The most important part of any successful weight loss program is the goal that you set at the very beginning. Those early days of your weight loss program are often the most motivated. Learning how to make strong goals at this stage of the game can help you make the most out of your entire weight loss experience.

However, just as important as setting those positive goals is putting strategies in place that will help you keep those goals fresh in your mind and provide you with motivation to continue working towards your goals, even when times get hard.

Setting Strong Goals

Strong goals are SMART goals. Smart goals are:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Time-Oriented

When you make a vague goal, like “I want to be healthier” or “I would like to lose weight,” you aren’t providing yourself with enough guidance to keep your motivation level up. Instead, you need to consider the specific steps that you will need to take to reach your goal, when you will be focusing on taking those steps, and whether or not those steps are even something that you are capable or willing to do.

The Problem with Weak Goals

Too many people set off on their weight loss journey with goals that are far too lofty to be successful. The best goals are reasonable, but strong enough to really push you towards making positive changes in your life.

To make a strong weight loss goal, one strategy that you can try is to live in the future for a moment. This is a healthy way to really motivate yourself to reach your ultimate goal. To do this, take a few minutes and visualize yourself successfully living your goal. Think of how you feel and what is different in your life now that you’ve reached your ultimate weight loss goal. Try making it as real as possible by picking an actual date, then ask yourself “how did I get here?” Doing short visualizations like this every day can help you stay focused and on track during your weight loss program.

For more support in crafting strong goals and in finding the motivation to keep up with your goals, try finding a weight loss surgery support group.