Choose a Realistic Goal

A realistic goal is one that is both challenging and achievable. If it is too easy, you will lose interest; too hard, and you may give up. Research shows that if you are overweight, losing 10 percent of your body weight can improve your health. Start there and aim to lose one to two pounds per week. If you still need to lose weight after reaching your 10 percent goal, set a new 10 percent goal at the same pace.

Build a Support Group

Share your goals with loved ones, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Consider starting a weight-loss plan with a friend. One study found that when friends signed up for a weight-loss program together, they were more successful at keeping the weight off. It’s also not uncommon for a support group to include people you have never met, such as a gym instructor or people with shared interests on social media or website forums. When you create a healthy environment by surrounding yourself with like-minded people, you build a supportive network that makes it easier to reach your goals.

Give Exercise and Eating Equal Attention

Healthy eating and exercise work hand in hand to keep you fit. Nourishing foods fuel your workouts, and exercise improves your mood and brightens your outlook, making it easier to commit to healthy choices. Giving both equal attention creates a healthy balance in your lifestyle. The days you eat a little more, exercise will help burn those extra calories. When you have to skip a workout, healthy eating helps control your calorie intake so you can stay on track.

Recognize Hunger Signals

When you eat mindfully, you put the focus on the food and how you feel during the meal. This helps you recognize when your taste buds are satisfied and when you feel physically full. As you get better at recognizing hunger signals, your portion sizes will grow smaller, and choosing healthy foods will become natural. These changes also help you control cravings. Over time, you will only need two bites of cake to feel satisfied, rather than two pieces.

Plan Ahead

Planning and preparation are essential for making the healthy choices needed for weight loss. Without them, grabbing fast food on the way home from work or skipping your workout is easy. Plan and shop for meals over the weekend and spend a couple of hours preparing meals and snacks for the week. Make calendar appointments for your exercise and give them the same priority as work meetings and doctor appointments.

Sources

• The Mayo Clinic — Social support: A necessity for weight loss

Lori Rice, M.S., is a nutritional scientist and author with a passion for healthy cooking, exercise physiology, and food photography.