| Good intentions for weight loss are wonderful. Like a | | | | an hour'. |
| whole lot of folks, I swore I would start to exercise | | | | 3. Write down your chosen goals. Create both short |
| more, go on a diet, and lose those extra pesky pounds | | | | term and long term goals for losing weight. Keep a |
| for good. Months later, I'm still deciding on the 'best' diet | | | | chart or journal to track progress and give yourself |
| for me, and paying the monthly gym dues for visits | | | | some encouragement as you reach your weight loss |
| that I am 'just about' to get around to. What's the hold | | | | milestones. |
| up? I had the best of intentions to lose weight and | | | | 4. Set deadlines. Make your weight loss goals not only |
| keep it off. I never got started. According to the | | | | measurable, but time specific. Set your weight and |
| experts, I failed because I didn't have a specific, | | | | exercise goals realistically. It's hard to pursue goals that |
| workable, weight loss plan. | | | | can never be attained. Unrealistic goals that never |
| Studies in the Journal of Personality and Social | | | | seem to be reached can add to your stress level. |
| Psychology found that people with firm action plans | | | | 5. Give yourself emotional reasons for continuing to |
| were more likely to engage in goal driven behavior, | | | | lose weight. What moves you to action? Imagine your |
| (eg.weight loss). In my case, I wanted to lose weight | | | | feelings when you succeed. What will your reward for |
| and start a healthier lifestyle. But as you can guess, this | | | | achievement be? Write it down and plan for it. |
| isn't as easy as just writing down "Lose weight and | | | | . |
| exercise more", and sticking it on the bathroom mirror. | | | | When should you begin? How about right now! It's |
| Developing an action plan is a process you must go | | | | decision time. You can continue to dream about a |
| through, really think about, clearly visualizing what you | | | | healthier life style, starting to lose weight and looking |
| want. By answering the following questions, you can | | | | better, or you can do something about it today. You |
| create your own weight loss and exercise action plan. | | | | can stay stuck in your rut, or you can make a change. |
| What are my goals? What, exactly, do I want to | | | | You can put off your happiness until another day, or |
| achieve? Get those ideas out of your head and on to | | | | you can begin doing positive things now, that you know |
| paper. That helps to make them concrete and doable. | | | | you are capable of doing. |
| Who doesn't like checking off lists when they get | | | | The choice is yours. It's easy to fall into the trap of |
| done? | | | | 'someday.' Someday I'll lose those extra pounds, but |
| There are five specific things you should keep in mind | | | | right now I have so many other things to take care o'f. |
| when writing down all of your weight loss goals: | | | | The truth is, you will always have things to take care |
| 1. Make your goals specific. Don't say you 'need to lose | | | | of, people to see, and places to go. You have to make |
| weight' or I'm 'going to lose weight', say you will do it. | | | | time for a better life for yourself because you are |
| For example: "I will lose 15 lbs and take a walk every | | | | worth it. |
| evening." | | | | Now that you know how to set up a specific, goal |
| 2. Make your excercise and weight loss goals | | | | oriented, weight loss action plan, there is nothing |
| measurable and specific. 'I'll walk on the treadmill three | | | | stopping you! |
| times a week for a half hour at a speed of 3.5 miles | | | | |