Why Wait, Start Now Podcast
Episode 15: How to create a SMARTE weight loss goal that lasts
I've worked as a weight loss coach for the past 13 years, and I've helped a lot of people lose a lot of weight. And here's what I know: The people who are most successful at weight loss always have one really important thing in common. They have an exciting goal, an important goal, and they want it badly.
In today's episode, I'm going to share with you the way to create your goal so that you too can make your goal so exciting and important that quitting is simply not an option. That's coming up for you today on the Why Weight Start Now podcast.
Welcome to the Why Weight podcast. I'm your host, Sheryl Takayama, qualified nutritionist, emotional eater and weight loss coach who walks the talk. I've maintained my 30 kilo weight loss for the past 23 years following a low carb plan, and now I coach other women online so they can do the same.
It's my mission to help women get off this crazy diet wagon and find a way of eating and a way of thinking that works. So you too can lose your weight for life. Join me each week for lots of practical advice, tips and motivation so you can start now.
In this journey, the most important thing is your why. It truly is the absolute foundation of every single weight loss journey. This is why I called my business "Why Weight?" Because it's all about creating your why and then connecting to that why. And this has to be at the foundation of your weight loss. Because when you want your goal, you will do it.
When I have people in my office who are just simply not taking their actions, even though they want to and they're mucking around, they're not seeing results - it's really frustrating. What I do is always come back to the why. We talk about their goal. You know, why is it that they've started out on this path in the first place? What are they hoping to achieve?
I've always found that by continually coming back to the goal, reminding people about the goal and working through that goal - that's the key to resetting things and getting back on track again. So if you're struggling a bit in your weight loss and you really need a reset, that's what today's episode is all about. Coming right back to the beginning where we need to start, which is at your why.
Now, a weight loss goal is different from other goals you might have in life, and I'm sure if you're listening to this, you've probably heard a few different strategies about goal setting in your time, because there's a lot of them out there. But with weight loss, you've always got to remember it's really personal and emotional.
This is not just about knowledge or common sense or doing what seems right because other people are doing it. When it comes to the weight loss goal setting, you're really connecting to something that is so deeply personal. And often it may also come along with a bit of baggage from past attempts, especially if you've lost weight in the past and not been successful or gained it back. So we've got to tie all of these things in when we're looking at creating a new weight loss goal.
The other thing with your goal is that it's not something you can just create and then not think about, because we are making really important decisions every single day when it comes to our weight loss: what we're eating, what we're not going to eat, are we going to exercise? You know, there are multiple decisions that you're making every day. This is why your goal has to be really important.
So what I'm going to do now is talk through the process that I use with clients to help them create their goal. Then we're going to talk about the different phases of goal setting. And then what I'm going to do is talk you through a little visualization technique so that you can make your goal so exciting, that there's just going to be absolutely no way that you are going to quit.
Because at the end of the day, this is the only thing that's going to stop you reaching your goal is if you quit. The people who lose their ten, 20, 30 kilos have got there because they just didn't quit. They had that motivating force that kept them going even in the difficult days and in weight loss. That's exactly what you need.
Two Critical Phases of Goal Setting
Okay, so there are two critical phases of goal setting. The first one is creating your goal. That's what today is all about. Getting really crystal clear on exactly what you want and then making it exciting so you go out and get it.
Now usually that's when goal setting instructions end - just create your goal and go for it. However, there's a really important part of goal setting and goal achieving that's missed out, which is how we connect to our goal, how we bring our goal to life so that it's a part of our day to day life. And that's what I'm going to be talking about next week.
I've found that that is the absolute key to being able to stay connected to your goal daily as we're making decisions about food and exercise so that it's top of mind and we keep focusing our actions in the right direction, but that's what we're going to talk about next week. Today is all about getting that really exciting goal created in the first place.
SMARTE Goals for Weight Loss
Now, if you're familiar with goal setting, you will know all about the SMART outline of how to create goals. So that's the acronym:
* S stands for Specific
* M stands for Measurable
* A stands for Achievable
* R stands for Realistic
* T stands for Timely
Well, I'm going to add another letter on the end. And this is how I want you to create your weight loss goal. So let's just go through it.
Specific
Let's be really specific about exactly how much you want to lose. So don't just say "I want to lose weight" or "I'd like to lose a bit of weight before I go on that holiday." No, we want to be really specific with exactly how much weight you want to lose.
"I want to lose ten kilos." Or if you're not a numbers person, you might make it a better piece of clothing: "I want to fit into that pair of jeans that are sitting in the wardrobe." Whatever your goal is, you need to make it specific so then you know exactly when you have achieved it.
Measurable
You want some metrics in place so you can track your progress and see how far you are along towards achieving your goal. Whether that's daily weigh-ins, whether you're taking measurements around certain parts of your body, photos, trying on those pants each week - whatever it is, you want to create milestone markers along the way so that you know that you are getting closer to what you're trying to achieve.
Achievable
We need to make sure that your goal is doable. Otherwise, you're just not going to be able to connect to it. You have to have the belief that what you are striving for is within your ability to achieve; otherwise, that whole connection part is just not going to work, and you're probably going to set yourself up for a whole lot of frustration when you're not achieving the milestones that you want to.
Realistic
It's all very well saying you want to lose 30 kilos, but what if you're going through a really stressful phase at work, or you've got a holiday coming up or some other commitment that's going to make that goal a bit more difficult? It's far better to create a goal that is really achievable and realistic based on your situation right now.
Give yourself a small win. Even if it's a mini goal, you might just say, "Okay, I'm going to lose five kilos in the next two months." Make it something that you can actually achieve, because then you're going to give yourself a huge confidence boost to go out there and do it again.
Timely
So you want to have a deadline. And in weight loss, this is very helpful because it's easy to put it off. So when we have a deadline of exactly when we want to achieve the goal by, it creates that urgency. And it's that urgency that gets us stepping up to making some changes, to taking actions that are a little bit uncomfortable because we have a deadline looming and we really want to achieve the goal by that time.
Exciting
All of these things are really important for a weight loss goal, but there's something else that I want you to tag on the end. So we've got our SMART - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. And I want you to add an E on the end. Okay, a SMARTE goal - You need it to be Exciting.
Now this is the part that is the most important of all. Your goal has to really light you up. When you're thinking about this goal, you need it to feel like a fire within you. Something you really want. Something that's going to make you feel energized, not anxious or worried.
And I think this is the part that people miss. They'll say to me, "I want to lose ten kilos," but there's just no excitement there. And I'll say, "Well, why do you want to lose ten kilos? What is losing this ten kilos actually going to mean for your life? What are the clothes that you're going to be able to wear? How are you going to feel when you show up at that party? How are you going to feel when you get off the plane at that family reunion, and you're feeling so proud of yourself?"
You need to connect your goal with an actual outcome that really means something to you. Because if it's just not exciting, you're not going to stick at it when the times get tough. Or maybe at 5:00 when someone's offering you a glass of wine - you've really got to want your goal.
Bonfire vs. Birthday Candle Goals
What I say is, you want it to be like a bonfire. Something that's burning within you, a really strong desire that lights you up so that it's not going to get extinguished the first time a temptation comes along.
In contrast to this, we've got the little birthday candle goals. So that's a goal that's, you know, it's flickering like a little candle. Yeah, you want it. But the fire isn't that strong. You're not that connected to it. And the minute someone comes along and maybe offers you something else, your candle gets blown out.
So we really want your goal to be so exciting that it is like that bonfire that's burning bright, that's strong, so that it's going to withstand the many temptations that can come your way, especially when you are tired. The more exciting you can make the goal, the better.
Your Goal vs. Food: The Boxing Match
At the heart of it all is this reality: Your goal needs to be more important than the food. Now, I'm not talking about the food on your food plan - the proper food that you know you need to be eating to achieve your goal. I'm talking about all those other little bits of food that come in, or maybe alcohol, all of those tempting things that can pop into our day many, many times that are not going to help us make progress.
I always tell my clients, it's a bit like a boxing match. If you've got your goal in one corner and on the other side is the food, you need it to be a fair match if your goal is going to have a chance of winning. This is why you need to have a way of eating that's really delicious.
Just imagine you're at work and your boss shouts "chocolate cake" and you would really love a little piece of that cake. Instead, you've brought with you some hummus and carrot sticks. Okay, so everyone else is standing there eating cake and you're standing there eating hummus and carrot sticks.
Now, I like hummus and carrot sticks. There's nothing wrong with that. But if I'm in a boxing ring and there's cake in one corner and hummus and carrot sticks in the other, I don't think the hummus and carrot sticks are going to win for most people.
So what we need to make sure is that you've got something really yummy in your corner. You might have a protein bar. You might have made some yummy keto cookies or something that's really nice. Now, if you've got a chocolate-covered protein bar that you're about to eat and then everyone else is eating cake, you don't feel like you're missing out.
So your food plan has to be delicious so that your goal and your way of eating has a chance in the boxing ring against those other things that you really don't want to be eating. And when you can start getting an even playing field like that, your goal has a chance.
Visualization Technique: New Year's Eve
Now, let me take you through a little visualization right now that could help if you're struggling to just connect to a goal that's going to resonate with you, or you just can't think ahead to exactly where you want to be.
Imagine New Year's Eve, the New Year's Eve that's coming up because for most people, that is a bit of a milestone. It's a time where hopefully we're celebrating and looking back on the past.
I want you to think about the New Year's Eve that's just been. How did you feel? Where were you? What were you wearing? How were you feeling about all the elements of your health at that time?
Now, I want you to think ahead to New Year's Eve this year and put yourself through the scenario again. Where are you going to be on New Year's Eve? How are you going to be feeling? What are you going to be wearing? How do you want to be showing up so that you are looking forward to the year ahead with some fresh energy and motivation?
And most importantly, when you're standing there at New Year's Eve and you're looking back on the you right now, who's listening to this - what do you want that version of you to be saying to you? Do we want that person to be saying, "Go, you! You did it. I'm here." Or do we want that person to be saying, "Oh, well, we tried. Maybe next year."
Look, I know what outcome you want because you're here for a reason to learn and to move forward and to make some changes. So think ahead to either New Year's Eve or some important event that's coming up, and really think about how you want to feel.
We want to work back from there and make that vision really exciting, so that you are way more inspired to keep showing up today and every day moving forward, because you are walking towards that vision of you, that person you really want to be.
And it's not just about the physical side of this journey, it's about the mental side. When we create a goal and then we go out there and keep taking action towards it, it feels really damn good. It feels hopeful, even though we might not be anywhere near where we want to be. We are on the right path. We are walking in the steps of the person who is getting closer, and that always feels so much better than standing doing nothing.
This is so important because your health depends on it. Not just your physical health, but your mental health as well. This goal is everything, and this is why weight loss is such an important goal in so many ways. Because when you feel really good about where you're at with your weight, it affects all areas of your life, your relationships, your relationships with your kids, your job - because you are just so much happier and you have more energy.
That's why I really want you to take the time to get this goal exciting and clear. So you start taking action today.
Remember Your SMARTE Goal Framework
Now remember the SMARTE framework:
* Specific
* Measurable
* Achievable
* Realistic
* Timely
* Exciting
Because the more exciting it is like that bonfire burning, the more likely you are to be able to achieve it. And it doesn't have to be about a number on the scales. You can make it whatever works for you. There's no rules in this game. All that matters is it's exciting so you go and get it.
So this is the first phase of goal setting. And next week I am going to be talking to you about how we can connect to our goal so that this goal becomes part of your everyday life. And this is the phase of goal setting that really brings it to life. Because when it's part of our everyday life, we simply can't escape it. It's so ingrained in what we're doing that we just can't quit because it's everywhere. That's what I'm looking forward to sharing with you next week.
And in the meantime, your key action to get started today - in case you hadn't guessed - is that you are going to sit down and write your goal. Get that bonfire going and watch what a difference it's going to make to your motivation muscle.
See you next week!
Thanks so much for listening. And if you want support on your weight loss journey, I would love to help. You'll see the links in the show notes for my socials, as well as my fab freebie, a five day low carb meal plan, and five delicious dinner recipes. You'll also see the link for my four week Foundations of Fat Loss program. This is the program I've designed specifically for the fat burning needs of women over 35.
Remember, the only thing that's going to stop you reaching your goal is if you quit. Never, ever give up.
