By Theresa Stahl, RD, LDN 

Q: I made a New Year’s resolution to lose weight but I’m having trouble getting started. Can you give me some ideas to help get me going in the right direction?

A: Getting started on a weight loss plan is challenging.  Adopting healthy habits involves making healthy choices both at the grocery store and in restaurants.  Consider that you’re building new habits to last your lifetime and not just following a diet that you will go on and then off once you’ve achieved your weight loss goals.  With this in mind, you’re more likely to stick with healthy eating habits for life.

Some tips to help you get going in the right direction include:

Schedule an appointment with a registered dietitian (RD). He or she can calculate your individual calorie needs and create a personal eating plan for you based on your specific calorie needs and lifestyle.  Follow-up visits can assure you’re on the right path to achieve your goals.

Write down specific goals. So many people have an idea of what they want to achieve but never reach their goals because they aren’t specific.  For example, resolving to eat better is a big goal without specific action steps for success.  Smaller, more specific goals would be, “I will eat fruit with every meal,” or “I will eat beans every other day,” or “I will eat whole wheat bread instead of white,” or I will eat salads daily.”

Eat regularly.  Eat within the first 1-2 hours after waking, and try not to go longer than 3-5 hours without eating.  This will help you control your hunger and help prevent binge eating, which may sabotage your weight loss efforts.

Keep food records. Visit www.mypyramid.com to analyze your diet and evaluate your progress.  

Identify foods or drinks that you could eliminate or decrease.  For example, if you drink soda with lunch and dinner, switch to water.  If you drink a daily latte, decrease your intake to 1-2 times a week and drink hot tea on the other days.

Make unbreakable dates. If you resolved to increase your exercise, sign up for an exercise class and get the dates on your calendar. Keep your specific written goals where you’ll see them and be reminded of them.  

Enlist support.  You will be more likely to stick with your goals if you have support. Research shows that people who exercise with others are more likely to maintain their exercise routine.  

Reevaluate your plan on a monthly or biweekly basis. Make changes as needed.

Go easy on yourself as you make progress.  Remember, reward “progress, not perfection.”  This allows for the reality of everyday living.  

Once you get started, you’ll find that healthy eating habits and regular exercise really help you feel better and improve mood and health.  Best wishes for a happy, healthy 2009!