Don’t say “to lose weight”. I want you to think deeper. How did I know that lose weight is your main goal right now? As of January 2018, 70% of Americans were considered overweight or obese. 2/3 of Americans are diabetic or pre-diabetic. “Lose weight” is the number one New Year’s Resolution every year, so we know a lot of people are worried about it.
When I ask a client, “What is your goal?” What I am really asking is for them to dig down. “Lose weight” isn’t specific enough. Even saying “Lose 40 pounds” isn’t much better. That number on the scale is a helpful tool in tracking progress, but it doesn’t really tell you much.
I’m looking for “I want a six-pack” or ”I want to fit into the clothes I wore when I was 18” or “I want to get off my medications” or “I want to no longer have diabetes/high blood pressure/high cholesterol” because those goals are simple trackable goals. But let’s take that at step further. All goals, without a timeline, are just dreams. Make all your goals SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound).
Don’t get me wrong, I weigh myself every morning, and I write it down. But I don’t put much stock in that daily number. I use it to keep myself accountable, and to monitor trends over time. But that number is based on so many things at once, it really won’t tell you anything on its own.
So find a celebrity you want to look like, or a fitness goal you want to be able to do. Do you a big event coming in your life, or maybe someone you want to get healthy for? Figure out what you see as your best self, and let that start to help you define your goal. For a timeline, it’s up to you, but set a date. Here, at Heading Healthy we only recommend that you lose weight safely, but that doesn’t necessarily mean slowly. Once you start feeding your body the right foods that it needs, and you commit to drinking more water every day, and moving as much as you can, you will forget all about that “lose weight” goal. The weight loss will be a side effect as you focus on something so much better. Feeling happy, healthy, and living without chronic issues and medications. All the while working towards that ever changing and growing goal. Are you ready?
