Maybe you’ve been thinking about losing weight for some time now. Perhaps you have even tried to lose weight before. If you’ve lost your motivation, now is the time to get started again.

Losing weight isn’t easy, but think of the benefits. Losing weight will help you feel better, make it easier to be physically active, and can improve blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

You can make losing weight a family project or set your own personal goal. Pick a day to begin. Focus on making simple changes on a daily basis. Make these changes slowly and stick to them. If you fall of the wagon for a day or two, don’t beat yourself up. We all have moments of weakness and days when it can be hard to stick to a healthy eating and exercise plan. The key is to quickly remember and recommit to your weight loss goal.

Follow the steps below to help you form habits that will that will bring you closer to reaching your weight loss goals.

Choose lower fat, lower calorie foods:

• Prepare food by broiling or baking instead of frying.
• Eat fewer breaded and fried foods. Breading and frying foods like fish, shrimp, chicken, and vegetables add fat and calories.
• Eat lean meat, fish, and poultry without skin. Choose poultry breasts and drumsticks more often than the wings and thighs.
• Eat more fruits, whole grain, and vegetables. If you are a nibbler, choose fruit and vegetables as snacks more often.
• Use the food label to choose lower calorie foods.
• Drink fewer alcoholic and high-calorie beverages.
• Drink six to eight glasses of water each day.

Limit your portion size:

• Eat smaller portions–do not go back for seconds.
• Try eating only one serving of high-fat, high-calorie foods like pizza, ice cream, or chips. Slowly cut back on your portion size. Substitute with lower fat, lower calorie foods during the rest of the day.

Related Articles

• How to Double Your Weight Loss
• Diet Wars Revisited: Low-Carb, Low-Fat or Mediterranean

Keep moving:

• Be physically active for at least 30 minutes a day, or as much as you can.
• Park your car a block or two away and walk.
• Get off one or two bus stops early and walk the rest of the way.
• Use the stairs.
• Dance. See if you remember those old school moves or learn some new ones.

Try to lose weight slowly. Lose about 1/2 to 1 pound a week until you reach a healthy weight. If you need help staying on track, seek support from friends and family and don’t be afraid to ask for help from your doctor or other health professional.

References: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services