When you’re starting out on a health or weight loss journey, it can sometimes feel overwhelming to know where to begin and what to do. We know it’s tempting to want “quick fixes” and immediate results, but the truth is — slow and steady is best when it comes to losing weight. To successfully lose weight (and keep it off!), we recommend taking it one day at a time — or in this case, week by week.  

Week 1: First things first, to succeed in losing weight, you need to find your “why,” which can differ for everybody. Whether it’s wanting to be healthier for your kids, desiring to feel more confident, or needing to lose weight for a health condition, having a reason behind losing weight will help you stick with it when things are starting to get challenging. 

Secondly, make sure that you take baseline measurements at the beginning of this week. It’s essential to take body measurements and photos because sometimes our bodies change before our weight does. Another thing to start tracking is your baseline food, exercise, hydration, and sleep stats. 

Week 2: Now that we have our baseline, it’s time to start setting goals. The best goals are “SMART”: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound. These goals don’t even necessarily have to be about weight loss. You can also set goals around sleep, water intake, or physical activity. 

Week 3: Two weeks down! Now is an excellent time to review your goals and see if anything needs tweaking. Maybe you met your goal easy-peasy, so it could be time to boost things up. Or, perhaps you set your goal too high and need to lower the bar for the time being. Whichever way it goes, don’t forget to celebrate how far you’ve come and maintain self-compassion — weight loss is hard, and you’re doing great! 

Week 4: Hopefully, things are starting to feel more habitual as we get to the end of your first month. This week is great to mix things up a little — try meeting a friend for an exercise class you’ve always wanted to try, or pick up a new vegetable at the farmer’s market. Eating and doing the same things day after day can get boring, so spicing things up this week can help you get out of the monotony. Lastly, if you’re struggling with your weight loss journey, don’t be afraid to ask for help from your health care provider or a registered dietitian.