Do you plan? Or do you just roll through life? Have you heard this saying? “If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.” If you have a wish to lose weight, then you better set goals and plan. Here is what I mean.

So you want to lose weight? How much? Write down the exact number of pounds you want to lose. 10 pounds, 20 pounds is great.

What do you do with a big goal like 100 pounds? Weight loss and maintaining healthy weight is a long term goal. You don’t want to get lost in the “bigness” or the length of the goal. Think of your goal like a 5 pound salami. You can’t eat a 5 pound salami today. However you can eat a 5 pound salami 1 slice at a time.

The way to handle big goal is to break them down into smaller goals. 100 pounds is too big. But you can lose 10 pounds in 5-6 weeks. If that is too big for you, you can lose 1-2 pounds this week. If you lose 10 pounds in 5-6 weeks and repeat that process 10 times, you will lose 100 pounds in a year.

You have set your goal. Now what?

Pick an eating plan (“diet”) you can live with. Take that eating plan and make up a menu for the week. Most of the diets out there usually give you 1-4 weeks of menus. Make a menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Include any snacks. On the menu, note the cook book and page number for the recipes. While you are doing your menu, make your shopping list.

Shop the periphery of the grocery store. That is where the healthier foods are located. The more processed foods are in the center of the store. Stay clear of those isles. Stay clear of temptation.

When you go to work or out for any length of time, pack you lunch and snacks. You will be less likely to hit the fast food chains or the coffee bars.

Plan you food and eat your plan and reach you weight loss goals.

Grab your free report 5 Tips for Successful Weight Loss. Get healthy one healthy choice at a time.

Blessings, Mary Pat

Mary Pat FitzGibbons RN MS writes on healthy weight loss and other health issues facing Baby Boomer Women today.