Summer has begun, and many of us are wearing shorts, tank tops, and flip flops.  While the warmth of summer and the need for less clothing is pleasing for many, for just as many, the thought of bearing more skin is stressful.  Rather than berating yourself, why not start a weight loss regimen?

Of course, starting the weight loss regimen may be easier than maintaining it.  Natalie Weiss, a registered dietitian in Chicago, supplied us with this advice to more easily make this regimen a long-term plan.

Tips to Make Starting a Weight Loss Regimen More Manageable

1. Spend 5-10 minutes thinking about why you are starting this new lifestyle. What are your intentions? Write down all your thoughts on paper. Keep this document in a safe place and pull it out whenever your motivation is low.

2. Start small. You will be more likely to make permanent changes if you create small goals to achieve. I recommend picking 1 or 2 specific goals to start. For example, “I will drink unsweetened drinks like water or iced tea instead of soda”. Once these goals have been consistently met, pick additional goals to achieve.

3. Don’t announce to the world that you are trying to lose weight. Telling everybody about your weight loss regimen you will create unnecessary pressure. People will begin to focus on all of your habits and may even make unhelpful comments like, “Aren’t you trying to lose weight? You probably shouldn’t be eating that.”

4. Start off on the right foot. Go through your pantry and refrigerator and get rid of any junk food that may tempt you during your journey. What you keep in your house is what you will eat.

5. Plan your meals and workouts ahead of time. You will be more likely to complete a workout or eat a healthy meal if you plan it ahead of time. Do your best to stick to this schedule.

6. Use resources available to you. Consider purchasing a healthy cookbook or use healthy cooking websites for meal ideas. Cookinglight.com is a good starting place.

7. Consider meeting with a local registered dietitian to help you achieve your weight loss goals. Use eatright.org to search for a RD in your area.