Not being specific allows them to not have to be accountable for the results.  I am not saying that they are not serious about their feelings, it is just that stating things in this way gives their subconscious a way out.  It also does not give their mind something solid to work on.  How do you know when you have lost enough weight?  How do you know when too fat becomes fat enough? 

You have to be very precise when setting your goals.  If you do that it is much easier to stay on track and your subconscious can help you stay on course.  There are many ways to do this but one guideline that I like for setting goals uses the word SMART.  Of course, each letter stands for something:

S – Specific

Your goal has to be specific.  OK, so losing weight is a specific goal (not very specific, but it is better than “I want to look better”).  That brings us to:

M – Measurable

Your goal has to be measurable.  Now we’re getting somewhere.  I want to lose weight is not really measurable.  How do you know when you have made it?  Technically if you lose one ounce of weight, you have achieved that goal.  I want to lose 15 pounds is specific and measurable.

A – Agreed Upon

Your goal has to be agreed upon.  If you set a goal of losing 200 pounds on the surface it looks great.  But if deep down inside your mind is saying “You could never do that” you are defeated from the start.  A better goal might be to lose 15 pounds and then once you have reached that set a goal to lose 30 pounds.  By taking them in small chunks your goals will seem more attainable and you will be able to build on your successes one step at a time.

R – Realistic

Your goal should be realistic.  If you were 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighed 300 pounds a goal to lose 200 pounds would probably not be realistic or achievable for all practical purposes but a goal to lose 100 would be.  This is somewhat related to the agreed upon criteria in that if you want to lose 100 pounds and have been trying for some time the 100 pound goal might not be a realistic one either. 

T – Time-bound

Your goals should be time-bound.  That is, it needs to have a deadline.  Having a goal to lose 15 pounds is a great start, but it doesn’t go far enough.  Having a goal to lose 15 pounds in three months or by December 1st is far better and gives you something to work against and measure your progress.

Be SMART in setting your weight loss goals.  If you give yourself some specific parameters, you will be able to stay on track and know how you are doing.

Why Dietary Fat is Important

Fats are an essential part of a healthy diet and they provide fatty acids which that are necessary for good nutrition.  Certain fatty acids, like essential amino acids, can not be produced by the body and must be obtained through diet.  These essential fatty acids allow the body to properly use certain vitamins and minerals.

Fatty acids are present in various combinations in fats and oils.  Each fat or oil is classified based on the primary fatty acid present in them.

The Four Types of Fat

There are four general groups of fats: monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, trans-fats and saturated fats.  The “good” fats are the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.  Many diet plans focus on the elimination of fats without distinguishing between beneficial fats and harmful ones.

Monounsaturated fats are thought to lower blood cholesterol when compared to saturated fats.  They are generally liquid at room temperature but will start to solidify at refrigerator temperatures.

Polyunsaturated fats also appear to lower cholesterol in comparison to saturated fats.  They are liquid at room temperature and when placed in the refrigerator.

The Fats to Lose and the Fats to Keep

The fats to eliminate from your diet are the saturated fats and the trans-fats.  They tend to raise blood cholesterol and put you at risk for heart disease and other problems.  Saturated fats are generally solid at room temperature.  Trans-fats are man-made and can lead to extra body fat.

Trans-fats have gotten a lot of media coverage recently and many locations have banned their use.  They are often contained in fried fast food and many packaged items.  On packaging look for the terms “partially hydrogenated vegetable oils” or “shortening”.

The key to a proper diet is to pay attention to what you eat.  Read the labels and avoid unhealthy items.  It is recommended that fats provide no more than 30 percent of your calories and saturated fats and trans-fats be less than 10 percent.

There are many reasons for this gain in girth but here are five super-sized ones:

1. The Problem with Eating Out

According to the National Restaurant Association we are spending twice as much eating out as we did 40 years ago.  This in itself wouldn’t be bad except that portions are large and contain loads of hidden fat.  Because of the higher cost of these meals and our parental training to clean our plates, many of us find it difficult not to finish these meals.

2. The Fat Free Food Trap

It may seem counter-intuitive, but fat free food is contributing to the problem and today you can get everything from soup and lunch meat to cookies and ice cream in a fat free or “low fat” variety.  Because it is fat free, we think we can eat more of it.  As a result, we are eating more calories.

The real truth is because we are eating more of the fat free stuff, we are not really cutting down on the fat much.  One study has shown that the actual fat consumption has only dropped about 6 calories per day – the equivalent of a single drop of corn oil.

3. The Problem with Dieting

 It may be hard to believe, but dieting can actually make it harder to lose fat.  Drastically reducing calories causes the body to go into starvation mode and store fat as a survival mechanism.  In addition, special diets don’t teach you the skills necessary to maintain your new, hard fought weight loss.  It has been shown that none out of ten people regain their lost weight within five years of ending these programs.

4. Why Your Daily Routine Keeps You from Losing Weight

Most of us can’t find time to exercise regularly in our busy schedules.  In addition, time saving conveniences such as remote controls for appliances, drive thrus for banks, restaurants and dry cleaners and escalators and elevators all keep us from moving while doing our daily activities.  As a result it has been estimated that we burn 800 calories per day less than we did in 1970.

5. How Clothing Hurts Your Fat Loss Program

Today we have much more over-sized clothing available to accommodate our growing girth.  In addition, designers are adding elastic waistbands and expansion panels to help us feel more comfortable in their clothes.  These additions fool people into thinking they are losing weight or at least staying the same when they are not.

The people on those programs all have an enormous support system in place to keep them on their course.  They have dietitians designing meal programs, personal trainers designing workouts and even counselors and make up artists to help with their self image.  You just don’t have all that support.

Your Fat Loss Situation is Different

On the contrary, you have your normal routines and all the friends and family around you who are doing things and living their lives the way they always have.  In most cases if you try to make big changes, it won’t work because everyone around you is doing things in their regular way and working against you.  You probably can’t make a major change without meeting with a lot of resistance. 

If you are a very strong willed person and can make major changes while ignoring those who are closest to you then go for it!  But in most cases, if you were that kind of person you wouldn’t be reading this now. 

A Simple Fat Loss Tip

My suggestion is to start off small and grow your program incrementally.  Begin with the easy changes and build on them.  Instead of skipping the trip to the coffee shop, order a plain coffee instead of the double caramel frappuccino whatever that you usually get or skip the dessert with lunch or have an apple instead of your usual afternoon snack.  Before you know it you may find that you really like black coffee or that an apple really tastes better than that double chocolate cake that your used to have for a snack (OK, maybe not the apple part, but you never know) . 

The Three Things That Make This Work

There are three things that will go to work for you here.  First, by doing these small things on a regular basis, they will become a habit and eventually become easier for you.  Research has shown that if you do something consistently for a month, it will become part of your routine. 

The second thing is that these small changes are relatively easy and can create a pattern of success that will encourage you to do more. 

Finally, these small things can make a big difference.  It takes about 3,500 calories to build and maintain a pound of body weight.  If you eliminate just 100 calories a day, you will eliminate 36,500 calories a year which equates to about 10 pounds. 

If you do just one small thing this month and another small thing next month and so forth before you know it you will have a routine that will get you to your weight goal and keep you there because you have changed your lifestyle without tearing down your life.