“I want to lose fat,” said the guy who’s sportin’ a keg in his midsection instead of a six-pack.

I’d say that 99% of the people out there want to lose fat. And what percentage actually do it? Specifically, what percentage actually reach their goal of ideal leanness? Not many.

The first problem with saying you simply want to “lose fat” is that it’s way too general. An essential key to success is setting specific goals: the more specific, the better. Generalized goals lead to subpar results. Instead of saying you want to lose fat you should say, for example: I want to lose 3 inches off my waist. Now you have a specific, measurable goal.

But that’s not enough. Instead of saying you “want” something, you should outline specific steps you’ll take to reach that goal. In essence, “I want to lose 3 inches off my waist” should metamorphose into a series of steps that you follow every day. Here’s an example:

Goal
Lose 3 Inches Off My Waist

Action Plan
1. I will consume no more than 50 grams of carbs per day.
2. I will eat 6 small meals per day.
3. I will consume one gram of protein per pound of body weight.
4. I will jump rope for 10 minutes per day.

…and so on.

First, be specific with your goals. Second, put an action plan in place. Merely wishing for fat loss will not cause it to happen. In order to reach your goals you must put a specific action plan in motion that coincides with your goal.

Seems simple enough, right? But do you do it?

If not, start today.