Ready, Set, Lose Weight

As warmer weather approaches, many of us start fretting about the extra pounds we put on over the winter.

1.    Commit. The first step is making a commitment to yourself, and then share that commitment with others. This will make you more accountable to your diet, exercise plan, and weight-loss goals.
2.    Make a realistic plan. Think about your whole being and come up with a plan that's going to be best for your unique personality and preferences. Create a diet and exercise program that will help you lose weight and that will be relatively easy for you to stick to.
3.    Get in the right mindset. Don't fall into an "all-or-nothing" way of thinking. You don't have to give up all decadent foods or exercise strenuously seven days a week. It's about small changes in your lifestyle that you can stick with and that will brings results over time.
4.    Make time for exercise. Fitness is a key component of losing and keeping off weight. It's important to create an exercise plan that's realistic according to your schedule. Decide to make some type of physical activity part of you daily routine. You don’t need to spend three hours at the gym—walk the dog after dinner or take the stairs a few times throughout your workday.
5.    Figure out what motivates you. Ask yourself questions to figure out what will help you meet your weight-loss goals. Do you need a workout buddy? A reward at certain goals? What types of activity don't feel like work to you? These answers will help you formulate a plan that you can stick with.
6.    Don't think diet, think life change. Preparing to lose weight isn't about starting a diet; it's about starting to make healthy adjustments that will become part of your lifestyle. Being "on a diet" implies that it will end. To maintain a healthy weight, the diet and exercise changes you make in your life should be permanent.