Journal
JOURNAL OF HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
Volume 18, Issue 5, Pages 638-647Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD
DOI: 10.1177/1359105312454038
Keywords
commitment; effort; goal setting; motivation; nonclinical sample; self-efficacy; weight loss
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Although psychological theories outline that it might be beneficial to set more challenging goals, people attempting to lose weight are generally recommended to set modest weight loss goals. The present study explores whether the amount of weight loss individuals strive for is associated with more positive psychological and behavioral outcomes. Hereto, 447 overweight and obese participants trying to lose weight completed two questionnaires with a 2-month interval. Many participants set goals that could be considered unrealistically high. However, higher weight loss goals did not predict dissatisfaction but predicted more effort in the weight loss attempt, as well as more self-reported short-term weight loss when baseline commitment and motivation were controlled for.
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