When it comes to weight loss, most people think that the goal is to completely overhaul their lifestyle and diet in order to see results. But this can be too unspecific and cause people to fail early on. If you follow a few simple steps to set goals, you can much more easily make a plan to achieve them. Here's how you can do that, and measure your progress along the way!

When thinking about what your goals are for weight loss, it's important to apply similar concepts to the ones you might have at work. In your job, your manager might sit down with you to discuss your goals, which might either be specific pieces of work you need to do, or how you will continue progressing your career in the direction you want. The important word here is 'specific'. Every employer is extremely clear on what work they expect you to do for them. So why should it be any different when you want to lose weight?

Setting specific goals for weight loss is the first step towards actually succeeding. And if you add to these goals with ideas of how you are going to achieve them, you are setting yourself up for success. Also having a plan for how you will monitor your progress along the way – like using this device – means you know exactly what you will be doing on your weight loss journey.

Here's what you need to do to make this all happen.

How To Set Your Goals
First, sit down and think about what you want to achieve. Losing weight is a great goal, but it's not specific enough. You need to be clear on how much weight you want to lose, and by when. A good way of doing this is setting yourself a weekly or monthly target. For example, 'I will lose four pounds in the next month' or 'I will lose one pound every week for the next three months'.

Although many people choose to have a goal that is losing a specific amount of weight, your goals could also be something else. For example, there might be a certain dress size you want to be, or you might have a particular item of clothing that you want to be able to wear for a special occasion. All of these are valid weight loss goals too. Some people find it easier to visualize their goal if they choose to do something like this.

Once you have your goals, write them down. This makes it official, and means you are more likely to stick to it. Then share your goals with somebody who will support and encourage you – like a friend or family member. They can help to hold you accountable, and be there for you when you need some extra motivation.

How to Achieve Your Goals
The next step is to make a plan of how you are going to achieve your goals. This means looking at your current lifestyle and diet, and making changes so that you can start losing weight. It's a good idea to talk to a doctor or dietitian to get their professional opinion on what changes you should make. They will be able to create a plan that is tailored specifically for you, and give you advice on how to make sustainable changes that will help you lose weight in the long term.

One of the most important things to do when trying to lose weight is to be mindful of what you are eating. This means being aware of how many calories you are consuming, and making sure that the foods you are eating are nutritious and will help your body to function at its best. There are lots of great apps and websites that can help you to track what you are eating, so make use of them!

When it comes to exercise, it is important to find something that you enjoy and that you can stick to in the long term. If you hate running, there is no point forcing yourself to do it every day – you are just setting yourself up for failure. Find an activity that you enjoy, and make sure to do it regularly. It doesn't have to be something that is super intense – even a brisk walk every day will make a difference.

Monitoring Your Progress
The final step in this process is to monitor your progress. This means weighing yourself regularly, and keeping track of how much weight you are losing. It can be helpful to take measurements too, as sometimes the scale doesn't give an accurate picture of what is happening with your body. Decide how often you want to weigh and measure yourself – some people find that doing it daily helps keep them motivated, while others can feel despondent if they don't see results every single day. So do what is helpful for you. You might also want to take photos – this can be a really motivating way of seeing your progress over time.

In addition, you may find that using apps or items of technology can help you track and monitor your progress. Being able to see stats such as how many steps you have taken in a day can be motivating. And you'll get to know how many steps you need to take, along with your healthy eating plan, in order to see the weight loss progress you are looking for.