Weight loss: Tips for the Preparation Stage

You are ready to begin to change your habits in earnest. These tips can put you on the road to action.

• Check with your physician before beginning any weight management plan to be sure the plan and your weight goals are appropriate and healthy for you.
  
  
• Write yourself a letter, describing your commitment to changing your lifestyle, the specific steps you will take to make changes (i.e., finding a workout partner, joining a gym, finding and using low-fat recipes), and the date you will begin. Write down the top five reasons you want to make these changes. Keep the letter where you will see it often.
  
  
• Pick a tool to chart your progress and use it on a regular basis.
  
  
• Tell someone you trust about the commitment you have made to changing your lifestyle. Ask for that person’s support and encouragement.
  
  
• Expect that you will make mistakes. Learn from them, and move on. One mistake is not going to hijack your entire effort.
  
  
• Try on a favorite outfit that is slightly snug. Write down how it fits. Try it on again every few weeks and note changes in fit.
  
  
• Try not to be enslaved by the scale! Instead, take body measurements every two weeks and chart your progress that way.
  
  
• If you must use a scale, get on it weekly – no more. Daily fluctuations in fluid balance play with the numbers on the scale, and disappointing readings can throw off your motivation.
  
  
• Keep your focus on health, not on a fantasy of excessive thinness. Reducing your weight by 10 percent can significantly improve your overall health.
  
  
• Keep a record of what you eat.
  
  
• Determine the amount of calories you need to make changes in your weight. A healthy rate of weight loss is 1 to 1½ pounds per week. Remember to account for extra calories burned through exercise too.