What's the best advice for successful weight loss? What should I expect as far as weight loss per week? What about enhancing my weight-loss efforts with weight-loss supplements? What is the best type of exercise to aid in weight loss? What foods should I avoid? Can I still eat some desserts and snack items? Should I weigh myself everyday or wait a couple weeks? How can I determine what is a healthy weight for me? Should I just expect to get heavier with age and not worry about it? I think I have 80 pounds to lose. How can I get past seeing this as a huge obstacle that's insurmountable to me? What do you think are some of the greatest hindrances to weight loss? What's the best advice for successful weight loss? Look at the behaviors that cause you to overeat and start to make changes, one behavior at a time. Quite simply, you'll need to eat less and move more. Be patient, forgive yourself for occasional slip-ups and don't quit. You can expect some weeks to lose according to schedule and some where you won't. And, you can expect to slip up and eat a huge piece of chocolate cake with ice cream, but decide that a slip-up or two won't stop you and just vow to get back on track. Top What should I expect as far as weight loss per week? Of course, it will depend on how much effort you're putting into your weight loss program, but a healthy weight loss amount would be 1 to 2 pounds per week. The weight came on gradually, and for the best long-term success, it should come off gradually. Top What about enhancing my weight-loss efforts with weight-loss supplements? Supplements advertised as weight-loss agents are not endorsed by this program. There are no "miracle" weight-loss drugs or supplements. Also, some such as those containing ephedra can be quite harmful. Top What is the best type of exercise to aid in weight loss? Really there are two kinds of exercise needed for weight loss and long-term maintenance: aerobic and weight training. Aerobic exercise (walking, running, swimming, biking -- exercises that raise and sustain your heart rate for a period of time) burns calories quickly. The more intense the exercise and the longer you perform it, the more calories you'll burn. To lose weight, experts recommend performing aerobic exercise for 30 to 45 minutes a minimum of 4 to 5 times per week. For maintenance after your weight loss, get 20-30 minutes 3 times per week. Refer to Calories Burned on the top frame for more information. Weight training, increases your body muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the more your metabolism (the rate you burn calories) will increase, which means more calories burned for your efforts. The bottom line: combine weight training and aerobic exercise. Top What foods should I avoid? Can I still eat some desserts and snack items? No food is truly a bad food, and we don't recommend avoiding any particular food. However, some are certainly healthier for you than others, and some food preparation methods are healthier than others. Using the USDA Food Guide Pyramid as a guide, eat fewer sweets and more fruits, vegetables and whole grain items. The Food Guide Pyramid will be reviewed in Session 3. It gives the recommended daily servings of each category. Top Should I weigh myself everyday or wait a couple weeks? Weight-loss experts can't agree on this, simply because what's best for one person may not be for another. Most recommend weighing weekly while you're trying to lose weight. It gives you a chance to see some progress and not get discouraged if the scale doesn't move downward too quickly. However, after you've reached your weight loss goal and you're trying to maintain that weight, some people swear by weighing daily so that their weight never gets out of hand. If they notice a pound or two creeping on, they can immediately take extra effort to take them off. One important thing, weigh at the same time, for example, first thing when you get up in the morning and after you use the restroom. Top How can I determine what is a healthy weight for me? Weight charts aren't the answer alone. A better measurement for the average person is body mass index. This shows the fat to muscle ratio in your body. Work with your doctor to determine a realistic goal for your weight. Visit "Assess Your Risk" on the top frame for a body mass index calculator.  Top Should I just expect to get heavier with age and not worry about it? Although this is common, it's not good and shouldn't just be considered status quo. Just gaining a pound or two a year from age 20 on can mean 40 to 80 extra pounds by age 60! Being that much overweight is not a good thing. For one, it puts you at higher risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Also, the extra weight is hard on your knee joints and back. Exercise and a good diet are crucial to preventing an increasing waistline over the years. Top I think I have 80 pounds to lose. That seems so overwhelming. How can I get past seeing this as a huge obstacle that's insurmountable to me? Don't look at it as a weight loss of 80 pounds. Start small. Set a goal to lose 5 pounds or 3 inches from your waist or one dress or pants size. Then celebrate and reward yourself when you achieve that with a non-food reward such as flowers, a new CD or a movie. Then set the same goal again. Or focus on how many miles you can walk. Start with a block or two if necessary, then build on it. Top What do you think are some of the greatest hindrances to weight loss? There are too many to name, but here are some common ones we see time and time again: Too quick to give up. Yes, you will slip up. Just move on and vow not to slip up again soon. Just don't quit. Not planning. It's no one's fault but your own if you haven't planned well and don't have any healthy foods in your house to eat. Plan ahead and shop so that you'll have something healthy on hand for those last minute meals and snacking urges. Plan ahead so you have the ingredients to try some new, low-fat recipes. Plan ahead when you go out to eat. Know what you'll order, how much you'll eat and vow to stick to it. Plan ahead how you'll react when coworkers want you to join them eating out. Blaming someone else or a situation. Yes, it's the popular thing to be the victim and blame someone else. However, as an adult, you now are responsible for what goes in your mouth and how much you exercise. Your spouse, children, and even the restaurant personnel are not forcing you to eat more than you should. Nor is it your mother's fault for forcing you to clean your plate as a child. Nor is it your baby's fault that you gained weight during pregnancy and haven't lost it for 15 years. It's simply time to own up to your own actions. But when you reach your weight-loss goal, bask in the glory of knowing you are strong and the responsible party who gets the accolades for that achievement. Eating out too often. It's hard to eat out frequently and eat healthy. The portions have increased to amazing sizes, and so many foods are fried or in cream sauces. Also, some of us have a hard time leaving half the meal on the plate "since we paid so much for it." If you eat out, plan ahead. (See above.) Take a friend and split a meal. Agree to not order dessert. Take half the meal home for another meal at home the next day. Sabotaging friends, family or coworkers. Some are jealous that you're making great strides in your weight loss and they're not. Some are thin and have never binged on an item in their lives. They just can't understand that some foods might be trigger foods for you to overindulge. Some just don't think you're serious about your efforts. Some don't want to be inconvenienced in any way and they don't want to adjust their eating habits. Learn to recognize sabotaging efforts. You may need to distance yourself from friends who insist on pushing food on you. If your spouse doesn't want to cook the foods you want, you might have to step up and do the grocery shopping and learn to prepare some foods on your own. If coworkers in the break room are always munching on rich desserts or candy bars, find another place to take your break. However, one good antidote is to involve helpful friends, coworkers and family as much as possible in your efforts. Note: If a spouse is truly trying to sabotage your efforts, consider professional counseling together. There may be issues of feeling like the relationship will change and won't need them anymore once you're a "new" thinner person. Not exercising. Weight loss by fewer calories alone is very difficult. Not making the time commitment. It takes time to learn about changing your habits and actually implementing those changes. It takes time to read and study food labels -- to learn how many calories are in a serving and how large a serving portion is. It takes time to learn some new recipes and cooking methods. It takes time to experiment with different exercise classes or videos and recreational activities to see what you enjoy the most. It takes time to learn a new physical activity. It takes time to lose weight. Weight loss is only for committed people. Not asking for help. Yes, your family, friends and coworkers might be saboteurs, but they might also turn out to be your best cheerleaders and supporters. However, you have to ask for their help and let them know how they can help you. Or maybe you need professional help. If you really can't seem to quit overeating, seek professional counseling to determine the underlying reason behind your overeating. Join a weight-loss support group. Take a Vo-tech course in low-fat cooking. Top