5 Foolproof Ways To Reach Your Weight-Loss Goals

How many times at the beginning of a new month have you said to yourself one (or more) of the following sentences:

"I'm going to lose those last 10 pounds this month."

"I'm going to exercise every single day, no matter what."

" I'm giving up chocolate - no more desserts for me!"

So you start off that new diet or exercise program at full-speed, sticking to it for a few days or even a few weeks. Then slowly you "fall off the wagon" and before you know it, you've eaten a gooey chocolate brownie, then you feel like a failure, and the promises you made seem like distant memories.

Then somehow weeks, months or maybe even years later we make those SAME pledges, go all-out, then quickly burn out and fail yet again. We say to ourselves, "why can't I do this and why am I such a failure?"

First of all, you're not a failure. The problem isn't with YOU, it's with your EXPECTATIONS.

Here are some of the key guidelines to follow when setting a goal to lose weight or get fit:

1) Keep it REALISTIC. Research shows that unrealistic expectations increase the risk of dropping out of a weight loss program. You need to set sensible goals and expectations. You can't expect to lose 20 pounds in a month nor exercise every single day. Sit down and really think about what you can accomplish. By setting sensible, realistic goals chances are you're more likely to meet them and have a better chance of keeping the weight off or starting that exercise routine.

2) Don't be a PERFECTIONIST. Many dieters follow the "Perfect Syndrome" and use words like "never", "always", "must", and "every" that leave no room for error and ultimately you meet with disaster. Despite what you may think, nobody is perfect and by insisting on perfection you're just setting yourself up to fail. By vowing that you'll never eat a brownie again, you're just being unrealistic and forgetting that you're human. Besides, what kind of life is that!

3) Take it SLOW. Don't try to take off 20 pounds in one month. We're in such a rush to "take it all off" right away that we try to do too much too soon. Losing 1 to 2 pounds a week is the most healthy and you're more likely to keep it off that way.

There's an old saying that says "Lose it slowly, keep it off". This makes sense for at least one reason: Losing weight slowly means you've had time to adopt new behaviors, like eating less and exercising more.

4) Think about LONG-TERM goals. It's okay to think big, you just need to start small working towards the big goal. So if your long term goal is to lose 30 pounds by this time next year, your short term goal would be to get through today without eating too much.

5) Focus on your HABITS. When you focus on the process of changing your habits --- not just on losing weight -- you're more likely to see big changes. New and healthier habits will be a big boost in helping you reach your weight loss goals.

So make a long-term goal to shed those winter pounds, but break it down into smaller, realistic pieces (like losing one pound a week). And please don't think you need to be a perfectionist. Eating a chocolate brownie time to time is not going to make you gain weight. But unrealistic expectations can!