Why setting performance-based goals helps for long-term success One of the most common phrases I hear as a personal trainer is " I want to lose   X lbs ".  Most people like to put a specific number on their weight loss goals, whether it's a number they want to lose or a number they want to weigh, it's usually the first goal that comes to mind.  This usually stems from stepping on the scale and seeing the number creep up and up and seeing in the mirror something they don't exactly love, so they decide that they want to lose "X" number of lbs and that will be the ultimate goal for them to achieve.  As much as I love it when people have some goals in mind, I'm here to play a little devil's advocate when it comes to setting a specific weight loss goal. You may wonder, what's wrong with setting a weight loss goal? It's not so much wanting to lose some extra body fat or get in better shape that's the problem. The problem comes up when you