What is a healthy weekly weight loss?

If weight loss is your goal, it is true that you can lose weight and keep it off, but it takes time and it takes a little bit of effort. It also takes having realistic goals. What sort of targets? Generally speaking, no more than 1/2 pound to 1 pound a week.

"Twelve pounds in three months" is not a very good sales pitch but "26 pounds in a year" is. Why? Because there's good research to show that rapid weight loss (like 50 lbs. in 12 weeks) results in rapid weight gain: the so-called "yo-yo" diet.

The good news is that the research also supports your working at steady, careful, successful change - whether it's for weight loss or just being healthier. (26 pounds in 50 weeks works.)

So, time to set your goals. If it's eating healthier, take out your calendar and mark off the changes by week. How can you most easily make this a part of your life? Here are some suggestions for each weekly goal:

• Sit down each weekend and plan the 21 meals for the coming week.
• Make a shopping list for your meals and go shopping for great ingredients.
• Stop drinking soda including diet soda.
• Start a food diary and write down everything you eat.
• Clean out your pantry of processed / boxed foods.
• Change your snacks by filling your house with fruit and nuts
• Buy a food scale.
• Buy a scale for yourself.

If weight loss is your goal, write your target weights down for each Monday on the calendar. The key is to be realistic while being ambitious -- balance what you want to achieve with what you can really accomplish.

Lastly, keep in mind that eating better and being healthier is not about 3 weeks from now or even 3 months or 3 years. This is about making significant lifelong change. Plan for that and you will be successful for sure.