When you spend a lot of time focusing on the celebrities and models who grace our TV screens and magazine covers, it can become a bit difficult to keep your mind rational when you are trying to set your weight loss goals. There are countless different dietary methods and exercise programs advertised as being responsible for what one celebrity or another does, but the reality is that many of those celebrities are genetically inclined to have the body that they have, and even if you ate exactly what they ate and worked out exactly how they worked out, you would still look different from them.

Recognizing the impact that genetics and environment have on your body shape is important when you are starting out on a medical weight loss program. If you are too highly focused on looking a way that is unrealistic, then you are more likely to hit a weight loss plateau—a wall that is difficult to overcome when you are trying to lose weight.

Here are some things to think about as you are setting a weight loss goal:

• Think about the best you have felt in recent memory, and work towards that. Don’t think back to high school or those early college years, but instead think about the best that you have felt in recent memory. Try to achieve what you already know is realistic for you to start, and then you can re-set your goals from there.
• Consider what you already know you enjoy, and incorporate those ideas. Don’t attempt to re-create the wheel. Simply start with what you know works for you and then work from there. If you know you hate going to the gym, but love walking in your neighborhood, then go with what you know.
• Be open to goals that are more realistic and supportive of your body type. Not everyone will reach a size zero, regardless of how hard they try. Be open to the ideal weight for your body. For some, this means getting into pants just a few sizes smaller—a realistic goal that is totally achievable.

There are plenty of benefits of finding a weight loss goal that is right for you. Research has repeatedly found that when you find an ideal body weight for your body, you are likely to experience incredible health benefits, from improved mental and cardiovascular health, to an improved immune system. For help setting and reaching your weight loss goal, talk to your weight loss doctor.