Healthy Attitude Ezine | Issue #011 | Focus Helps

How Focus Helps You Achieve Your
Weight Loss Goals

How do you focus?

I don't mean can you focus on a task for a long time. The kind of focus I'm talking about is long-term focus. Are you able to focus on your goals - specifically your weight loss goals?

-Here's the problem.

It's pretty easy to eat a healthy meal. It may even be pretty easy to workout. However, if these singular weight loss tactics aren't supporting a goal, then it's really easy to lose your motivation.

Eventually, you may find yourself skipping workouts and eating more than you intended to. You may even find you've completely forgotten about any weight loss plans altogether.

So, How Do You Stay Focused On Weight Loss Goals?

There are a few key steps to find and maintain that focus.

#1. -The first step is to have a goal. You do have a weight loss goal, right? Or a goal weight you'd really like to reach?

#2. -The second step is to break that goal down into manageable mini-goals. For example, if your goal is to lose 40 pounds that may initially feel like a great goal.

However, in the day-to-day scheme of things it might actually be quite overwhelming. If you break that 40-pound goal down into, say 1 pound a week, you know that within ten months you will have achieved success.

-And a pound a week is a very manageable and reachable goal.

#3. -The third step is to know how to achieve your goals – create a plan. For example, if you now know that you need to lose a pound a week, which means reducing your daily calorie intake by 500 calories (500 calories times 7 days equals 3500 calories, which equals 1 pound.)

Or you could increase your activity to burn an extra 500 calories each day. How you choose to achieve your goal is up to you. The point is that you must have a plan in order to succeed.

-A plan will help you stay focused.

#4. -The fourth step to maintain focus is to track your results. (see issue #007) If you don’t track your steps and your achievements how will you know if you’re on track to achieve your goals?

Additionally, tracking your goals helps you to stay motivated and focused. When you can look at your information and see that you’ve lost a pound a week consistently (and maybe more than a pound a few of those weeks!) then you’re extremely motivated to keep going.

You can use any number of tools to track your success:

Journal
Spreadsheet
Online programs
Mobile device application
Membership site, social networking, blog

#5. -The fifth and final step is to reward yourself for your success. Don’t wait for the big day when you’ve reached your goal weight to celebrate.

Celebrate the smaller successes too! Share online with your friends, family and network. Treat yourself to a fun night out with friends. Buy new clothing – whatever makes you feel good. (No, not a chocolate cake!)

Focus is about keeping your eyes on the prize! (your goal) These five powerful steps can help you to maintain focus and achieve success.

It's easy when you're in focus!

To Your Best Health Ever, and keep that Healthy Attitude!

-Next Issue:
Simple Tips to Combat Cravings

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