Not Where You Want to Be?

Reality check: Your decision to get in shape and lose weight was a few weeks — or months — ago. And you don't feel remotely ready to put on a pair of skinny jeans or ditch the baggy shirt. Hang in there. There's no time limit to getting your body to a place where you can love and admire it.

Here are four steps to regroup and restrategize, from Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, dietitian at Northwestern Memorial Wellness Institute.

Adopt the 80-20 rule
Some people’s goals are so broad that they’re often unobtainable (to completely change your diet and never touch a French fry again, for example). When expectations are set too high, it doesn’t take much to throw a person off. "We’re looking for progress; not perfection," says Blatner. "The biggest mistake that dieters make is aiming for perfection."

People should strive to maintain their resolution 80 percent of the time so they’re not derailed when circumstances don’t go as planned (the remaining 20 percent). Just think, if you weren’t making any effort at all toward better health, the scale might keep climbing up.

Break it down
If your goal was to lose 40 pounds in 3 months, you were expecting too much. "Chop up your goal into little pieces," says Blatner. Each small achievement adds up and can help you feel successful. Don’t commit yourself to all-encompassing goals such as losing a large amount of weight or giving up an entire food group. Set your sights on something more concrete like losing 5 percent or 10 percent of your body weight or snacking on fresh fruit instead of candy.

Refresh your resolve
"Put a plan into action called a ’resolution revival,’" says Blatner – perfect for the 3-month mark. Evaluate where you’ve been and where you want to go. Make sure your initial goal was realistic. Your goal should establish positive lifetime habits and not be a quick fix. "This is not a sprint; it’s a marathon," Blatner says. It doesn’t matter when you get there, just as long as you do. So define tangible steps to take and make sure you have a strong support and reward system.

Add some gimmicks
Some people set the same goal, using the same language, time after time. If it didn’t work last time (or the 10 times before that!), it’s time to get glitzy. Type up your goal and set it as your computer’s screensaver. Set an alarm to ring when it’s time to go for a power-walk. Purchase a mini-fridge for your office to keep healthful snacks on hand. Put $10 in a jar for every pound you lose and set it aside for a shopping spree. Whatever it is, just try something new.

Don’t be discouraged if you’re dropping weight slowly. In fact, that’s the best way to do it! Read Why Slow Weight Loss Wins to learn more.

Subscriber Highlight: Focus on your overall progress and not just the numbers on the scale with our Weight Tracker and Progress Charts.

Ready to lose weight?