Sunday, February 1, 2009

Weight Loss ? Are You Ready To Get With The Program?

By Mandy Hill

It's not uncommon for people to want to lose weight. In fact, each year many people start weight loss programs. Not as many are successful, though. That's because most of those people aren't really ready to start a weight loss program at all.

If you don't have the right mental attitude, you're not likely to lose weight. So, no matter how much a person wants to lose weight, if they have the wrong attitude, they'll probably fail. That means that the decision to start a weight loss program is one that needs to be well thought out. Otherwise, the results are probably not going to be what you want.

If you're trying to decide whether or not to start a weight loss program, you need to examine your reasons. If you don't have the right attitude or reasons for starting, you probably won't follow through. One good way to know if you've got the right reasons is to list them. Make a list of all the reasons you want to start a weight loss program. Then, decide if those reasons are important to you or not.

If you look at your list and think it would be nice if you could lose a few pounds for those reasons, you may not be mentally ready. Losing weight has to be more of a life goal than a passing thought, after all. It's much like an aspiring actor might have a dream of being a star, while they might also think in passing that it might be nice if they bought a new jacket. The two are very different levels of enthusiasm.

Once you do decide to start a program for losing weight, you need to set some goals for yourself. Once you decide how much weight you want to lose total and in how much time, you can take the next step. The next step is to decide how much of that weight you want to lose in smaller amounts of time. So, for example, set a goal for the year and a smaller goal for every week or two.

Although having a long-term weight loss goal is important, having smaller ones written down can be a big help. You can look at your list of goals twice a day that way and see what you are getting done. It can really help to keep you motivated if you're able to check small goals off of a list.

Setting goals is a major component of any weight loss program. It lets you know what you need to do. It also holds you accountable for doing those things. Not only that, but it can give you a huge sense of pride when you complete each small goal.

Don't forget to stay motivated when you're trying to lose weight. It's absolutely vital to your success. If you quit halfway through, you won't lose the weight. So, use whatever motivates you to your advantage when you're trying to lose weight, whether it's a list of short-term goals or something else that holds your interest. - 17944

About the Author: