Change the Way You Eat
by Susan Bernstein
excerpted from the Arthritis Foundation book Change Your Life!

Set Some Weight-Loss Goals
If you think that you have some weight to lose, and if your doctor agrees, then together you should set some basic goals. Your weight-loss goals need to fit your personal situation. Every person is unique and has individual challenges associated with weight. Every person has a different body shape or style, lifestyle and medical history.

That is why we suggest that you set weight-loss goals only with the help of your doctor. Make an appointment to see your doctor, or bring up this issue at your next visit. There are some personalized tests that you can do with your doctor that will show you if you are overweight, and by how much.

With your doctor's help, you will set some basic goals for your weight-loss efforts. These goals might include:

• How much weight you should lose

• A range, in pounds, to aim for and to stay within once you achieve that level

• How long you should try this program, tracking your weight-loss efforts to determine your progress.

When it comes to how long you should try any weight-loss effort, it really depends on you. The changes we suggest are long-term changes. Permanent changes, in fact. We're suggesting that you set goals for yourself to make changes to your diet and eating habits that will last a lifetime. What you should aim to create is a nutritious, healthy, balanced diet. By eating this way, and by incorporating sensible physical activity into your lifestyle also, your weight will likely reduce as a result.

Losing weight by making gradual, healthy changes will be much easier than trying to make a drastic, short-term change to the way you eat. And this type of weight loss should be easier to maintain because you will become accustomed to eating in a new way. It will seem natural to eat nutritiously.