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What Should My Move Goal Be To Lose Weight? — 5 Move Goals

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What Should My Move Goal Be To Lose Weight

If you have wanted to shed some pounds and asked yourself what should my move goal be to lose weight then this article is for you.

Losing weight is never an easy undertaking; so, weight reduction programs are typically designed to assist an individual in reaching their goal. The body manifests what the mind imagines and dedicates itself to do.

The difficulty is, there are plenty of temptations out there tempting you to deviate from your goal and it can be a fight of wills between your mind and the impulse that may unknowingly steer you away from your intent. Recognizing all of the reasons why you want to lose weight may not be enough to keep the drive going until you reach your goal.

In this article, it will provide you with some open-minded ideas on how to achieve your weight-loss goal to help prevent you from giving up halfway through your weight loss journey.

Losing Weight

Achieving healthy weight loss does not always require a diet or program, but rather a lifestyle that includes healthy eating habits, frequent physical activity, and stress management. 

It’s normal to desire to lose weight rapidly when you’re trying to do so. People who lose weight gradually and steadily (approximately 1 to 2 pounds per week) are more likely to keep it off. Once you’ve reached a healthy weight, rely on proper food and exercise to help you stay healthy in the long run.

However, medications used to treat other diseases may also make losing weight more difficult. Consult your doctor if you are concerned about your weight or have questions about your medications.

For some of you, losing weight may be difficult and time-consuming. But if you’re ready to get started, here is a step-by-step guide to help you get on the path to weight loss and better health. 

But before beginning the guide, it’s critical to approach the adjustments with self-compassion and to assess your preparation and motivation. Creating a supportive atmosphere, both physically and with the people in your life, can aid in your goal achievement1.

Maintenance Strategies For Losing Weight

The basic cause of underlying weight gain is that energy intake exceeds energy expenditure. There are numerous reasons of being overweight or obese, which sometimes is the outcome of a complicated series of interactions between genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors.

This section explores the potency of weight loss strategies, as well as the combinations of methods that may help you attain a successful weight loss. Here is a short overview of public policy strategies2 that may help prevent overweight and support you in attempting to reduce weight or sustain weight loss:

  1. Physical Activity
    • For overweight individuals who are otherwise healthy, increased physical activity is a crucial component of a comprehensive weight-loss plan. The capacity to establish and maintain an exercise program is one of the best predictors of success in the long-term management of overweight and obesity. The intensity, length, frequency, and type of physical exercise for a given individual will be determined by existing medical issues, historical activity level, physical constraints, and individual preferences. Referral for additional professional examination may be necessary, especially for people who have more than one of the extenuating factors listed.
  2. Behavior and Psychosocial Interventions
    • The use of behavior and lifestyle modification in weight management is based on a body of evidence showing people acquire or remain overweight as a result of modifiable habits or behaviors, and that modifying those behaviors can help people lose weight and keep it off. The basic goals of behavioral weight control techniques are to promote physical activity and reduce calorie intake by changing eating behaviors.
  3. Diet
    • Weight-management strategies can be separated into two stages: weight loss and weight maintenance. While exercise is the most significant component of a weight-maintenance program, it is apparent that dietary restriction is the critical component of a weight-loss program that determines the rate of weight reduction.
  4. Support Systems
    • Support services include almost any type of assistance given to participants in a weight-management program. These can include emotional support, food assistance, and physical activity support programs. However, not all services will be useful to all patients, nor will they be available in all locations. Furthermore, some participants in weight-loss programs will be hesitant to employ any type of support service.
  5. Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drugs and Supplements
    • Drugs can occasionally be used to promote weight loss. Almost all prescription medicines in use today affect weight loss by reducing appetite or increasing satiety. However, one medicine improves weight loss by decreasing fat digestion. To maintain weight loss, these medications must be taken on a regular basis; when they are stopped, some or all of the lost weight is often recovered. As a result, when medications are effective, it is expected that their use will continue permanently.

What Should My Move Goal Be To Lose Weight?

Losing weight requires dedication and a well-thought-out plan. Starting your weight reduction journey entails modifying your lifestyle to include a range of healthy foods, frequent physical activity, adequate sleep, and stress management3.

Here’s a process guide to help you get started:

  1. Be aware of your current situation.
    • Request that your doctor evaluate your height, weight, and any weight-related risk factors you may have. Your health care provider may be able to give options to help you maintain a healthy weight, such as referral to a registered dietician and other clinical or community programs, FDA-approved drugs or devices, or surgery. Keep a food record of everything you consume for a few days. This makes you more conscious of what and when you eat. This awareness can help you prevent thoughtless eating.
  2. Stay committed.
    • It is a major step to deciding to lose weight, modify your lifestyle, and become healthier. Begin by making a personal commitment to yourself. Whether you have a family history of heart disease, want to see your children marry, or just want to feel better in your clothes, putting down your reasons for wanting to lose weight will help you stay motivated. Post these reasons somewhere you’ll see them every day to remind you why you want to make this change.
  3. Set attainable weight loss goals.
    • Set some short-term objectives and recognize your progress. Perhaps your long-term objective is to drop 40 pounds and regulate your hypertension. Short-term food and physical activity objectives could include drinking water instead of sugary beverages, going for a 15-minute evening stroll, or eating a salad or vegetable with dinner. Concentrate on no more than two or three goals at a time. Remember that making tiny improvements every day can lead to large outcomes over time.
    • Setting realistic objectives are achievable goals. By meeting your short-term goals on a daily basis, you will feel good about your success and be driven to keep going. Being realistic also entails anticipating difficulties. Setbacks might occur for a variety of reasons, including the holidays, increased job hours, or another life upheaval. When setbacks occur, get back on track as soon as feasible. Take some time to consider how you could avoid setbacks in similar future scenarios.
  4. Seek for support if needed.
    • Find family or friends who will encourage you to lose weight. Making lifestyle adjustments can be easier when you have someone to whom you can communicate and rely for assistance. You could have coworkers or neighbors who share your goals, and you can share healthy recipes and schedule group physical activities together. Joining a weight reduction support group or consulting with a health care expert such as a licensed dietitian might be beneficial.
  5. Check-in your progress.
    • Examine which components of your plan are going effectively and which need to be tweaked. Then rework your goals and plan accordingly. If you are constantly reaching a specific goal, add a new objective to help you continue on your path to success. Remember to celebrate your accomplishments. Recognize when you’re on track and be happy with your achievements. Non-food rewards, such as a bouquet of freshly picked flowers, a sports day with friends, or a relaxing bath, might be used as alternatives to food. Rewarding yourself helps you stay motivated on your path to greater health.

Using Fitness Devices To Help You Lose Weight

If you need assistance remaining on track with your weight reduction and exercise goal, a fitness tracking device such as watches could be the perfect tech accessory for you. If you want to stay active, move your body, and possibly reduce weight, a wearable fitness watch is a terrific investment.

Here are some ways a fitness watch can help you on your fitness journey:

  1. Set your calorie goal.
    • Keep in mind that you do not have to meet a high calorie goal all at once. You might set modest targets, such as losing one pound every week. This gives you a weekly move goal of 8,500 calories or 1,214 active calories each day.
  2. Set your move goal.
    • Set your device’s move target based on how many calories you want to burn in addition to your resting energy. This is determined by your degree of activity, age, weight, job, and exercise habits. Your objective should be one that is both challenging and manageable4. One of the primary indicators used by these devices to track your daily activity is the move target. The motion target is set to 300 calories by default, but you can alter it to whatever you wish.
  3. Aim for active calories burned.
    • If you’re sedentary, aim for 200-300 active calories burnt every day. This is similar to walking at a moderate speed for 30-60 minutes. If you’re currently somewhat active, you should aim for 400-500 calories burned per day. If you’re extremely active, you could want to strive for 600 or higher. Of course, these are only guidelines; you’ll need to experiment to find out what works best for you. If you’re not losing weight at your current move target, you may always increase it till you do.
  4. Calculate your move goal.
    • There are a few variables to consider when calculating your move target. You must first determine your BMR (basal metabolic rate). That is the number of our resting calories. Next, you must determine your degree of exercise. These are the calories that you burn while walking, running, or exercising. This calculator can help you estimate your level of activity. Finally, you’ll need to determine the weight of your activity goals. This is the goal weight. When you have all of this information, enter it into the following formula:

Move Goal = BMR x Activity Level x Goal Weight

  1. Measuring your calories burned.
    • Every other fitness tracker, calculates how many active calories are burned but not precisely. Stanford researchers used different fitness trackers to track energy consumption, and they discovered readings that differed from their benchmark by up to 43 percent4.

Conclusion

There are a lot of ways to lose weight and it doesn’t always require you to exercise. Remember that everyone is unique, and what works for someone else might not work for you.

Running may have helped your neighbor lose weight, but it may not be an applicable option for your body or condition. It is best to examine your interests and how they fit into your life.

You can try other options such as walking, swimming, tennis, or group fitness classes instead. These exercises will be easier to maintain over time. The goal is to move and not remain sedentary to increase your chances of losing weight. 

Citations

1 Healthy Weight Loss. (2022, September 19). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/index.html

2 Institute of Medicine (US) Subcommittee on Military Weight Management. Weight Management: State of the Science and Opportunities for Military Programs. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2004. 4, Weight-Loss and Maintenance Strategies. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK221839/

3 Losing Weight. (2022, September 19). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/getting_started.html

4 Calorie Count + Apple Watch Move Goals + BMR. (2022, October 24). Wavesandfree. https://www.wavesandfree.com/post/calorie-count-apple-watch-move-goals-bmr

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