ongratulations, you've completed the course!  If you've achieved your weight-loss goal, that's super.  You'll need to continue to eat healthy and exercise to maintain your weight.  If you still have a ways to go, don't give up.  Focus on the  weight you've lost so far, and keep steady on the course.  Set you goal for several months down the road and be diligent in your efforts to achieve it.

Relapse Prevention

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Let's review the simple premise for weight loss given in Session 1. You lose weight only when the total calories you consume through food and drink are less than the total calories your body requires for functioning plus the calories you burn by exercising.

For example, if you consume 3,000 calories in a day but only need 2,100 per day for body functioning (based on your body size and metabolism) and burn 250 through activity, there's a surplus of 650 calories per day. If you did that every day for a week, you'd gain over a pound per week!

You simply must continue to monitor and limit the amount of calories you eat and exercise at least 5 days a week.

It's a good idea to go back through the sessions frequently for review.  And it may be especially helpful to print out and complete periodically your Daily Food and Activity Record available under Daily Calorie Balance on the top frame.

Overcoming Backsliding

However, rare is the person who sets up a weight-control program and follows it to completion without wavering.  Most of us experience some backsliding along the way.  Recognizing our weaknesses and learning from backsliding episodes is the key to successful weight management.

The first step in overcoming backsliding is to become aware of what is most likely to cause it.  Some common causes are:

• Conflict in the home and other stress
• Boredom
• Discouragement with slow progress
• Social situations
• Impulse eating
• Lack of self-confidence

• Wait 10 minutes before eating.
• Recite a list of the advantages of not giving in.
• Reward yourself in a specific way for not giving in.
• Call a friend for support.

What causes you to backslide?  Take a moment now to list your vulnerable points and practice a response to them.  For instance, if boredom causes you to backslide, make a list of activities to overcome boredom: take a walk, write a letter or treat yourself to a facial.  Give yourself some positive feedback for your successes.  Keep the phone number of a supportive friend handy for when you feel weak.

If conflict with family member or spouse triggers backsliding, get outside help.  Above all, don't give up.  Everyone backslides sometimes.  Treat backsliding episodes as opportunities to learn from your mistakes.  Talk to a counselor, pastor or healthcare provide about working out problems that may lead to backsliding.

And in this corner…

Supportive relationships are very important in every stage of the behavior change process.  Seek someone to be in your corner -- a nonjudgmental, positive-minded believer.  Once you've identified friends or family members to support you, list 2 or more things they can do to help.

SMART Goals to Stay on Course

• Specific.  Be precise. Write down exactly what you expect to achieve.
  
• Measurable. Include amounts, times, days and other milestones for gauging success.
  
• Achievable. Set your sights on an attainable goal, yet one that causes you to stretch, to go beyond what you're doing today.
  
• Relevant. Although it's nice for your spouse, kids, boss, parents and friends to want you to be successful, your goal should matter to you, first and foremost.
  
• Trackable. Behavior change doesn't happen in a fell swoop - it takes time. Record your progress over days or weeks to see how much you're achieved.

Obstacles

When stressed, I will engage in a healthy activity, instead of reacting by eating, such as:

• Going for a walk
  
• Listening to music
  
• Talking things over with a friend.
  
• _________________________ (list some of your own ideas)

When feeling pressed for time, I will plan ahead...

• Packing tomorrow's lunch the night before
  
• Keeping lots of precut vegetables and fruits in the fridge
  
• Planning dinner menus a week in advance
  
• Stocking healthy, frozen dinners in the freezer
  
• _________________________ (list some of your own ideas)

When traveling for business or pleasure, I will …

• Take along a few healthy snacks
  
• Drink plenty of water
  
• Plan where I'll eat my meals in advance
  
• Ask hotel staff to recommend healthy restaurants
  
• Avoid drinking alcohol with dinner and limit rich desserts
  
• _________________________ (list some of your own ideas)

To avoid boredom, I will …

• Buy a subscription to a healthy cooking magazine
  
• Take a healthy cooking class at a local college or hospital
  
• Keep experimenting with lower-fat and lower-calorie versions of my favorite dishes
  
• Keep trying healthy food choices at different restaurants - the change in atmosphere keeps dining interesting
  
• _________________________ (list some of your own ideas)

Overcoming Obstacles

List the obstacles to healthy eating you've faced in the past as well as potential solutions you might try if they come up again.

Obstacles	Solutions

Plus, here's just a short summary of eating for health.

• Watch portions.
• Maximize nutrient density.
• Eat consistently throughout the day.
• Stay hydrated (10-12 cups of water daily).
• For improved recovery, eat/drink immediately after exercise.
• Choose supplements wisely.
• Avoid fad diets.