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How to Set Successful Weight-Loss Goals

Reviewed by Claudia Levi, R.N.
November 06, 2024
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Losing weight isn’t easy. But there are ways to increase your chances of success — and it all starts with goal setting.

By creating meaningful goals that focus on long-term behavior changes, you’ll have a much better chance to reach and maintain a healthy weight and improve your overall health.

Here’s how to set goals that will make your weight loss goals more achievable.

Use SMART Goals for Success

First, set clear, realistic goals and map out specific steps toward reaching them. Taking this approach can significantly improve your health without leaving you overwhelmed and frustrated.

You can do this using a SMART goal framework. This goal-setting method allows you to ask yourself important questions and set a distinct path to success.

SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Here’s what that means:

Specific

If you say your goal is “to lose weight,” that’s a fine start, but it may leave you feeling aimless or unsure of what to do next. Having a clearer picture of how and why can help you realize that goal.

Before setting any health goal, it’s important to consult a healthcare professional. Ask your doctor what changes would be most beneficial to your health and well‑being. They may also offer ideas of actions you can take to make those changes.

Ask yourself the following questions:

  • What do I want to accomplish?
  • How will reaching this goal benefit me?
  • How can I work to reach this goal?
  • Who besides me will need to be involved in my plan for reaching this goal?
  • Where will I carry out the steps of my plan?
  • For how long will I carry out this plan?
  • What might get in my way of carrying out my plan?

Then, come up with a specific goal (or set of goals) that will help you reach your overarching goal of weight loss. An example could be: “I want to lose weight by eating healthier, making sure I get five servings of vegetables a day, no soda, and a maximum of 30 grams of sugar per day for a month.”

Measurable

It helps to have a way to measure your progress toward your goal. Using our healthy eating example, you may measure how many servings of veggies or sugar you eat per week or month. Or you might count how often you perform an activity, such as taking a walk.

Measuring helps you stay on track and lets you know when you’ve met each goal. Track your efforts in a journal or a fitness or nutrition app, so you can see how far you’ve come.

Achievable

Don’t set the bar too high or too low. Your goal should be challenging, but not so hard to reach that it sets you up for failure or disappointment.

If a goal is too aggressive, even good results won’t live up to expectations, so be realistic. Ask yourself:

  • Is this goal worthwhile?
  • Do I have enough time to reach it?
  • How confident am I that I can reach it?

If you feel you can meet the goal, and the results feel worth it, you're more likely to keep working toward it.

Relevant

Make sure each SMART goal you set will have an impact on your overall weight and/or health goal. You’re more likely to make the effort to reach a goal if it feels important and meaningful to you.

Keep in mind the changes your doctor suggested would help most and the difference they might make in your life. Then, ask yourself whether those steps sound like actions you’re willing and able to take.

Time-Bound

Set a date by which you’ll aim to complete your SMART goal. Make the timeframe long enough to achieve your goal, but also short enough to create a sense of urgency.

Now it’s time to start. What’s your goal? How are you going to ensure that the goal you set is SMART? Talk to a friend, healthcare professional, or health coach for help if you’re unsure of what to do, how to get started, or how to maintain the healthy changes you’ve made.

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