When deciding to get healthy, people generally set large and lofty goals. That is fantastic but it is also important to set small attainable goals. These goals are what will motivate you to get to your final goals.

An example of a really great small goal is losing percent body fat. Studies show that losing as little as 5% of your body fat can have tremendous health benefits. These include a decrease in “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and an increase in “good” cholesterol (HDL), a decrease in hypertension and a decrease in inflammation.

So when you get on the scale after those first few weeks, know that every pound counts on the road to your big goals.