How to Reset a Weight-Loss Program

Plan for success when restarting a weight-loss program.

Falling off the weight-loss bandwagon does not mean failure but an opportunity to start anew. Fresh resolve to begin again requires deliberate mental effort, effort that can be used to start your program with a clear goal and methods in mind. Whether the goal is losing five pounds or 50, create a road map for success by recognizing where you went wrong, what you will do differently and how soon you would like to reach your goal.

Instructions

1. Define clear goals. Mark Crawford, a clinical psychologist commenting for CNN, asserts that failing to set clear goals can sabotage weight-loss efforts. Before beginning, know what your eventual goal is. Realistic, specific goals with a time frame set the stage for knowing how intense weight-loss efforts must be. Break down increasing exercise and improving eating patterns into specific goals, such as, "I will exercise three times a week," and "I will cut out soda." Meet with a registered dietitian or nutritionist to determine a specific eating plan with appetizing meals.

2. Identify crippling thought patterns. Thinking you can't reach your goals or that binge eating is OK after a long day can quickly send any dieter into despair over ruined attempts, but those thoughts can be retrained. Weight Watchers suggests increased mindfulness and awareness for reaching goals. Identifying the thoughts that undermine weight loss is central to success, so take time to consciously record the thoughts that have been detrimental to your past attempts. Any thoughts that are negative should be identified and written down, a first step to reworking those thoughts. Any thoughts that have contributed to failure in the past can be retrained. Lasting weight loss is not an easy or quick change to implement, so consider previous failures a lesson learned.

3. Develop coping skills to address the things that have interfered with success. Making it a priority to sleep well, exercise and schedule time to cook the meals you should be eating are just some of the ways to diminish overwhelming stress. Stop emotional or compulsive diet-busting moments by changing the way you respond to situations. If there is an environment where overeating is easy, bring veggies or non-caloric beverages to distract yourself. If your job is particularly stressful, plan fun things to do after work to give yourself a release.

References

• Weight Watchers: Mind Skills for Lasting Weight Loss
• Weight Watchers: Coping Skills
• CNN: New Year's resolution No. 1: Lose weight