| |
ROCHESTER,
Minn., Feb. 19, 2003
Fad diets may result
in weight loss but rarely lead to successful maintenance
of a healthy weight according to the book, Mayo
Clinic on Healthy Weight. To successfully lose weight and
keep it off requires a lifestyle change. First comes
the commitment and preparation -- deciding whether
the time is right to change. Other issues in your
life may need changing before you can begin losing
weight.
Mayo Clinic on Healthy Weight recommends you ask yourself these
questions before starting a weight-loss plan:
* How motivated am I to change my lifestyle?
* Am I willing to look at my past success and failures, in
weight loss and other areas of my life, to see what motivates
me and keeps me working on things that are obstacles to my
success?
* Do I believe that achieving and maintaining a healthy weight
is a lifelong process that requires me to change my behavior,
my eating habits and my level of physical activity, and am
I ready to make that commitment?
* Can I view this as a positive, even pleasurable, experience?
* Are my weight-loss goals realistic?
* What's going on in my life now and over the next several
months and how will this affect my commitment?
* Will family and friends support my efforts?
* Can I change my eating behavior?
Honesty is essential in answering these questions. Knowing
you need to make a change and being prepared for the challenge
are different. Having the right mental attitude is important.
Focusing on your overall health will help you develop healthy
habits. With healthy habits, achieving and maintaining a healthy
weight will fit into your overall plan for good health. Mayo
Clinic on Healthy Weight can help you make your own complete
plan for healthy weight loss.
Source: Mayo Clinic
|
