Your Weight Loss Goal

Stop using a number as your weight loss goal! That’s right, no "goal" weight. The truth is we are unique and changing. The weight that worked 10 years ago may not be what is best for us now. Why do we want to lose weight? To look good and feel good. Looking good and feeling good can’t be quantified. We don’t really know that we will look/feel good at 1XX lbs.

The one thing you will notice after starting a fitness program is more energy and that your clothes are fitting better. Once again these can’t be quantified, but you know it when you see it and it feels great. This creates motivation to continue progressing and significantly decreases the chance of failure.

So without a goal, what do I work for? Consistency and discipline. Working out 5-6 days per week, increasing your physical activity while working, and improving your diet in a sustainable and sensible manner. If you do your part and let them chips fall where they may, you will be happy with the results. Why shouldn’t you, you earned them.

Our weight is a function of three things, deliberate physical activity (i.e. sports, workout), incidental physical activity (what we do during the day such as taking the elevator vs. taking the stairs), and diet (the most difficult of the three). A failure to meet weight loss goals is most likely a failure of one of these three components.

Going into great depth on any of the three components is for another day, but a good place to start would be with an increase in deliberate physical activity and incidental physical activity in addition to an adjustment of diet (sometimes what you don’t eat is just as important as what you do). Remember your goal should be long-term sustainable weight loss and health. This will take time but last a lifetime and your chances of success are much greater. Ease into it. Good luck.

Josh Cormier is a Certified Personal Trainer and owner of North Atlantic Personal Training. visit www.NorthAtlanticPT.com for more information or if you have any questions.