Mothers of New Babies and Toddlers

Healthy Weights

Are you ready to lose weight?

Are you ready to lose weight the wise way? Ask yourself these questions:

Have you thought about your present eating habits and physical activities so that you know what you might change?

You cannot change what you do not understand. By tracking your eating and activity habits for a week, you will be able to see the patterns that need improvement and the problems you need to solve.

Are you willing to make permanent - not temporary - changes to your eating and physical activity habits?

You may be able to lose weight quickly but this kind of drastic change is no way to live the rest of your life. Your food and activity plans should be ones that you can enjoy and maintain on a daily basis.

Are you willing to lose weight slowly, at an average rate of one pound a week?

Lose weight the way you put it on—slowly. At the same time, you can learn ways to keep the weight off forever! Fast weight loss means fast weight regain.

Are you thinking about losing weight because you really want to, or because someone else thinks you should?

The desire and commitment must come from you, not your family, friends, or doctor. People who lose weight successfully take responsibility for their weight goals. They also choose how they want to achieve their weight loss.

Are you willing to increase your daily physical activities?

Weight loss that stays off involves doing more daily physical activities. The wise way to lose weight means you need to start moving!

Are you willing to commit time and effort each week to organize and plan your food and activity choices?

Time is the key word here. Give yourself time to understand what your problems are and to develop an approach that will work best for you.

If you reach a certain level of weight loss, will you still be willing and able to maintain your lifestyle changes?

A plateau (or new level) in a longer term weight loss program is normal, so do not give up! Find ways to help you to get over this stage of weight loss.

Will you feel successful with a small weight loss?

Many people have a fantasy that they will reach a certain low weight. Often, their goals are not realistic. A reasonable plan sets smaller weight loss goals—ones you can achieve. Meet with a dietitian to set a reasonable goal weight.

As you can tell from this section, getting to and maintaining a healthy body weight requires that you understand how to improve your lifestyle, set realistic goals, and make a commitment to better eating and more physical activity.

Stay on track!

Once you have made a list of healthy lifestyle changes you plan to make, it’s time to put your plan into action. The most important thing to remember is to make changes that you can live with. Here are some tips on how to do this:

Set reasonable goals. Your doctor or dietitian can help you to make a list of reasonable goals and advise you on how quickly or slowly you should be losing weight to remain healthy.
Use the healthy eating and activity logs for Mothers in Motion to track your habits and show you where you need to make changes.
The changes you make must be ones that you can maintain. Make sure to choose physical activities and healthy foods that you really enjoy.
Be patient and lose weight slowly, rather than going on a crash diet.

Once you are on track, here are some tips to keep you moving forward:

Try new foods and new activities as often as you can. This will keep you interested and motivated.
Take a close look at your progress on a regular basis, and track your achievements.
Getting off track is not a failure: remember the good things you have already done for your health.
Feel proud when you reach your goals.
Do not give up when you reach a new level! Try a different exercise or activity or set a new eating plan to help you get past this type of roadblock. A change can be as simple as taking a different route when you go walking or doing a new hobby that keeps your mind off eating.
Find a partner or support person to be physically active with. They can meet you at the pool, go for an evening walk in your neighbourhood, or even share healthy recipes. The right support person will encourage you to be active more regularly and to make better choices about food – not make you feel guilty!

Be aware that the changes you make today should be changes you can live with for the rest of your life. If you can do it today, tomorrow and every other day, then you are on track to a healthier life!