1. Just getting started is the key; don’t worry about every detail of a weight loss program.
Stay focused on the steps immediately before you. Don’t be overwhelmed by the weight you feel you must ultimately lose. Remember, just getting started is an important accomplishment.

2. Set your first major goal at losing 10% of your current body weight.
Not only has a 10% weight loss been proven to be medically significant, it’s also an achievable goal. Recent medical research indicates that a sustained 10% weight loss can reverse the negative effects of obesity, resulting in lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and a longer and healthier life.

3. Portion size is a cornerstone to successful weight loss.
You can avoid those extra pounds while still enjoying each morsel of food you put in your mouth. Weight Watchers stresses that the amount you eat is even more important than what you eat.

4. Learn to count your successes.
Celebrate every pound you’ve lost as you move toward your weight goal. Don’t fret about the weight that you haven’t shed. Keeping a positive, balanced perspective is key.

5. Give yourself breathing room – take simple, small steps to improve your lifestyle.
If you know you need to be eased into a routine, then change your habits gradually. For example, walk an extra five minutes a day, and increase the pace gradually.

6. Accept that you will make mistakes along the way.
What you do about any mistake is what’s important. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and continue with your healthy eating habits.

7. Dieting and deprivation don’t have to go hand in hand: You don’t have to give up your favourite foods.
Many of the foods you love – and that you may have thought of as diet breakers – can be eaten in good conscience and good health. If buying a big jar of your favorite snack leads to temptation, Weight Watchers recommends you buy single serving sizes instead.

8. Even if you lapse in your dieting, don’t give up.
If you succumb to that pile of French fries or that dish of chocolate mousse, don’t despair and give up. Lapses are normal. Knowing you can get back on track is an empowering skill to learn.

9. Recognize that new habits need practice, practice, practice until they become your own.
Give yourself time for lifestyle changes to feel natural and automatic.