Setting and Achieving Goals

Knowing what you want to achieve is the first step in the process. Many people establish unreachable goals and set themselves up for failure. Don't fall into that trap. Start small, and build upon your successes. Consider trying to lose:

•   10 to 15 pounds over a few months
•   5% or 10% of your total body weight

Try to lose one or two pounds a week - any more can be hard on your body (and your psyche), and difficult to sustain.

Now, how are you going to reach that goal? Don't just think in terms of "eating less" or "exercising more." Set specific objectives for yourself, such as:

•    exercise X times a week for X minutes
•    eat X more fresh vegetables each day
•    cut back to X servings of red meat each week
•    switch to skim milk, or (your substitution here)
•    buy only high-fiber breads and cereals

You get the idea. Don't try to make a lot of changes at once - losing weight will feel like a lot more work than it should. Incorporate one change at a time and when you've got that down, add another.