Let’s talk about goals—and more importantly, how to actually reach them.
If you’ve ever felt frustrated by the stop-start cycle of motivation, especially when it comes to weight loss, you’re not alone. One of the most powerful tools we have in Slimpod is goal setting—not in the wishy-washy, “visualise and it’ll appear” way—but through proper, science-backed psychological rewiring.
This is where your Reticular Activating System, or RAS, comes in.
What The RAS Is And Why It Matters
The Reticular Activating System is a bundle of nerves in the brainstem no thicker than a pencil. Yet, it plays a crucial role in determining what information your brain pays attention to—and what it doesn’t.
Every second, your brain is bombarded with billions of bits of information. The RAS filters that information and decides what’s important. The RAS doesn’t work on logic—it works on familiarity and belief. It focuses on what it thinks matters to you.
So, if you constantly tell yourself “I can’t lose weight” or “I always fail at this,” your RAS gets to work seeking out evidence to prove that belief right. And that’s not your fault—it’s how the brain keeps things familiar.
But here’s the beautiful bit. It’s also programmable.
As I explain in The Weight’s Over – Take Back Control, once you learn how to give your RAS the right cues, it becomes your brain’s own goal-seeking missile—actively searching for ways to help you succeed instead of pulling you back into old patterns.
The Science Behind Goals
Think of a goal as more than just a scribble on a notepad. It’s a blueprint that tells your RAS what to look for, what to prioritise, and what to ignore.
Here’s what the research says:
A study from the Dominican University of California found that writing goals was 50% more effective than thinking about them alone.
And sending your goals and weekly progress reports to a friend increases your likelihood of achieving a goal to 70%.
The University of Oxford found that people who set goals around health and fitness achieved greater weight losses and were more likely to achieve their goal than those who set only appearance goals.
And it’s not just about performance. Positive psychology shows that setting approach-based, mastery-driven goals improves emotional well-being, self-esteem, and even ethical decision-making (Winkens & Hamstra, 2024).
Why Most Diet Goals Fail (and How to Fix It)
- It feels too ‘woo woo’ – Some people think it’s a bit fluffy. But the science is solid: visualising goals, when paired with action, boosts motivation and confidence.
- They don’t know how – Not everyone’s been taught how to do it in a way that’s effective and backed by behavioural psychology.
- Fear of failure – Writing a goal down makes it real. And that can be scary—especially if you’ve tried and ‘failed’ before.
- Lack of time– I can’t give you more time, but you could try spending 5 minutes an day working on your map for a week.
But in Slimpod, we do it differently. We focus on creating small, believable steps your RAS can latch onto—retraining your brain’s internal compass.
Take one of our Slimpodders who wanted to go from a size 22 to a 14. We didn’t just aim for the 14—we broke it into manageable stages: size 20 first, then 18, and so on. Each mini-goal felt achievable, realistic, and believable. That’s the secret. You want your RAS to see progress and believe it’s working.
Seeing Really Is Believing
Once your brain is tuned into the goal, it filters out distractions and hones in on helpful choices. That’s why pregnant women suddenly see buggies everywhere or why your dream car seems to be on every street corner. It’s not magic—it’s your RAS doing its job.
Now imagine your RAS tuned into healthy eating, body confidence, and daily movement. Goals bridge that gap between intention and action. It’s not just about weight loss—it’s about becoming the version of you who feels confident, empowered, and in control.
New podcast
I’m so excited to bring you this episode with my lovely friend Brian Mayne. He’s the creator of a brilliant tool called Goal Mapping — and honestly, it’s something I use in everything I do.
It’s all about engaging your whole brain to bring your goals to life, and it’s made such a difference for me. In fact, I used Goal Mapping recently to visualise exactly what I wanted The Weight’s Over-Take back Control to do — and it’s been incredible to see it unfold.
You’re going to love this one. We go deeper into the psychology of setting goals that stick.
This is just part one.
In next week’s blog, I’ll walk you through how to create a powerful goals that work for you—one that speaks directly to your subconscious and helps shift those unhelpful patterns for good.
So keep an eye out… because part two is where the magic really begins.
P.S. I talk about goal setting in more detail in my book The Weight’s Over – Take Back Control, so if you’re looking to take the next step, that’s a great place to start. And don’t forget—if you’d like to stay in the loop and be the first to hear when new blogs are out, make sure you’re signed up for our newsletter. We’d love to have you with us.
Let me know in the comments—what’s the first small goal you’re going to write down this week? Let’s make it real.
You’ve got this.
