No matter what your weight loss goal is, even a weight loss of 5 to 10% of your body weight can produce health benefits such as improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. But make sure you aim for your weight loss goals. 

Behaviours which will help you lose weight and maintain it:

Behaviour change is the main component to any weight loss program. It is also one the most widely strategies to help lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

• Be committed to yourself. You can sign a written contract which can include how much weight you want to lose, the date to reach your weight loss goal, the changes for healthy eating habits and the regular physical activity plan. Some people find it useful to have this written contract to achieve the weight loss goals. 

• People who are trying to lose weight focus only on ‘weight loss’. But making dietary and physical activity changes which leads to permanent weight loss is effective and productive. The goals what one set’s should be realistic, specific, measurable, attainable and forgiving. 

If you say ‘I will walk 5 km daily’, it is specific but not a realistic goal. A realistic and measurable goal would be ‘I will walk 30 minutes day’. A goal which meets all the above criteria can be ‘walk for 30 minutes, 5 days a week’. 

• Self monitoring is observing and recording all eating and exercise patterns and monitoring weight. It can be used to identify the faulty eating and exercise patterns. Self monitoring is essential for successful weight loss and weight maintenance. You can self monitor by keeping a food diary, regular weighing, exercise diary, tools like pedometers, accelerometers, and metabolic devices.   

• Have a support group to help you achieve your goals. Talk to your family and friends and ask for their motivation, support to help you have a better health. 

• Make changes in your eating and activity patterns. Techniques include decreasing the portion sizes, slow eating, improving food choices, keep healthy food at home and eliminate second servings. Activity changes would include use stairs instead of elevator or escalator, walk to nearby places. 

• Reward yourself for the goals achieved (but not with foods).  You can go travelling, join some activity club, buy books, participate in some outdoor activity.