Your Track to Success

Your Track To Success
Article By: Melissa Sperl

Make your weight-loss journey easier to navigate by planning ahead.
Weight loss is a lot like sailing: You never know what the wind is going to be like, so relying on your gut and a vague sense of direction doesn't work. Sure, you may get there eventually, but if you had plotted a course and kept accurate records of your progress, you could have made it in record time.

Smooth sailing If you take care of a few essentials before you start, setting a course and sticking with it is simpler than you think. Try these tips:
1. Identify your destination. Sure, you want to lose weight. But how much? By when? And why?
Winning Outcomes from Weight Watchers Tools For Living can help you work out a goal that will really get you going. With it, you'll know exactly where you're going, and you'll be able to plan out the smaller, more manageable steps that will get you there.
2. Keep accurate records. There's no question: Tracking food intake is strongly linked to successful weight loss. So take that POINTS® Tracker seriously, and keep track of absolutely everything you eat.
Think about it: If you estimate that your food intake is around a POINTS Target of 24 per day, but it's actually around 34, you'll expect to lose weight, but probably won't.
How frustrating! On the other hand, if you keep track, you'll know exactly how you're doing, and what kinds of results to look for.
3. Evaluate and adjust, if necessary. The records you keep are also important because they tell you when you need to make changes in your approach. Tend to overeat at lunch? Maybe you want to add a midmorning snack. Have a party coming up? Maybe you want to earn some extra Activity POINTS values.
You can also use your POINTS Tracker to record fruits, veggies, water, dairy and more, along with notes about how you're feeling about your personal progress. And then you can compare your results with those aspects of your journey. Maybe you need to make a change in your attitude, or you need to make more of an effort to drink your water.