There's never a "good" time to begin a weight-loss program. But if you commit to following these 8 steps, you'll be on the road to weight loss success. Excerpted from The Biggest Loser Success Secrets.
Everyone wants to lose weight for different reasons. For Kelly Fields from Season 5's The Biggest Loser: Couples, it was about the limitations: "I couldn't cross my legs. I'd have to assess a chair before I sat down. I couldn't go through a turnstile--not even sideways. I had to use the handicapped stalls in bathrooms; normal stalls were too small for me," she says. "Most people don't realize how hard and inconvenient it is to be so heavy."
Kae Whang from Season 4 says shame was her motivation: "I couldn't do the littlest things, like tie my shoe. With every move I made, breathing was a struggle. I was too embarrassed to even think about going to my high school reunion. I was too ashamed of how I looked to visit my family in Korea. I asked myself if I was happy, and the answer was 'no.' The shame I felt was my wake-up call."
Maybe you've already experienced your own "aha" moment, or perhaps one of these real-life stories resonated with you. Just knowing that you want to make a change is an important accomplishment. If you're ready to commit to losing weight, here are a few guidelines from The Biggest Loser.
1. Be honest about your weight problem
If you're overweight, admit it! Denial prevents you from action, and the longer you ignore the issue, the more pounds will pile on, potentially leading to health problems and more weight to take off down the road. "When I saw pictures of myself, I realized how heavy I had gotten. I had to face the music," says Kelly.
2. Don't make excuses
There's never a "good" time to start a weight loss program. Just ask The Biggest Loser contestants, who leave their jobs and families for several months to lose weight at the ranch. The time to start living a healthy life is now.
3. Learn from your past
Most people have tried dieting before and either gave up or gained the weight back. If you failed in the past, use this as an opportunity to improve. What worked? What didn't? Be aware of your strengths and try to avoid things that have tripped you up. Read about common slip-ups and how to overcome them.
4. Do a clean sweep of all junk food
You can't eat it if it's not there! Rid your home, office, and car of foods that aren't nutritious or that will cause you to overeat. Replace problem foods with healthy choices, like those recommended on The Biggest Loser diet, including fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, lean meats and poultry, and low-fat dairy products. Try some of The Biggest Loser recipes for help in making healthy choices.
5. Build your support system
Research is clear: People who lose weight and keep it off have people to help them along. So start recruiting a team to keep you on track. This could be your family, your coworkers, a personal trainer, an exercise partner, a running or hiking club, or through online groups such as Prevention's Weight Loss forums or community boards at The Biggest Loser Club. Any form of support will keep you on track. You might even want to a partner and shed pounds together, as the Season 5 contestants did.
6. Set realistic goals
You've heard it a million times: If your goals aren't attainable, you'll get frustrated and most likely quit. Set small milestones you can meet each week to maintain your enthusiasm and momentum. If you need help figuring out what's realistic for your age and body type, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian.
7. Make daily resolutions
Don't focus solely on far-off goals. Instead, make daily resolutions to keep yourself motivated. Your daily goals should be a cinch to pull off. Some examples might be: Eat two extra servings of vegetables; learn a new exercise; walk an extra 30 minutes; play outside with the kids. If you concentrate on what you need to do today, achieving your end goal--like fitting into size 6 jeans--will take care of itself. Read more motivational tips from Biggest Loser trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels.
8. Expect to face obstacles
Change doesn't come without setbacks. "The key is to find something inside you that keeps that fire going," says Neil Tejwani of Season 4. "For me, it was knowing I wanted to start the next chapter of my life with my girlfriend."
Excerpted from The Biggest Loser Success Secrets: The Wisdom, Motivation, and Inspiration to Lose Weight--and Keep It Off! Rodale (2008)
