Behavior change
To lose weight and keep it off, you must make changes in your lifestyle.
Changing your lifestyle is more than choosing different foods and putting more activity into
your day. It also involves changing your approach to eating and activity, which means
changing how you think, feel and act.
Research has demonstrated that a number of tools and tips are effective in helping you
change.
These include:
• Motivate yourself. No one can make you lose weight. In fact, increased external
pressure — often from people close to you — may only make matters worse. Likewise, trying
to lose weight to satisfy someone else rarely works either. Make diet and exercise changes to
please yourself.
• Make lifestyle changes a priority. As you're planning to launch new weight-related
lifestyle changes, make sure you've resolved other problems in your life. It takes a lot of
energy to change habits, and you want to be sure you're focused on the matter at hand.
• Have a plan. Work out a strategy that will gradually change the habits and attitudes
that may have undermined your past efforts to lose weight. Choose a definite start date.
Consider how often and how long you will exercise. Determine a realistic eating plan that
factors in plenty of water, fruits and vegetables. Write everything down. When and where will
you do it? How will it fit into your schedule? What are the potential roadblocks, and how will
you deal with them?
• Set small goals. Remember that you're in this for the long haul. You're making lifestyle
changes, and the goals you've written down are your first baby steps in that direction.
Anything you undertake too intensely or too vigorously will quickly become uncomfortable,
and you're more likely to give it up.
• Surround yourself with good examples. As you set your goals, it helps to surround
yourself with good examples. Magazines such as Health , Shape and Walking include plenty
of real-life stories, healthy and easy recipes, exercise tips and interesting facts about fitness.
Even if you eat meat, a publication such as Vegetarian Times can provide a wealth of low-fat
recipes.
• Avoid food triggers. Distract yourself from your desire to eat with something positive,
like calling a friend. Practice saying no to unhealthy food and big portions. Eat when you're
physically hungry — not when the clock says it's time to eat. When you eat, focus on eating.
Serve your meals on smaller plates to make less food seem like more. In general, store food
out of sight and don't keep junk foods around.
• Keep a record. Ask your doctor how often you should weigh yourself as you work to
lose weight. Your doctor may also recommend that you keep a food and activity diary
periodically so that you can reinforce good habits and discover any behaviors that you may
need to improve. Remember that success isn't defined only in actual weight lost. In fact, be
sure to track other important health parameters such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels
and overall fitness.
• Focus on the positive. Rather than focusing on what you can't eat, focus on what you
can. Look at what new tastes and activities you can discover that will enhance your health.
• Don't give up. So much in American culture conspires to make and keep you
overweight. You will have setbacks. Don't expect perfection. But don't give up. Use relapses
to get back on track. Motivate yourself with healthy rewards when you reach goals.
Dealing with obesity may mean taking a hard look at how you live and making some tough
changes. It may be helpful to talk to a weight-loss specialist or others trying to lose weight
who can help you think of food and exercise in a new light
To lose weight and keep it off, you must make changes in your lifestyle.
Changing your lifestyle is more than choosing different foods and putting more activity into
your day. It also involves changing your approach to eating and activity, which means
changing how you think, feel and act.
Research has demonstrated that a number of tools and tips are effective in helping you
change.
These include:
• Motivate yourself. No one can make you lose weight. In fact, increased external
pressure — often from people close to you — may only make matters worse. Likewise, trying
to lose weight to satisfy someone else rarely works either. Make diet and exercise changes to
please yourself.
• Make lifestyle changes a priority. As you're planning to launch new weight-related
lifestyle changes, make sure you've resolved other problems in your life. It takes a lot of
energy to change habits, and you want to be sure you're focused on the matter at hand.
• Have a plan. Work out a strategy that will gradually change the habits and attitudes
that may have undermined your past efforts to lose weight. Choose a definite start date.
Consider how often and how long you will exercise. Determine a realistic eating plan that
factors in plenty of water, fruits and vegetables. Write everything down. When and where will
you do it? How will it fit into your schedule? What are the potential roadblocks, and how will
you deal with them?
• Set small goals. Remember that you're in this for the long haul. You're making lifestyle
changes, and the goals you've written down are your first baby steps in that direction.
Anything you undertake too intensely or too vigorously will quickly become uncomfortable,
and you're more likely to give it up.
• Surround yourself with good examples. As you set your goals, it helps to surround
yourself with good examples. Magazines such as Health , Shape and Walking include plenty
of real-life stories, healthy and easy recipes, exercise tips and interesting facts about fitness.
Even if you eat meat, a publication such as Vegetarian Times can provide a wealth of low-fat
recipes.
• Avoid food triggers. Distract yourself from your desire to eat with something positive,
like calling a friend. Practice saying no to unhealthy food and big portions. Eat when you're
physically hungry — not when the clock says it's time to eat. When you eat, focus on eating.
Serve your meals on smaller plates to make less food seem like more. In general, store food
out of sight and don't keep junk foods around.
• Keep a record. Ask your doctor how often you should weigh yourself as you work to
lose weight. Your doctor may also recommend that you keep a food and activity diary
periodically so that you can reinforce good habits and discover any behaviors that you may
need to improve. Remember that success isn't defined only in actual weight lost. In fact, be
sure to track other important health parameters such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels
and overall fitness.
• Focus on the positive. Rather than focusing on what you can't eat, focus on what you
can. Look at what new tastes and activities you can discover that will enhance your health.
• Don't give up. So much in American culture conspires to make and keep you
overweight. You will have setbacks. Don't expect perfection. But don't give up. Use relapses
to get back on track. Motivate yourself with healthy rewards when you reach goals.
Dealing with obesity may mean taking a hard look at how you live and making some tough
changes. It may be helpful to talk to a weight-loss specialist or others trying to lose weight
who can help you think of food and exercise in a new light
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Behavioral Change