If you are starting a serious weight loss program, your family doctor can be your best ally. He or she can advise you on what others are doing to lose weight and what plans, be it eating or exercise, are safe for you to try at your present weight and as you progress. You may have medical conditions or take medication for health issues that need to be closely monitored. Play it safe and consult with your medical provider before undertaking a weight loss plan.
Think positive
That’s right, if you want to lose the weight and keep it off, then you must retrain yourself to thinking positively. Imagine how you want to look and how your life will change for the better once you start losing the weight. If you can visualize the positive impact your weight loss will have, then you will develop a positive view of the work that is ahead of you to achieve that success.
Consider your current state
Take a good look at yourself and determine what it’s going to take to make you look and feel better. Where you are now will determine where you plan to be in a month, six months or a year from now. If you are losing weight to improve your health, then you will want to lose the recommended amount ofexcess body weight that your doctor advises. If you want to fit into a favorite pair of jeans again, then you can decide what weight you need to be to fit into them again. It’s not realistic to set a goal of losing more than 20 pounds in a month.
Consider how your life will change
Weight loss is a major life-changing event. You may want to consider how your life will change as a result of getting the excess weight off. Will you need to purchase new clothes? Will you want to join a support group to deal with any long-term emotional issues to help you keep the weight off? How will the weight loss change your relationships with significant others? These are all things that you may want to address ahead of time to prepare you for your weight loss journey so you don’t have any surprises to deal with.
Set small goals
Do you have a large amount of weight to lose? If you do, then it can be overwhelming to think about it. The best course of action is to break down the weight loss into smaller more manageable goals. Start with losing a pound a week, then five pounds in a month and so on. It’s easy to reach each small goal and you will soon feel confident about your weight loss and stay on that path to wellness.
It’s not easy to lose weight but it is a worthy goal. Maintaining a healthy weight eliminates a lot of health problems and makes you feel better.