Finding a weight-loss routine that works for you is hard enough, but the significantly more challenging part is identifying goals and following through on them. Many people start their weight-loss journey, only to give up before they begin; this failure mostly comes from not establishing solid, realistic goals. Be aware of the ways to set and achieve weight-loss goals to increase your chances of long-term success.

Know the healthy weight you want to end at

Starting your weight-loss journey means knowing where you want to end. Having these long-term goals will keep you focused on your day-to-day progress and enable you to evaluate your short-term progress.

This longer, overarching target informs all the weight-loss and exercising decisions you make and serves as a definitive endpoint. Without this end goal, your efforts can become unfocused, risking motivation loss before you finish.

Set smaller, more attainable goals

While it’s essential to have long-term goals, it’s just as important to have immediate targets you want to achieve. These can range from daily exercising goals and calorie limits to weekly weight-loss progress.

These shorter targets provide immediate progress reports, showing you your improvements weekly and highlighting the results of your hard work. Not setting these short-term goals can mean you don’t see your progress from week to week, killing your motivation.

Don’t exhaust yourself

Once you know where you want to end up with your weight loss and the results you want to see from week to week, you need to know how to incorporate exercise. The most common cause of people giving up on exercising and their weight-loss routine is subjecting their bodies to too much stress.

One of the best ways to set and achieve your weight-loss goals is by starting your exercise routine slowly, working your body up to more strenuous workouts. Don’t tire yourself out and make sure to give yourself rest days; constant work only demotivates you and derails your routine.

Know what motivates you

To get yourself started with your new workout and dieting routine, you must know how to motivate yourself right from the start. Without the right motivation, you won’t see a reason to limit your lifestyle and subject yourself to physical exertion. Don’t underestimate the power of the right motivation; it can mean the difference between reaching your goals and giving up before you truly start.