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Conquer Your Weight: Changes that Lead to Long-Term Weight Loss Success

By Jennifer R. Scott, About.com Guide to Weight Loss

When it comes to weight management, long-term success is about adapting to permanent lifestyle changes that will help you make the right choices and stick to good habits. These are the changes that will help you conquer your weight once and for all.

  1. Assess Your Weight
  2. Get Ready
  3. Get Real
  4. Choose a Diet
  5. Keep a Food Diary
  1. Deal with Emotional Eating
  2. Cope with Cravings and Overeating
  3. Practice Portion Control
  4. Friends, Family & Support
  5. Avoid Common Mistakes

Assess Your Weight

Scale

Assessing your weight, body mass index, and understanding the health risks your BMI may indicate is the first step toward losing weight you should take.

Get Ready

These are the first things you want to know ... and do ... to get your weight-loss journey off to a good start.

Get Real

It's time for a reality check... make sure you're on the right track with your thoughts, goals, and expectations as you start to lose weight.

Choose a Diet

Don't start a new diet without doing a little research first. These resources will help you find the right diet and to make sure it is safe.

Keep a Food Diary

Woman keeping a journal.

A food diary is like a secret weapon in the weight-loss arsenal. It is the best way of getting a true picture of what your eating habits are like and where problem areas lie.

Deal with Emotional Eating

Emotional eating can sabotage your weight-management efforts. Getting a handle on your tendency to eat in response to emotions can be one of the most important factors in achieving long-term success.

Cope with Cravings and Overeating

Woman with Candy and an Apple

Reign in an out-of-control appetite, get a handle on overeating and conquer cravings.

Practice Portion Control

Portion control is possibly the most important skill you can learn when it comes to long-term weight management. By learning to control portions you can enjoy virtually any food without gaining weight.

Friends, Family & Support

Two women eating together.

Learn how to get the support you need from friends, family and in your community, as well as how to deal with problems those around you may cause.

Avoid Common Mistakes

Sometimes long-term success comes down to knowing what not to do as much as what you should do.

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