Everyone’s journey with weight starts somewhere and ends somewhere else completely different. The road to weight-loss is filled with physical, mental and emotional challenges. It’s no wonder some find it hard to take that first step toward improved health.
The First Step Makes All the Difference
The acclaimed artist Vincent Van Gogh once said: “Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.”
Though every step of your journey with weight is important, the first step is different. It’s the moment you realize that your weight matters. It matters because it can have an impact on your health, and your health is too precious to be passive about.
For more information about why your weight matters, Click Here.
When you take this first step, you’ve already done something significant. You’ve recognized the impact weight can have on health. While this looks different for everybody, the fact remains that excess weight puts strain on the body and worsens with time. Weight-loss isn’t important because of appearance or the opinions of others; if you can benefit from it, it’s important because it can help you overcome difficult health challenges.
If you’ve decided you want to lose weight for your health, you’ve taken a mighty step forward. Maybe it was excruciating and brought up a lot of emotions. Even if that’s the case, it was a powerful step and you should celebrate it.
Toward Weight-loss: Tips for Starting
When it comes to taking that first step, you may be thinking:
- Did I do it right?
- What will that first step entail?
Truthfully, it looks different for everybody. However, if this is your first time deciding you’re ready to lose weight, there are a few helpful “first steps” you may find value in:
Start the Conversation
Talk about your decision and your health goals with someone you trust – a friend, family member, healthcare professional, etc. Open up the dialogue. Ask for advice, support and guidance if you feel like you could use it.
Visit Your Healthcare Provider
If you don’t already have one, find a healthcare provider (HCP) who makes you feel comfortable and supported. Start with a basic health exam and discuss with your HCP what your next steps should look like. For tips on starting this conversation, CLICK HERE. To find a healthcare provider you can trust with the subject of weight, CLICK HERE.
Set SMART Goals
List goals for your health that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. These will clearly define the path you want to take and guide you correctly toward your goals.
Remove Distractions
Your refrigerator or pantry could be cluttered with foods you’re trying to cut back on. Maybe a piece of exercise equipment in your home is covered up by clothing. Perhaps a friend of yours is unsupportive or you get lost with small changes to your routine. Find what distracts you from moving in a good direction, then work on removing it.
Keep Multiple Logs
These may include a food log, exercise log or even a log that documents your physical and emotional changes. Logs and journals help you process your journey and record progress.
Final Thoughts:
If you’ve decided to make a commitment to your weight and to your health, and to start on the road toward weight-loss, you should feel proud. You have done something important for you.
Now we invite you to take the Your Weight Matters Challenge and benefit from a variety of FREE resources to help you along the way.
