Food & Fitness

The right combination of getting more exercise, changing the foods you eat, and cutting back on portion sizes is the key to weight loss.

Remember assessing your current health and environment can help you decide what you are ready, willing, and able to change.

Once you’ve decided that you’re ready to change, it’s time to set some goals.

Though losing weight will be your overall goal, you will take many small steps to reach it. Set smaller goals to make changes to the way you eat and exercise. Don't try to do it all at once, and chose changes that you can stick with.

Slipping up once in a while will happen – we are all human! Just be sure to get back on track the next day because if you go back to old habits, the pounds will return.

Think of one or two things you are ready, willing, and able to change. Then set a goal for each. For each goal, consider three things:

1. What behavior will you change? Be specific.
2. How often will you do this?
3. Don’t try to change too much at once. Be realistic.

Here are some examples of goals that follow these guidelines mentioned above:

Eating: Four days each week (2. How Often) I will an apple instead of ice cream as my evening snack (1 and 3. Realistic and Specific).

Physical activity: Five days each week (2. How Often) I will take a 30 minute walk during the lunch hour since I don’t really need the whole hour to eat (1 and 3. Realistic and Specific).

Notice that the eating goal is not “I will eat more fruit” or “I will eat healthier.” The activity goal is not “I’ll walk more.” Goals like that are not specific enough.

A helpful resource for getting started is our book, Diabetes Weight Loss, Week by Week.

Once you set your goals, start setting up a plan to help you achieve them.