Behaviorists’ Stages of Change model can help you unravel unhealthy habits and reweave healthy ones.
So you’re determined you’re going to do something about your weight. But what? Being overweight is not in itself a behavior. You don’t do overweight. Being overweight is an outcome of many behaviors that add up to consuming more calories than you’re expending. (Yes, there’s a genetic component too, but you can’t change that.)

The good thing is that this gives you lots of places to start moving toward your goal of losing weight. The challenge is sorting through them all and finding what will work best for you. So here’s the question: What are you most ready to change?

Behavioral researchers have identified five stages in behavior change:

1. Precontemplation: You’re not even considering it. No way you’re gonna give up your pizza and beer. Gym-going is not for you. Why walk when you can ride?

2. Contemplation: Well, maybe you could live without pizza and beer *every* week. Gym is out, but you always liked swimming, maybe a pool. The walk in the park with your friend was pleasant last weekend, maybe you could do it again.

3. Preparation: Next week you’re going to skip that pizza. You found out the local Y has a pool and their family rates are affordable. You talked to your friend about doing more walks sometime.

4. Action: Two weeks and no pizza. You joined the Y and you’ve swum laps there a couple times. You and your friend have gone walking the past three Saturday mornings.

5. Maintenance: The weekly pizza has been a thing of the past for six months. Swimming is so much a part of your daily routine that you don’t feel right if you skip it. Those Saturday walks are don’t-miss tradition.

In fact, this readiness to change model is behavior-specific. That is, you might be in the action stage with the pizza but still in precontemplation on that exercise stuff. You’re not likely to be very successful if you flog yourself for not swimming laps every day, what you want to do is move yourself to the next stage: List the pros and cons of regular exercise and guess what, you’re thinking about it and that means contemplation.

So think about the behaviors you can change to lose weight. What stage are you in for each of those behaviors? In each case, what can you do to move yourself to the next stage? What are you most ready to change.

Now I know you’re always asking yourself questions.

You know the ones like “Why can’t I lose weight?” and “Why does everything that’s bad for you taste good?”. But those questions won’t get you anywhere – except maybe helping you feel sorry for yourself and setting you up for a spot of comfort eating.

A more empowering set of questions, on the other hand, will get you off to a good start if you’re about to begin a weight loss program (or keep you on track if you’re in the middle of a diet).

Here are the questions to ask when you want to give your weight loss efforts a real kick start.

Why do you want to lose weight?

Make sure your reasons for losing weight are clear. Do you want to look good? Do you want to feel healthier? Has your doctor given you a health warning? Do you just want to be able to run around the park with your kids? Maybe all these reasons apply. The more reasons you have for losing weight and the more you are aware of them the easier it will be to remind yourself to keep to your weight loss program when the going gets tough. Even better, spend some time imagining how you will FEEL when you succeed. This will do more than anything to increase your motivation.

How much weight do you want to lose?

Set yourself a target. This gives you something to aim for and you will be able to see how much closer you are getting each week. You can never succeed if you don’t know what the end point is. “I want to lose weight” is not a measurable goal – you have succeeded (of sorts) after you lose an ounce. Make your goal specific with a target to aim for.

What will you do to lose weight?

Nothing is going to change unless you do. So what changes are you going to make? Will you follow a particular plan or just cut down in general? How will you know if you’re succeeding? What exercise will you take (if any)? How will you make sure that you follow your plan? What will you do about the things that might get in the way? Vague ideas about losing weight need to translate via a concrete plan into action. Ask yourself the questions and decide what you will do.

Who will support you?

Some people will actively encourage you and help your efforts while others will get in the way of your plans. Do you know who your supporters will be? And who you will need to avoid or find some way to deal with? Ask for the support you need from those you think are most likely to give it or join a club of people who are also trying to lose weight. These are available online or offline. If you can afford it think about getting a coach – all that focus on your success will work wonders. As for those who are less than enthusiastic about your plans, think about ways of handling them. Of course you’ll need a different strategy for close friends and relatives than you need for the guy who brings cakes into the office and insists you eat one!

And the final question?

When will you start?

There’s no time like TODAY. No eating the pantry empty before you begin. Dump the junk food and get started right now!

Copyright 2005, Janice Elizabeth Small

About the author:
Janice Elizabeth is a weight loss coach and author of “The Diet Exit Plan”. Request her FREE 15 page report “How to lose weight without dieting – 7 secrets the diet industry doesn’t want you to know” at http://www.SimplySlimming.comTODAY!

Everyone has their own individual reason for joining a health club, lose a few pounds, tone up, lower your blood pressure, strengthen a bad back or shoulder, perform better in sports, or just keep in shape by playing some basketball or racquetball.

By joining the gym you have shown a time, and a financial commitment to achieving your goals, congratulations!

However, joining the gym is only the first step.

Did you know that only about 2% of health club members actually use the gym?

Some gym member leave because they injure themselves and cannot work out, many others leave because of lack of results. The reasons are endless.

However, I have been a doctor for over eight years now, and I have seen new gym members come in with good intentions only to make the same common mistakes others made that set them up for failure, or an injury.

I am sure you must be wondering why I care about your goals for joining the gym.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that as many as 250,000 lives are lost annually due to lack of physical activity or a sedentary lifestyles. That is 200,000 more than the number of lives lost as a result of car accidents, which are 50,000.

Most of the problems myself and other doctors are treating such as high blood, arthritis, chronic pain or stiffness, overweight, low energy, stress and tension are often the result of years of neglect. Most of these chronic problems could have been prevented with proper guidance. The good think is that many of these chronic problems can still be helped, again with proper guidance.

Hopefully, by sharing what I have seen over the years will help your achieve your health and fitness goals. So, here are the most common mistakes I have seen over the years which results in injury, or failing to reach their goals whether it is weight loss, muscle toning, rehabilitating an injury, getting of all those pain medications or whatever the reason was for initially joining a health club was.

Mistake #1: Not seeing a QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL before beginning an exercise program

This sounds like common sense right? Every piece of exercise equipment has a similar statement on it right? There is a reason for that, exercise can be harmful or even deadly, and I do not care if you think you are good shape. How many times have you known of someone suddenly passing away from a heart attack and you say to yourself, he looked so healthy.

So schedule an appointment with your primary doctor and have your blood pressure check, get your resting pulse rate, get your body fat tested, have your heart and lungs listened to, have your muscles, joints, and any injuries evaluated before you begin your exercise program.

If you do not want to schedule an appointment with your doctor, you can have these test done here for free, no additional charge, this exam is included with your membership.

Why, we want you to enjoy the gym and achieve your goals, but first we want you to be safe. It also does not look that good when you see gym members rolled out to the ambulance parked in front of the gym entrance. It happens. Call your doctor up or if you are in the Phoenix area stop by and see us.

Mistake #2: Not getting any Initial Baseline Numbers

Again, this goes back to mistake number 1. How can you monitor your progress if you do not know where your were when you stated.

If you are a little over weight or trying to lower you blood pressure, don’t you think you should know what your blood pressure is before you begin your program. How are you going to monitor your weight loss if you do not know what percent of your body is fat, before you begin your program.

A brief note here, you know I mentioned percent of body fat and not weight. How much you weigh does not matter much, but your percent of fat does.

Lets say we have two overweight new gym members both weighing 200lbs. One joins the gym and is going to try use the scale to monitor his progress; the other stopped by our office and received their evaluation, which was included with their membership. At this evaluation we found that the second new member weighed 200lbs. And had a body fat percentage of 40%. This means that 40% of his body is made of fat 80lbs. The other 120lbs is what his muscle, bones, organs, etc. weigh, (everything but fat).

The member who received our evaluation used to work out, and was at one time in good shape, but over the years put on a few extra pounds and has not work out is some time. This member tried various was to lose the weight but was unsuccessful, this is the reason for finally join the gym. Since this member was really serious about losing weight they asked us if we could help. So, we set them us on a program.

Now it is a 6 weeks into the program and the new member who knew what their body fat was before starting on our program comes in for his follow up visits to monitor his progress and the first thing he says is, “doc I’m feeling better but the scale in the locker says I only lost 3lbs., I am frustrated.”

However, at this follow up visit, we did see that he/she has lost 3lbs and know weighs 197lbs, but the percent of body fat dropped fro 40% to 36%. This works out to be 70lbs of fat he/she has now instead of the 80lbs before. This guy/gal actually lost10 lbs of FAT! The stuff we are trying to lose. Make sense?

What do you think happened to the member who was using the scale? Lets say somehow they achieved the same results as the member we just talked about, lost 3lbs according to the scale after 6 weeks. This person may be thinking, “three times a week for 6 weeks and a lousy 3 pounds!!” Are they going to keep using their membership? I know the gym is still charging their credit card.

Do you understand what I am taking about?

The same is true for what ever your goals are for joining the gym is, weight loss, muscle toning, rehabilitating an injury, getting off or reducing all of those medications you may be on, lowering your blood pressure, reducing your stress, increasing your endurance, what ever your reason was. You should know where you are at when you begin. See your doctor and get this done. If you want us to do it, we are here for you.

Otherwise how are you going to know if what your doing is working or not working, you need to keep doing what your doing or change your routine? This leads me in the third and last mistake

Mistake #3 Not on the right program

High carbs / low fat, low carbs / don’t worry about the fats, low reps / high reps, this exercise will help your back / that exercise will hurt your back, and so on, and so on. Sound familiar?

This exercise and nutrition stuff can be real confusing. I see people everyday trying to lose weight, or strengthen an injury, and from the exercises I see them doing they are not going to get there. I usually do see them for long though they seem to disappear after a month or two.

Now that you know what your baseline numbers are (body fat is, blood pressure, etc), the next step is to get on an individual program that is right for you and your specific goals.

The best person to start with would be the doctor who first evaluated you before you started your program. If you have arthritis, a bad back, high blood pressure, or are overweight you should know exactly what you show and should not do.

Working out at the gym can do wonders for your health. If done correctly, exercise can lower blood pressure, reduce coronary artery disease, strengthen, improve your mood, help you deal with stress, increase your muscle tone, reduce chronic aches and pains, strengthen an injury, lose weight, if done correctly you can achieve the goals you have for joining the gym.

However, the gym can also make your little problem a real big one. I have seen, and treated, many people who have injured themselves working out. I have also seen many people trying to tone up or lose weight who are just simply following a program that will not work or may be harmful. These people stop coming to the gym, do not meet their goals, and keep paying their monthly membership dues.

Also, a little note, just because you see someone that looks like they are in shape does mean they are doing the exercises correctly.

So, make sure the person who is setting you up on your program is trained to customize an individualize program for your specific goals. Then, with this information you can begin your program without confusion. If you are interested in working with a personal trainer, this information can also be pasted on to them so they are aware what you should and should not be doing.

Mistake #4 Not having someone, other than yourself, monitor your progress

How are you going to know how you are doing if you do not have regular progress evaluations?

You should have someone rechecking your baseline numbers on a regular basis, blood pressure, percent body fat, etc. This person can also give you support and help you with any problems that might come up. Maybe a specific exercise causes you some pain, or you get a clicking noise in you shoulder when you do some exercises, that is not normal. You should have someone to help you with that.

Finally, have someone monitor your progress means you will be more likely to follow through with your program and meet you goal. Which, I assume is what you want to do.

If you avoid the 4 mistakes above you will be able you achieve you goals or your reason form joining this health club.

Celebrities always look fabulous. Whether appearing in television or films or strutting down the red carpet during movie premiers and awards, they never cease to fascinate us with their larger than life presence. The truth is, it takes a lot of effort to look the way they do, and being the public figures that they are, they cannot afford to slack off when it comes to taking care of their physical appearances. Their livelihood largely depends on how they look. Aside from the clothes, the hair and the makeup, celebrities have to take good care of their bodies.

So it is no surprise that these stars have their own secrets when it comes to staying fit and gorgeous. Their health agenda can range from extreme workouts to well-planned meals. Who doesn’t want to know their secrets in staying absolutely sexy? Here are some of the diet secrets of seven women celebrities.

1. Jennifer Aniston
The star of the phenomenal television show Friends not only mesmerized audiences with her adorable comic sense and her famous hairstyle, she was also known for having one of the sexiest bodies in Hollywood, as she appeared in countless magazine covers. To stay trim, Jennifer follows the 40:30:30 diet method. The diet consists of:

40% Low glycemic carbohydrates
-Foods such as beans, fruits and vegetables, legumes

30% lean proteins
-Tofu, fish, chicken, turkey, beef and low fat dairy products

30% essential fats
-nuts and seeds, fish and olive oils

It is essential that every meal should contain macronutrients to attain the balance of hormones and maximum weight loss.

2. Kate Hudson
The gorgeous daughter of actress Goldie Hawn gained 60 pounds during her pregnancy, which she needed to shed quickly before commencing on her next film. From her previous eating plan, she switched to a higher protein diet. She consumed high protein meals in smaller portions, and she combined this diet with an exercise program that includes weight training and cardiovascular workouts. After getting a lot of flak because of her post-pregnancy figure, Kate removed all that baby weight in only four months and has gained abdominal muscles that gained the envy of many in Hollywood.

3. Oprah Winfrey
As one of the most successful talk-show hosts in the world, there is no question that Oprah needs to maintain her physical appearance for her millions of audiences. Known as one of those celebrities who are constantly battling weight gain, she has recently toned up her figure and has never looked figure in age 50 by combining a regular exercise regime and diet plan. Oprah works out five days a week, spending 30 minutes on the threadmill and doing free weights. Her eating plan consists of legumes, fish, nuts, fruits and vegetables, chicken and dairy products that are lowfat. She limits her consumption of white sugar and flour. Oprah also credits her trim figure to her habit of not eating anything after seven in the evening.

4. Gwyneth Paltrow
A lot of people may find it hard to believe that the perpetually slim Academy award-winning actress actually needs to diet. Gwyneth actually follows a healthy eating plan that resembles Oprah’s, avoiding sugar and white flour. She usually follows a macrobiotic diet, eating foods like vegetables, brown rice, and lean meat. She also eliminated dairy from her diet, and does yoga everyday.

5. Madonna
The pop star known as the Material Girl has always flaunted a body that is to die for, and has become a true fitness paragon over the years. She keeps herself in tip-top shape by having Ashtanga Yoga, and follows a strict diet that mostly shuns junk foods. She adopted a macrobiotic eating plan that includes organic foods rich in lean protein.

6. Claudia Schiffer
The bodacious German supermodel eats salad and steamed vegetables for dinner and eats only fruits before the afternoon. While on locations, she prefers to eat black grapes and drinks tomato juice and herbal tea.

7. Christie Brinkley
Long-time supermodel maintains her all-American good looks by being a vegetarian. She does not keep junk foods of any kind inside her home to make sure that she does not eat them when cravings occur. She snacks on sweet potatoes in place of candy bars, and she adopts a liquid juice diet when she needs to slim down fast.

Celebrities are just like ordinary people. They need to maintain their figures just like anyone else, and there is more pressure on their part since they are constantly in the public eye. Ordinary folks can have celebrity-like bodies, too, and by following these diet and fitness plans, they can also look like red-carpet worthy.