As Amy sat in my office chair, she sighed deeply, then began to talk about her discouragement with her weight-loss goals.
“Last January, I was so determined to lose weight. So I spent a bunch of money, went to weekly meetings, and bought special foods hoping all of this would help me stay on track.
I actually did great for three months, and lost about 30 of the 75 pounds I need to lose. But then I got a new job and moved to another city. I tried to stick with my old diet plan but I kept getting sloppy with it. Unfortunately, I’ve gained those 30 pounds back plus added a few more.
I’d love to reach my goal this year, but I’m afraid I’ll fail again. More than anything, I just want to have my life back!”
As Amy and I talked, we were able to pinpoint a lot of places where things began slipping. The list included stopping her exercise program, eating on the run, not planning meals and doing late night snacking because she was lonely in her new city.
She also admitted that as long as she had been going to weekly meetings, she had done fine. But after her move and the new job, she lost that accountability, and eventually, she slipped back into her old habits.
Over the years, I’ve found three essential areas that change Amy’s pattern and bring lasting success.
1. Accountability
One of the reasons a lot of traditional programs (such as Wt. Watchers) work is they provide consistent support and accountability. Knowing you have to step on a scale and report in to someone about your recent health behaviors does a lot for keeping you on track
You don’t have to join a formal weight-loss group to have accountability. See if you have a friend or family member to buddy with and do regular check-ins. You can also sign up for an online buddy and provide support through emails and messages.
Here’s my favorite one:
Weight Loss Buddy
There’s no fee for this program and it gives you a way to have great connections with others.
2. A great toolbox
Many of you have used my 100 Days of Weight Loss books to build your toolbox. Reminding yourself of phrases such as “I don’t eat food because it’s there,” or “Eat dessert only when it’s special” can make a big difference in your ability to stick with your weight-loss efforts.
Even if you’ve read my books before, pull them back out and review the lessons that fit for you. It also might help to get the workbooks that goes with these books. They give you “fill-in-the-blank” pages to record your answers to the questions at the end of each lesson.
100 Days of Weight Loss
100 Days of Weight Loss Workbook
100 MORE Days of Weight Loss
100 More Days of Weight Loss Workbook
3. Tracking your meals and exercise
While this can seem like a pain to do, it’s one of the best ways to be accountable to yourself. You can simply write notes on a piece of paper or keep a list on your computer or phone.
You can also use an online system for tracking. Some of these also give you input and interaction from others. Here are a couple of my favorites:
Here’s an article from My Fitness Pal that gives a great summary of weight-loss tools, including ways to use rotisserie chicken to simplify your meals.
So if you are serious about making this a year of progress and success, shake things up a little and put these three ideas into your life today. You’ll start to see improvement almost immediately!