9 Strategies for Weight-Loss Success

In setting your goals, remember that losing more than one or two pounds per week can be unhealthy and greatly increases your chances of regaining the weight.

Reward success. To encourage yourself to attain your goals, reward yourself for successes. An effective reward is something that is desirable and timely, such as attending a movie, getting a massage or taking an hour for yourself. Don't use food as a reward!

Keep a food and exercise diary. Many behavioral psychologists believe it's necessary to track your daily food consumption to achieve long-term weight loss. From a simple pad of paper or handy phone app to a computerized program that provides reports and analyses of your progress, the best tool is the one you use every day. Incorporate your goals, such as eating five servings of fruits or vegetables daily, into your self-monitoring efforts.

Monitor your weight sensibly. Keep track of your weight, but don't weigh yourself too often. One day's diet and exercise patterns won't have a measurable effect on the scale the next day, and your body's water weight can change from day to day, which may frustrate you and derail your efforts.

Find support. Weekly meetings at a nearby support group or even over the Internet can help in a variety of ways. They provide accountability, helpful ideas, emotional support, an outlet for sharing frustrations and a variety of other psychological benefits. If you support groups aren't for you, consider finding a friend or family member to join in your diet and fitness efforts. Having a weight-loss buddy can improve your chances of success.

Use positive self-talk. Take responsibility and see yourself as in control, able to talk yourself into exercising every day rather than being angry, hopeless or in denial. If you slip up one day, don’t beat yourself up; no one is perfect.

Find ways other than food to respond to stress and other situations in your life. We all know that stress can trigger emotional eating. Address this in your life by seeking out alternative relaxation strategies including options such as meditation, exercise or journaling. Consider seeking talk therapy to cope with past traumatic experiences or current emotional concerns that keep popping up and that can sometimes lead to overeating without us even realizing it.

• « first
• ‹ previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• next ›
• last »