How many times have you tried to lose weight by starting a new diet or training regime? How many of you have actually succeeded in the battle with weight loss and kept it off? I would have to say that there are very few who do not have difficulty losing weight and keeping it off. So why is that your neighbor Joe has no difficulty getting up at the crack of dawn and running 2 miles every morning, rain hail or shine and your work colleague Shirley rushing out on her lunch break and swimming a few laps. Why do you struggle with keeping yourself motivated and disciplined enough to achieve your goals? For most the answer is quite simple. Your mindset or the psychology behind weight loss and training.

Weight Loss is not easy and becomes more of a struggle without the right mindset or psychology. You could have all the knowledge in the world relating to how to lose weight, but without the right mindset to apply it, it is useless.

Weight loss can be achieved so long as you have the right information and use that information to take action.

Having the right frame of mind is usually overlooked as a reason why we fail to achieve our desired results in losing weight. The appropriate psychology is one of the most important reasons we succeed or fail in our weight loss endeavors. The correct mindset will give you motivation, commitment as well as help you to resist temptations and distractions and overcome obstacles. In addition to your helping you achieve your goals with a fresh new approach to weight loss, you will find that a positive mindset will develop changes towards a healthy new lifestyle and well being.
Setting Goals.

The correct mindset required for weight loss is not achieved over night, and we need to be realistic with our goals as one of the most common reasons for people not succeeding with their weight loss regimes is the lack of instant results or gratification. Setting Goals are a very important tool which should always be used to help you lose weight. A simple guideline to follow to aid you in setting goals are as follows;
Write your goals down.

Writing down your goals is an essential part of setting goals. You will be constantly reminded of what arrangement you have made with yourself. It is important that you display your goals somewhere you can easily be reminded of them, such as next to your mirror where you brush your teeth.
Make your goals are specific.

It is important when setting your goals you are not general with your goals. By this I mean, don't set you first goal as just lose weight. Be more specific like, lose 10 pounds. This will set a goal which can be reached and make you feel good about your self when a target goal has been achieved.
Your goals should have deadlines.

Setting deadlines is essential. If you have no deadline or end date then you will leave it till tomorrow and as we all know tomorrow never comes.
Your goals should be measurable.

It is important to measure your goals. Measurement of weight lost, i.e. kilograms, pounds or perhaps, length lost around your waist or thighs, i.e. mm, cm, inches.
Your goals should be realistic and attainable.

Now it is easy for us to set unrealistic goals, especially when we are first beginning our new training regime. We are usually more motivated after the festive season or a big weekend and starting Monday we are going to lose 20 pounds in a week. Setting goals after feeling guilty of a binge period is the most common failure as we usually set unrealistic goals that are unattainable. So spend a couple of days thinking, research on the internet and then set some realistic goals.
You should focus on your goals daily.

Achieving any goals requires dedication and focus. Focusing on our goals daily keeps us in a routine which helps us to keep motivated to overcoming obstacles and resisting temptation.
Have multifaceted goals.

A method to set weight loss goals is to set more than one. Have a long term goal and break it down to smaller goals. It is important that whilst you are working hard to lose weight, you are able to reach goals and once reached reward yourself for the effort you have put in.