Successful Programs are for Life – Take it One Step at a Time

A safe and effective weight management program is not a plan that you
go on and start over when you've been "bad." You must become flexible
enough to allow it to become a comfortable, enjoyable way of life. Then
these healthier habits will work with you and for you rather than against
you. As you experiment, you will discover what works best for you.

Diets teach us that changing our exercise and eating habits are short-
term projects rather an improved lifestyle. Headlines and advertisements
everywhere read "Lose 30 pounds in 30 days," and most people believe
them.

They go on and off diets, start and stop exercise programs, and their
weight--and self-esteem--go up and down. Unfortunately, most people
don't realize that there is a real alternative to diets, so they jump back on
the diet roller coaster when their weight goes back up or a new miracle
diet comes on the market.

In order to break free from the diet mentality, you need to view these
healthier changes you're making as part of a permanent lifestyle
transformation. To gain the lasting benefits of this program, it’s important
to re-orient short-term thinking towards realistic goals.

Goal-setting is a great way to stay motivated and achieve the results you
deserve. Unfortunately, many people set goals simply to look better in the
short run and not for the other many benefits a healthy lifestyle offers
us in the long run. For example, setting a short-term goal of losing 10
pounds for a class reunion isn't helpful. Once the reunion is over, most
people will either revert to their previous habits because the special
event is over or simply quit all together because the goal they set was
unrealistic.
Living a low-fat lifestyle and decreasing your body fat takes a long-term
commitment. Trying to do it all at once, however, only makes you
frustrated and discouraged. Instead, set a realistic long-term goal; then
achieve it by reaching smaller, short-term goals. For example, if your
goal is to decrease your body fat by 10 percent, shoot for modest goals,
such as decreasing your body fat by one percent each month. Decreasing
body fat slowly is not only the safest and most effective way, it is also
the most realistic. Every goal, short-term or long-term, should be one
that is truly attainable.

Every goal should also be one that you are in charge of. Setting a
short-term goal where you are in charge, such as exercising four times a
week, will help you achieve your long-term goal. Remember--and remind
yourself: each time you reach a short-term goal, you are one step closer
to achieving what you really want: a healthier, more attractive body.

Focusing on how you're going to look and feel at some time in the future
prevents you from enjoying the way you look and feel today. Focusing
instead on the day-to-day process rather than the end result paradoxically
brings about a better end result. Thinking only about the future reminds
you of how far you still have to go rather than focusing on what you
should do today.

If you happen to overeat, or eat a high-fat meal, or skip a workout, enjoy
it; don't worry about it ruining your program or your future. Shift
instead to living low-fat and healthy the rest of the day. By taking it
one day at a time, you can do a better job of concentrating on what's
working for you and what's not, how you're feeling and what you're
thinking.

For example, perhaps you've just enjoyed a low-fat version of your
favorite pizza, using healthy cooking techniques you recently discovered.
You can't believe how great it tasted and how easy it was to prepare.

Focusing on this present moment, when you're feeling satisfied, energized,
and confident, helps you stay more balanced in your decision-making about
food and exercise. On the other hand, reflecting on this scenario from a
future focus might leave you feeling overwhelmed: "Boy, do I have a lot
still to learn about healthy cooking. I'll have to experiment with my
favorite foods for the rest of my life!"

Setting small goals and acknowledging all the small achievements on your
path are essential to successful change. Remember, successful programs
are for life--take it one day at a time!