Make A Plan

To create an "action plan", Janet decided on, and wrote down, these long-term goals: To lose 15 - 20 pounds over a six-month period and keep it off permanently. To become more physically active. To encourage her husband and children to eat better. Knowing that daily and weekly goals will keep her motivated and on the path to reaching her long-term goals, Janet establishes the following short-term goals: Lose one pound each week. Keep a food diary. Weigh in weekly and keep track of it in her food diary. Assess her progress at least once a week and make any necessary changes to her plan. Eat more fruits and vegetables every day. Use more "good" fats in food preparation such as olive oil instead of butter. Eat more calcium-rich foods by incorporating low-fat dairy foods and beverages into her diet. Eat breakfast each day even if it's a breakfast bar and a glass of milk or juice. Keep a glass of water around at all times and drink from it frequently. Take a vitamin/mineral supplement every morning after breakfast. Order take-out from restaurants that offer low-fat selections such as grilled chicken sandwiches or salads when she must work late. Use the stairs at work instead of the elevator, at least once a day. Talk to supportive friends and family members when she's having a hard day and feels the urge to go back to her old eating habits. Identify what went wrong when she cheats or "slips" in order to prevent it from happening again under similar circumstances. Using Janet's plan as an example, make your own plan for improving how you eat over the next month. Write it down in your planner book, on a piece of paper that you stick to your refrigerator, or anywhere that you will look at it daily. Now, let’s look at how to chart your progress.

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