Setting realistic goals for weight loss.

The most popular goals are to lose weight and tone up, butwhat does that mean? your goals must be defined, quantitative & achievable.

for example: "I want to lose 8 pounds in one month." Goals like this give a specific purpose and a time frame in which to achieve them. Without a specific goal you'll lose focus and quit before you can get any results.

Resolve to lose weight slowly:

"Medically, most clinicians would say goals of losing five to 10 percent [of your start weight] are achievable," says Jennifer A. Linde, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
So if you weigh 200 pounds, a reachable target would be to lose 10 to 20 pounds.

Do the math:
"A realistic goal is losing 1 to 2 pounds a week to stay healthy," says Linde.
That means being realistic about your time frame. If you need to lose 25 pounds, figure you are embarking on at least a three-month program. Fifty pounds? Assume a time frame of at least six months. Aim to burn 500 to 1000 calories a day either by eating less, exercising more, or both.

Set short term goals:
Reach for minimilestones. Instead of focusing on just losing 25 pounds, go for -- and celebrate -- that first 5-pound loss.

Track your progress:
Record your successes in a way that works for you. Take advantage of online programs, use a notebook, or keep a journal. Whatever keeps you on track.

Think about long-term goals:
"It's OK to think big, Linde says, "but it may mean starting small and working towards a big goal."
So if your long-term goal is losing 50 pounds in a year, for example, maybe your short-term goal is getting through the day without eating too much.

There's an old saying: Lose it slowly, keep it off. This adage makes sense for at least one reason: Losing weight slowly means you've had time to adopt new behaviors, like eating less and exercising more.

And when you focus on the process of changing your habits --- not just on losing weight -- those new and healthier habits will be a big boost in helping you attain your weight loss goals.