This section is everybody, no matter whether you are losing, gaining or maintaining. Before you start your healthy lifestyle journey, read over this section. Some you may already know, but there’s always something new to learn.

1lb=0.5kg
This is an estimate, but it keep it in mind. Lbs/pounds are for Americans while kgs/kilograms are for Europe. A good quality scale should allow you to see both. Mine as a little switch on the bottom that flicks between lbs, kgs and stones too.

Be guilt-free
Never feel guilty about spending money on fitness. We all need to treat ourselves at some point, and this is all an investment. The rewards will last a lifetime, so there’s no need to justify spending money on yourself. You can spread the healthy word to your loved ones, so many people besides yourself will benefit.

Focus on you
Once you start comparing your circumstances to others, trouble starts. There will always be someone who loses faster or more than you. There will always be someone who has less saggy skin. There will always be someone with a more supportive support group. Compete with YOU, not your family, friends or co-workers. It’s your life, not theirs. If jealousy is a problem, click here.

Patience
Don’t expect to meet your goals overnight. Overnight success doesn’t taste as sweet or last as long as success after hard work. A tough time makes you appreciate the finish line even more. Expect a hard time. Expect to miss a deadline or two. Expect to feel dejected from time to time. Expect success at the end of it all, but only when your time comes.

Support
Your support can be anyone: your parents, siblings, friends, lovers, children or co-workers. If you’re not keen on telling them about your plans, join a support off or online. There are countless free weight loss forums out there with great support from others in your position.

When do you weigh yourself?
1. Right after you wake up. If you do it any other time, the food and drinks you consumed and the exercise done will affect the scale, proving incorrect results.
2. After using the toilet. The urine and excrement will push up the scale, so clear them out if you can. Don’t force it, though. If you can’t poo, don’t. Laxatives are harmful if used excessively.
3. Get naked. When I weighed myself wearing a dressing gown, it added 1lb/0.5kg.
Now step on the scale…Good luck.

Menstrual gains
Most women gain weight before or during their menstrual cycles/periods. This is because your body is preparing for pregnancy. When it gets the signal that you’re not pregnant, the water weight will go. Only you can determine how your body works. Do you gain weight days before your period starts? Do you gain weight after it’s started? Does the weight shift a couple of days after your period ends? The answers are different for everybody.

Check your body fat percentage
Just because someone is a healthy weight doesn’t mean they’re not fat. There is fat on the outside and inside, and the internal version is far more sinister. It wraps itself around internal organs like the heart. Use a fat caliper to measure your body fat. I advise you to get a staff member at the gym or your doctor to do it, so it’s done accurately.

20:40:40
20% fat, 40% protein and 40% carbohydrates. This is the ideal ratio of your calories consumed each day, but it is not essential. If your special dietary requirements consist of more carbohydrates because you need energy, more protein to stop shedding hair, or fat because you look malnourished, modify to suit your needs.

Just remember not to count anything out. Healthy fat cushions your body, inside and out, protein helps build gorgeous muscles and definition, and carbohydrates fuel your exercise sessions.

Zig zag calories consumed
To prevent weight loss/gain plateaus, zig zagging works like a charm. To zig zag, eat different amounts of calories each day. For example: MON- 1400 calories, TUES- 1800 calories, WED- 1300 calories, THURS- 2000 calories, FRI- 1500 calories. Zig zagging isn’t necessary, but alongside interval training it should be a deadly combination.

Weight loss/gain plateaus
Eventually your body adjusts to your exercise routine and calorie consumption. Everything that shocked it into losing/gaining suddenly doesn’t work anymore. Now is the time to switch things up. Click here for tips on how to get back on track.

Aim small
In all areas of your life you should aim for BIG things, and weight management is no different. However, break up your BIG dream into small stages. It’s so much easier to say, “I want to lose 4lbs this month” than it is to say “I want to lose 100lbs”. Small goals add up to BIG changes in the long run.

When you’re ready to maintain your weight, hop over to Maintain Weight Forever. Use the tips on this page and the info on that website to maintain your slim physique for life! Remember to aim small and handle one day at a time. It’ll all come naturally soon enough!