Set Achievable Goals

Current Weight: 235 lbs.
Change 2: Set achievable long- and short-term goals.

Set long- and short-term goals that you can reach. My current goal of 50 pounds until the end of the year means that in the next 31 weeks I want to lose an average of 1.6 pounds. Some weeks the weight loss will be greater, other weeks I may have no loss, but 1.6 pounds per week should be an attainable average. My short-term goal is 10 pounds in the first month, which is an average of 2.5 pounds per week. It's a higher average than the long-term goal, but it is typically easier to lose the first few pounds.

When you have a target, even if you fall short of that target, at least you progress. If you don’t set a target, you have nothing to aim for and are guaranteed failure. Decide what you want to achieve as an end result. Write it down to clarify and specify your goal, and then create short term goals that will bring you toward that end result.

When you set outrageous goals, you get easily discouraged and give up. A healthy, achievable change in weight is 2-3 pounds a week through rigorous exercise and good diet. I'm trying to take this slowly and make only little changes to my lifestyle so it will be easier to maintain those changes and keep the weight off.