How to Get the Most Out of Weight Watchers

It sounds like a cliché: It works if you work the program. Something so basic gets lost on well-meaning Weight Watchers members, who follow the diet religiously ... except for that slip on Wednesday that turns into a tumble on Saturday. We always think the weight-loss gods will bail us out, and sometimes they do, but that's not how the program works. Work the program by planning, finding support, being tough on yourself without being too tough and moving on immediately after a slip-up.

Instructions

• 1

  Plan, plan, plan. Make grocery lists, write menus and keep the kitchen stocked with food. Whether you like to micromanage your diet or play it by ear, under no circumstances should you leave yourself in a situation in which you can damage yourself by impromptu decisions. Eating out is a fact of life for some of us, and it's no excuse not to stick to Weight Watchers. For optimum weight loss, keep a list handy of the safe selections you can have at your favorite restaurants.

• 2

  Reach out for help. Be it in meetings, on an online message board or with family or friends, it doesn't really matter--it is essential to have someone support your weight-loss goals. It's not necessary to broadcast to the world that you are on Weight Watchers. In fact, for some people, it can be detrimental. The important thing is to have someone bring you back to reality when you fall off the diet.

• 3

  Don't coddle yourself. One of the top reasons people fail at weight loss is because they are too easy on themselves. They say, "Oh, I only had one cupcake; it will be OK." However, the physics of body weight do not take into account that your boss chewed you out today. Calories in, calories out--it's that simple when you're on a diet. So stop making excuses while you're on Weight Watchers. This is especially hard when your best friend or grandma is trying to shovel comfort food down your throat. Stay strong!

• 4

  Don't beat yourself up. On the other side of the coin, many people fail at a diet because they are so hard on themselves that they eventually quit. With such high standards of weight-loss perfection, they realize they can never measure up, so why bother? The key is to find a balance between not coddling yourself and not beating yourself up. It takes both firmness and self-forgiveness to be on Weight Watchers ... but too much of either can be dangerous.

• 5

  Live in the now. When you slip--and you will slip--you absolutely must move on in that moment. Don't wait until Monday or until that big presentation is behind you to get back on Weight Watchers. This is perhaps the most important component of successful weight loss. Forgive yourself and jump back on the diet as soon as possible. If you let your exercise routine fall by the wayside, do not say "next week" or "next time." Instead, go for a walk that very instant!