Plot Your Weight Loss Course

I'm sure you already know that weight loss and improved fitness don't happen overnight. But did you know that there are steps that you can take to improve your chances of weight loss success before you even start your healthier eating and exercise plan?

There are five distinct stages of behavioral change. Knowing what stage you are at now will help you to create a road map which will help you to achieve your future weight loss and improved fitness goals.

Here are the five major phases:

Stage 1 - Pre-contemplation:

This is the point where you don't feel that any change in your lifestyle is necessary. You may be thinking that exercising just takes too much time or that fast food is just too convenient to even consider giving up. Starting a fitness or healthier eating program during this stage would probably result in failure. The best thing you can do during this phase is to reassess your life goals and educate yourself further about health, diseases and risks.

Stage 2 - Contemplation:

During this stage you may start thinking that a change is necessary.

So, you think that maybe cutting back to eating fast food only three times a week is not so bad and you might be able to at least take a walk once in awhile. This is a good time to learn more about the benefits of healthy eating and regular exercise.

Stage 3 - Preparation:

At this point you are getting more serious about taking action. You've penciled in a walk with your friend for next week and are planning to go grocery shopping to cook a home meal. You may want to research exercise equipment, gyms, personal trainers, and healthier eating programs to learn more about what you can do to get in better shape.

Stage 4 - Action:

Here's where you actually take the first step. The first step may be as simple as taking a daily walk, reducing your fast food visits to twice a month or just cutting back on daily soft drinks and unhealthy snacks. Or, you may go as far as hiring a personal trainer or joining a gym. During this stage it is very important to learn coping mechanisms that will help you avoid relapsing into your old ways. One way to avoid exercise dropout is to form new healthy habits that lead to permanent lifestyle changes.

Stage 5 - Maintenance:

This is, of course, the stage that everyone should strive to be in. Being here means that you are exercising regularly and eating healthily most of the time. It is important throughout this stage (which should last the rest of your life) that you include a variety of exercise types or workouts that change relatively frequently. You should also seek and encourage the support of friends and family and include them wherever possible in the healthier aspects of your new life.

What stage are you in right now?

So, now can you identify what stage you are at? You may find that you are in the pre-contemplation stage for nutritional habits but that you are in the preparation stage for exercises. That's okay. It's not critical for you to force both areas into the same stage. You can work on changing your nutritional and exercise habits separately.

The key to success is first identifying your stage and then taking steps to advance to the next level (unless, of course, you are already at the Maintenance stage). Use the suggestions mentioned above in each stage to help you move to the next phase.

It's also important to tune-in to your fears, past struggles and expectations. Making nutritional and exercise changes is not easy and should be approached slowly. Remember to make small changes. Don't try to go from a completely sedentary lifestyle to an hour of daily exercise overnight. Build up slowly starting with even just 10 minutes of exercise every other day.

And lastly, be sure to inform your family and friends of your plans and enlist their support. Support is extremely important for anyone with weight loss and fitness related goals.

For all your weight loss and healthy lifestyle needs, visit www.weightloss.com.au and become a happier, healthier you.

Scott Haywood

---

Will The Real Fitness Hormone Please Stand Up!

New Medical Research shows high-intensity exercise can increase the body's... Read More

New Weight Loss Plan -- Resistance Training

My last article, Make Diets Work, concluded that dieting the... Read More

Supersizing America

For some of us, food is warmth and love. We... Read More

Carbohydrates: Why Size Matters

If I collected a dime for each time I've seen... Read More

Reading Labels

Reading labels is an essential part of any weight loss... Read More

A Before and After Look at Tummy Tucks

If you have a protruding abdomen, loose skin as a... Read More

Put Down That Brownie! Just One Bite Can Knock You Off Plan

It is very important for low carb dieters to stick... Read More

Do Low Carbohydrate Diets Lead to Weight Loss Success?

So your neighbor, office mate, best friend, whoever just lost... Read More

Welcome to the Middle Aged Diet

You are not a kid any more and becoming a... Read More

Understanding Bariatric Surgery

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity... Read More

Does It Matter If You Are Overweight?

Everywhere we look in the western world we are inundated... Read More

The Secrets of Online Weight Loss Pills

I know a lot of people out there would like... Read More

Obesity, Whats The Big Deal

Nowadays, so much of the public is obese (fat) that... Read More

A Look at Bariatric Surgery Complications

Although many patients have few problems after bariatric surgery, there... Read More

Dieting Will Never Be the Same! A Review of How to Make Your Diet Work

According to the American Obesity Association, an astounding 64.5 percent... Read More

5 Diet Pill Free Weightloss Tips For Powerful Living

Before you even think of taking diet pills to lose... Read More

Im Freezing! Why Gastric Bypass Causes Patients to be Cold

Body temperature is the result of your body generating and... Read More

Weight Loss from Exercise

Weight loss from exercise can be achieved by walking, running,... Read More

Are Low Carb Diets Good for Everyone?

What's a Low Carb Diet Really Mean?When I hear low... Read More

Diets - Why Drastic Does Not Work

How was it for you? Did you get through the... Read More

8 Ways to Rev up Your Metabolism

Yes it's true- and so unfair. As we get older... Read More

Obesity ? The Underlying Historic Causes

The scourge of obesity has reached such gigantic proportions across... Read More

Spritz On Some Flavor!

Now that everything from a tan to pantyhose comes in... Read More

Anorexia - a Game of Control!

Low self-esteem produces a game of control. It causes a... Read More

Myth: Gastric Bypass Patients Dont Need to Exercise to Lose Weight

Nothing is more disappointing than hearing a gastric bypass patient... Read More

Lose Weight Quickly And Easily - Weight Loss Information

For people that are obese, losing weight quickly can seem... Read More

Blow Those Fat Cells to Smitherines in Just 9 Short Days

Close kept secrets to weight loss: Give me 9 days... Read More

Fat Burning Exercise: Choose One That Can Revive Your Bodys Own Fat Burning Dynamism

Fat burning exercise is not merely one that will burn... Read More

Questioning Cardio for Weight Loss?

Q: I've heard you mention that you don't need tons... Read More

The Truth About Counting Calories And Weight Loss

Do calories matter or do you simply need to eat... Read More

Are You Overweight Because Youre Not Sleeping Enough?

If you're like me, you probably wish that there was... Read More

The Results Of Being Overweight

Being overweight is no laughing matter. For those who are... Read More

A Soda a Day: How is it Affecting Your Weight?

Many people limit themselves to one soda a day especially... Read More