One facet of most people’s fitness and fat loss programs that usually gets overlooked is goal setting.

It is a fact that only 3 percent of the population has a goal that lasts past the second week in January. But you need to have something to shoot for. You also need a way to track your progress.
 

Below is a simple, usable goal-setting strategy that you can personalize for yourself.
 

Please know that if you do not work out with weights, focusing only on cardio, this technique will not work for you – even if you eat better.
 

Leverage is Key
What is leverage? It is something that gives you more strength or power than you would normally have.
In order to have leverage when you set a fitness goal you must have a precise goal, an exact deadline, and you must have emotions attached to the completion of the goal.
 

The goal is the “what,” and your emotions are the “why.”
 

When you have a what and a why, you have leverage. You have more power to consistently get your work-outs in. And you have more incentive to eat small healthy meals often.
 

You Must Get Emotional
Plugging in your emotional reasons for wanting to peak your fitness and fat loss is crucial. It is the why to the what. It does not matter what they are. Just make sure that they are real for you. Pick the top two or three emotional reasons why you must become healthier, leaner, stronger, and more energetic.
 

Preciseness is Paramount
You’ll want to make sure you have a very precise goal. An example of an ineffective goal would be “I want to lose some weight” or “I want to feel better”.
A better goal would be “I am going to lose 50mm off my waist by such and such a date (some date six weeks into the future).
 

The Scale Does Not Work
Most people make the mistake of only using the scale to see if their fat loss program is working. The scale does not tell you the whole story. It will not tell you if you are replacing fat with muscle. It will not tell you if you are losing valuable water, muscle, or fat.

Ideally you should use a one site skin fold caliper kit. It is very quick, easy, and consistently accurate. Within one minute you will know your overall body fat percentage, fat weight, and lean body mass. Armed with this information you will be able to really tell if your fitness program is working.
 

If you are reluctant to use a skin fold caliper kit, at least use a tape measure and a scale.
A measurement around your waistline and a scale weight can let you know more than just using the scale. If the scale stays the same, but your waistline is less, then you know that you have gained muscle and lost fat. It’s not as precise as a skin fold caliper kit, but it is much better than just using a scale.