Episode 183: Setting SMART Goals for Lasting Weight Loss Success

[00:00:00] Welcome back to the Back on Track Achieving Healthy Weight Loss, where I help you get on track and stay on track with your weight loss journey. I'm your host, Dr. Alicia Shelly. So let's get started.

[00:00:27] Welcome to the Back on Track Achieving Healthy Weight Loss podcast. I'm your host, Dr. Alicia Shelly. Are you tired of setting weight loss goals that never seem to work? Today, we're breaking down how you can set goals that actually stick and bring results without adding too much extra stress. I know personally every year I have different goals that I'm trying to do, but I find when I call it New Year's resolution and stuff like that, it just makes it so hard for me to be consistent.

[00:00:57] So today we're going to talk about how we can make these goals that we can actually do for the entire year. Now, when we look about why goals fail, usually it's for a couple of reasons. Number one, goals are too vague. They have unrealistic expectations, a lack of a clear plan or a tracking system. Like we just said, hey, I'm just going to go walking, but we don't really say how we're going to do it, schedule or anything like that, which makes it a lot harder to actually continue to do.

[00:01:26] Also, sometimes we just get discouraged by the slow, slow progress. And I know I'm not alone when that happens, but guess what? Here's some good news for you. You don't have to fall into these traps. So we're going to talk about a proven way to set goals that keep you moving forward. Now, I'm sure you've either heard of this acronym at work or at home or at church, whatever, but it's the SMART goals.

[00:01:53] Now, you may be like, what does SMART stand for again? Well, let's break it down. The S stands for specific. So you want to define exactly what you want to achieve. If you're like, hey, I just want to lose weight or just want to get healthier. It's not very specific. It doesn't tell us which areas that you want to get healthier in. So think of it like this. If you want to lose 10 pounds or if you want to exercise more, then you want to make sure it's more specific.

[00:02:22] So a good example is lose 10 pounds in three months. That's more specific. And you know, once you get to the end of the three months, if you lost the 10 pounds or not. So it helps with kind of defining those goals. Next, you want the goal to be measurable. You want to be able to track your progress with metrics like either the scale measurements, your energy level. Or like if your goal is to, I want to exercise three days a week, you can check off. Did I actually do three days a week?

[00:02:49] So you want to be able to find a way to track your progress. The A stands for achievable. So you want to make sure your goals are realistic given your lifestyle. So for example, I always give this example. If you want to run a 5K or if you want to start running, it's better for you to, instead of saying, I'm going to run a marathon, you say, hey, I'm going to start off with running a 5K, especially if you haven't been doing it. So you want to make sure it's realistic. You want to make sure it's something you can do in your current schedule.

[00:03:19] You know, I hear a lot of people are like, oh, I'm going to go and I'm going to work out seven days a week. But you work in 12 hour days, you know, you're doing your best to go to work, come home. So you may want to find goals that are achievable and realistic given your lifestyle and schedule. The other thing is make it relevant. Connect the goal to something that is meaningful to you. For example, if you want to get healthier, you may say, hey, in order to get healthier, that means to me is that I want my blood pressure levels to be.

[00:03:49] I want to be normal or I want to get off some of these medications. These are goals that mean something to you and it makes you want to actually do the goal that you're trying to do. Sometimes if, for example, we just say, hey, I just want to get healthier and we don't have anything specific. We can't measure it and it's not relevant to us. Then when things get tough or project happens or time's not available, we won't do it. So it's better to have something that's relevant to you, something that's meaningful that you can actually connect the goal to.

[00:04:18] So you stay motivated after time goes by. Also, it's important to have that time bound. I don't know about you, but I'm a huge procrastinator. And so if I need to have a time on when I'm going to do something, it just helps me to stay urgent and actually just stay engaged. So it's important that you kind of put some time parameters or deadline to it. A good example of this is lose 10 pounds in three months. That timeline is at three months. So make sure that you're kind of doing the things to help you lose that 10 pounds.

[00:04:47] Now, let's just recap the SMART goals again. So S means for specific. M means for measurable. A is for achievable. R is for relevant. And T is for time bound. Now, I mentioned tracking and measuring, but sometimes it can be stressful. And I've had patients who've told me, they're like, listen, I'm tracking my food, but it is so stressful. I feel like this is the only thing I'm doing. It just brings my stress level up. So let's talk about how we can track without being obsessed about it.

[00:05:16] Now, tracking is important because it does help you to stay accountable. You know, when you're writing down your foods or keeping a track of it, it allows you to be mindful of what you're eating. You're not kind of grazing and things of that nature. Also, it helps you to be able to have data of what you've done. So you can look back and say, hey, for this week, I've done pretty well. I've been getting my water in. I've been eating more healthier. I have foods. I've been exercising. So it kind of helps you to realize what you've done and be able to track your progress over the week.

[00:05:46] Now, when I think of tracking, I love different apps. So I use different weight loss apps and you can figure out which one that works best for you. But the one that we recommend is like the MyFitnessPal or MyNet Diary. The reason being is that they do have a free component to them. And so they can help you with kind of tracking your foods. I like the fact where you could take a picture of the food. Because sometimes it's not always as accurate or perfect because you may not have the barcode for what you're eating.

[00:06:15] So you're trying to make the best. And that's fine. You know, sometimes it didn't have to be perfect, but at least you're tracking which is good. Some other ways that I track instead of doing like weighing myself every day, which can change. You're not the same weight every day just due to water fluctuations. Let's say if you ate something more salty the night before, you're going to retain more fluid, which makes your weight go up. Or if you are dehydrated and didn't drink enough water the next day, it may go down. So there are some water changes that you need to be aware of.

[00:06:44] But I usually like to weigh myself first day of the week without any clothes on and first time in the morning just because, you know, you're not going to see as many fluctuations. And I try to do that every first day of the week, every week, just so that I can see if the weight is going up or down. And you can kind of see that trend and manage the trend versus being discouraged if you're up a pound and then being overly excited if you're down two pounds the next day and then up a pound again.

[00:07:12] Like it can get kind of emotionally draining. Also, I think it's important to like take your body measurements, too, because sometimes you may not see the scale change, but you'll notice that, oh, my shirts feel different. Oh, my pants feel a little looser. And that's a good indicator that you are losing weight. It may just be that you're building more muscle, but you've lost a little bit of fat and that's why your measurements have changed. Also, I do believe it's important to take photos of yourself, especially before and after. That's the one thing I didn't have.

[00:07:40] I think because I was so embarrassed, I didn't like taking photos when I was at my highest. And so I only have like one or two photos of a full length photo of myself. But I think it's important to kind of see the change over time because you're with your body the entire time and you don't see, oh, my neck looks smaller. My face is thinner. Oh, my legs aren't as big. But you see those progress in photos. So it's important to kind of take some progress photos along the way.

[00:08:04] Also, I sometimes like to journal, you know, how I'm feeling, my mood, my sleep quality, just to kind of help me stay consistent. And the last thing is you got to watch your mindset. Remember that this is about progress more than numbers on the scale. And you don't need to be perfect. I know we all strive to be perfect. I'm a type A personality myself. And I always have to bring myself back a couple notches and be like, listen, it's progress, not perfection. Just keep moving forward.

[00:08:31] And then also focus on those non-scale victories, you know, clothes fitting better. I have a lot more energy. I feel or have more stamina. I'm able to do things, you know, without feeling so tired. So mindset shift is important. And avoid your obsession. Avoid stressing about things. Set a schedule for when you check in, whether it's weekly, biweekly or monthly, whatever works for you. And limit your social media comparisons. A lot of times I have people that come in and they've been doing well with losing weight,

[00:09:00] but they're like, well, I didn't lose enough weight. And I'm like, well, what's enough? We're taking it one day at a time, one step at a time. You're losing weight for your body, not for Trisha down the street or Melanie on Instagram. You can't compare yourself to the people on social media. You have to compare yourself to who you are or don't compare yourself at all and just keep moving forward. Like I'm always excited for people who lose weight, but if they lose weight faster than me, I'm not going to be upset.

[00:09:28] But I just know that my body, the way it is, it's going to be slower than maybe somebody else's. Like, especially if you're 25. Oh my goodness. If you're 20 something, you're losing weight like this. I can't keep up, but I don't have that expectation. So avoid those expectations and avoid comparing yourself. Like, oh, my friends are doing the same thing. If she lost more weight than me. Well, great for her. Your body is different.

[00:09:52] We may need to look at what you're doing and see if we can make some tweaks, but you're not going to lose the same amount of weight as your friend or how quickly as much as they are too. So limit those comparisons. The last thing is definitely make sure you celebrate your achievements, whether it's small or big. Some people don't want to celebrate until they get to their goal. But after that, sometimes getting there can be a little discouraging and you get less motivated. So celebrate the small ones. Make this enjoyable. And then also maintain positivity.

[00:10:21] Watch the thoughts. I find sometimes I can say the worst things to myself. These things I would never say to anybody else, but I say to me. And so it's important that you make sure you stay positive. And some practical tips to stay motivated, as I would say, is break your goals into smaller milestones. Like I mentioned, maybe instead of one to two pounds a week, or instead of saying I'm going to lose 20 pounds in a month, like breaking it into smaller milestones and reward yourself when you hit them.

[00:10:51] Or like, hey, I'm going to run my first 5K. Well, you break it down. Hey, I got to walk and run so many days a week so that I can make that 5K. And when you do it, celebrate. Have different rewards for yourself. Also, make sure you have some visual reminders, like a vision board or a goal chart. Sometimes I just put like little stickies on the mirror just to remind myself of my goals so that I can stay engaged and motivated.

[00:11:16] Also, it's important to find that accountability partner or join a community where you feel uplifted and that you feel people are encouraging. And then most importantly, be kind to yourself. Progress is not linear. You're not going to lose weight every single week. It's just not the way the body works. You'll lose a couple pounds one week, may gain a pound a couple pounds the next week. But as long as you're seeing that consistency, that's good. And so in closing, remember, it's important to make sure that you have realistic goals.

[00:11:43] So use that SMART goals mnemonic. So make sure the S stands for specific, M stands for measurable, A for achievable, R for relevant and T for time bound. Also, try to find ways to track your progress without being stressed or obsessed about it. Finding ways where you can weigh in, making sure it's on your schedule. Focusing on your mindset, which is most importantly. And don't forget to celebrate your small wins. And I love to hear what your SMART goals or what your goals are coming up for this year.

[00:12:13] Feel free to tag me on social media or via our email at support at DrShelliemdeep. And also, I would love for you to share this episode with a friend who needs to hear it. I thank you again for joining us on the Back on Track Achieving Healthy Weight Loss podcast. And don't forget to leave us a five star review. And remember, every step forward is a step closer to your goals and know that you got this. And we'll see you next time. Bye.