be more aware of the expectations of weight loss and help you continue you on your own personal journey.