The idea of losing weight can feel intimidating and even discouraging, especially if you’ve tried to do so unsuccessfully before. But getting started will be much less stressful when you manage your expectations and make simple changes, rather than diving into crash diets or punishing workouts.
Becky Kerkenbush, MS, RD, a registered dietitian in Watertown, WI, suggests setting a realistic weight-loss goal of one-half to two pounds per week, and adding a separate goal to the mix to help keep your spirits up when the scale doesn’t reflect the work you’ve put in. “Examples include working to run a mile without stopping or becoming more flexible by starting yoga,” Becky told POPSUGAR.
Eric Bowling, an NASM-certified personal trainer at Ultimate Performance in Los Angeles, added that you should also pinpoint your why for any goals you set. “Mindset is everything, and understanding why you want to make any change in the first place is key,” Eric said.
“If you just want to lose 10 pounds because you dislike the number you see on the scale, you probably won’t stick to your plan for long,” he explained. “If you dig deeper and find that losing 10 pounds will make you more confident, a better spouse, more energetic, or able to do athletic events again, you will start to grow the driving factor behind what makes you take action.” Once you know what you’re working toward, these simple steps can help put you on the path to get there.