Make a Plan for Success
- Pick a good time to change. Some times in life are more stressful than others. If you have a big change coming up, such as moving, getting married or divorced, graduating, or taking a new job, it may not be a good time to begin losing weight.
- Set realistic goals that can be measured. Do not expect to lose 30 pounds in the first month. Set a goal of 1 pound a week and track your progress. (Talk to your doctor or nurse to find out how much weight is safe for you to lose.) Reward yourself with a fun activity (but not an unhealthy treat) when you meet each goal!
- Work on other health problems first. For example, doctors recommend that if you are severely depressed, you should get treatment for depression before you try to lose weight. If you have sleep apnea, talk to a doctor or nurse about losing weight to help treat sleep apnea or about treating the sleep apnea first. Not sleeping enough, or having bad sleep quality, can contribute to weight gain. Talk to your doctor or nurse about the best time to work on weight loss, taking into consideration any other health problems you might have.
- Plan your meals ahead of time. Most people who eat healthy plan most of their meals ahead of time so that they don’t binge as much on unhealthy food. Figure out which meals you’ll be eating at home for the week ahead. Make a grocery store list for those meals and snacks. Stick to your list when you go shopping.
Source: Office on Women's Health (OWH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services