Baby Steps... Baby Steps... Baby Steps

In the famous words of Bob Wiley in the 1991 movie What About Bob, "baby steps get on the bus, baby steps down the aisle, baby steps..." 
Each time I try to loose weight I have more to loose than the time before. A few years ago I wanted to lose 30lbs, then 40lbs, last June it was 50lbs and now... 57lbs and it isn't getting any easier.  

When I started this journey I was at 187lbs according to my somewhat temperamental bathroom scale -so give or take several pounds. That is a  Body Mass Index (BMI) of 35.5 and is in the second category of obesity. That is not OK, it sucks! At a petite height of 5'1" my ideal body weight can range from 101 to 132lbs, even as high as 138lbs. 

Last October at the Food & Nutrition Conference and Expo in San Diego, CA I got the book, "The Small Change Diet: 10 Steps to a Thinner, Healthier You" by Keri Gans, MS, RD, CDN. I started reading the book on the flight home and I realized a major mistake I keep making time and time again; I make BIG  goals, I don't make SMART goals. 

SMART Goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. I was specific, the goal was measurable, at some point in time the goal could be considered achievable and I always had a time line, but I was missing a major component. My goals were never realistic. I didn't gain 50lbs in 6 months, I wasn't going to lose it in 6 months. I needed to start making small, realistic changes.
"
The Small Change Diet" byKeri Gans, MS, RD, CDN give the reader 10 small changes that make life long weight loss achievable: 

#1: Create a healthy eating schedule. 
#2: Brighten your plate, naturally with low-calorie fruits and veggies. 
#3: Think before you drink (sip, guzzle, or chug).
#4: Give your carbs a makeover. Choose whole grain and high-fiber carbs.
#5: Go easy on the “extras” and make savory swaps for old standbys. 
#6: Skinny your meat. 
#7: Eat the right kinds (and amounts) of fat. 
#8: Tame your sweet tooth and your saltshaker. 
#9: Share food and good times with advance planning—and without guilt. 
#10: Get moving - 30 minutes, five days a week.  

In the past 3 weeks I have taken many baby steps towards my goal. Each small change (listed above) is a baby step, and I am getting close to having all 10 in my daily routine.