Choosing a weight-loss plan is a bit like shopping for a pair of pants: The fit has to be comfortable, and the style has to mesh with your personality and lifestyle. Have you "tried on" any diet plans to see if they suit you?

If you can't find a weight-loss plan that fits you perfectly, you may do better with a custom fit. In fact, dieters who personalize their weight-loss programs are more likely to lose weight and keep it off. But you'll need to tailor more than just the diet itself. Dieters who develop their own social support systems, personal coping strategies, and physical activity plans are most likely to win at losing.

Put It In Writing

The first thing you need to do is raise your awareness of what you actually eat. The best way to do that is to log the foods you eat every day in a food journal. A food journal will dispel any illusions you may have about your eating habits, and it will make you more conscious of what you're eating when you're eating it. That consciousness may be enough to change some of your eating behaviors. You may be less likely to scarf down that doughnut on your way to work or snack while reading because you'll be recording those foods. Using a food journal is also a great way to monitor your portions and track your progress to see if you're moving toward your goals.

You may want to track calories each time you eat.

You may want to track calories each time you eat.

There's no question that emotions play a big role in when, where, and how much you eat. A food journal can also help you identify how emotions affect your eating habits, and that's the first step to taking control. Just write down how you're feeling when you eat and where you happen to be (in front of the television, standing at the kitchen counter) in the journal. And rate how hungry you are on a scale of one to five, with one being the least hungry. All these bits of information are part of your personal diet puzzle.

Buy a small notebook or a planner especially made for food journaling that you can carry with you at all times. Every time you eat something, record the following information in your journal:
  • Time
  • Food eaten and portion size (use the portion chart to estimate your portion size)
  • Hunger rating before eating
  • Your mood
  • Who you're eating with
  • Where you're eating
You may also want to keep track of the calories you consume each time you eat. When you tally the number of calories at the end of each day, you'll know how close you've come to the goal you set for your daily calorie intake. After keeping your food journal for a week or so, take some time to examine your records. Look for patterns in your eating behaviors. Do you see any problem areas? Can you identify certain situations or emotions that caused you to overeat or to make poor choices? Are you getting enough servings from all the food groups? Use this information to do some problem solving. Keep up the food journal, and review it periodically to assess how you're doing and how you can fine-tune your diet.

Fill Up, Not Out
  • Use these tactics to help fill up on less food. Don't feel bad that some of these tips involve "tricking" your stomach--the rest of your body will thank you!

  • Eat more slowly. It takes your stomach about 20 minutes to tell your brain that it's feeling full, so eating slower means you'll eat less by the time your brain announces you've had enough.

  • Take three bites less of everything. Leaving a few bites on your plate at each meal can spare you significant calories.

  • Choose foods with more fiber and water, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and soups. These help fill you up because they take up more space in your stomach. Avoid eating lots of dry, low-fiber foods, such as pretzels or crackers, that are easy to overeat and don't leave you feeling satisfied.

  • Go nutty. Even though nuts are a higher-fat food, they can help you eat fewer calories. The fat, fiber, and protein in nuts help to quell your appetite. When you eat a handful of nuts for a snack, you tend to feel satisfied longer.

  • Drink water or a low-calorie beverage, such as fat-free milk, with your meals to help fill up the space in your stomach.

  • Don't let tastes go to your waist. A bite here, a taste there, and you can easily run up 100 calories or more in just a few swallows. Fight the urge to finish off the last bit of juice in the carton, the last few crackers in the box, and the last bites of food on your child's plate.

  • If dessert is calling your name, have a small portion right after your meal. When you're already feeling full, you'll be less likely to overindulge. Just a few bites may be enough to satisfy your desire.

  • Keep your mouth busy. If you tend to nibble mindlessly, chew sugar-free gum to keep your mouth occupied. Or brush and floss your teeth right after eating. You may be tempted to put food in your clean mouth.

Strategic Eating

Think of your new eating plan as a long-term investment in your health -- one with a pretty good rate of return if you make strategic choices along the way. So, how do you put together carbohydrate, fat, and protein along with vitamins and minerals to create a strategic eating plan that will help you lose weight and that you can stick with over the long term? Here's some help in figuring it out.

Nutrient Math

You can calculate the approximate amounts of carbohydrate, protein, and fat you should be eating each day. The recommended amounts (called dietary reference intakes, or DRIs) of these three energy-producing nutrients are based on percentages of your total calories. These ranges are established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine as the amounts of nutrients needed to meet daily nutritional needs while minimizing risk of disease.
  • Carbohydrate: 45 to 65 percent of your total calories

  • Fat: 20 to 35 percent of your total calories

  • Protein: 10 to 35 percent of your total calories
Here's how you can figure the recommended ranges for each nutrient:

Carbohydrate

Your calorie total ____ X 0.45 = ____ calories from carbohydrates
Your calorie total ____ X 0.65 = ____ calories from carbohydrates

Next, divide your calories from carbohydrate by 4 calories/gram to figure a range of carbohydrate you should have each day:

_____ to _____ grams of carbohydrates

Fat

Your calorie total ____ X 0.20 = ____ calories from fat
Your calorie total ____ X 0.35 = ____ calories from fat

Next, divide your calories from fat by 9 calories/gram to figure a range of fat grams you should have each day:

_____ to _____ grams of fat

Protein

Your calorie total ____ X 0.10 = ____ calories from protein
Your calorie total ____ X 0.35 = ____ calories from protein

Next, divide your calories from protein by 4 calories/gram to figure a range of protein you should have each day:

_____ to _____ grams of protein

Now let's move to the next key to a successful diet: maintaining discipline and motivation. It's covered in the next section.

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.