Your personal plan

What works for others

Details

Published on Wednesday, 07 June 2006

Thanks to research, we now know what works for people who have lost weight and successfully kept it off. So be inspired! The key elements of success are to:

• Believe that you can control your weight and the changes involved are really worth doing - and keeping up
• Stay realistic about weight goals and value what you have achieved rather than dwell on the weight you ¬ëdream¬í of being
• Make small changes that can be maintained
• Plan ahead for regular meals and any snacks, starting with breakfast
• Watch portion size and limit fast food
• Eat a healthy, low-fat diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables
• Have flexible approach to food ¬ñ enjoy some favourite foods without guilt
• Be more active ¬ñ plan ways to fit it into your daily life
• Keep a record of what you eat and how active you are Regularly check your weight, waist, body fat or how well a skirt or jeans fit
• Realise that healthy changes need to be kept up long-term. 

Now to get down to the planning bit.  Use this guide below to set yourself a clearly structured plan of action.