4-Week Plan To Kick-Start Your Weight Loss Journey

Slow and steady. While weight loss can sometimes feel like a race, we’re here to remind you that it doesn’t have to be that way. There may be a starting point to your weight loss journey, but successful changes take time, so being consistent (or steady) in approaching your health is way more important than any finish line.

Go ahead and ditch that all-or-nothing mentality. Instead, slowly ease into your weight loss journey with the help of our four-step plan.

Each week you’ll focus on mastering one concept. This will lay a pretty solid foundation for success while keeping you feeling motivated and excited. We didn’t make this method up either — it’s backed by science and used by professionals to help create long-lasting changes.

Let’s get started.

Week 1: Gain Insight

Time to take inventory. When getting started, it’s crucial to understand your current dietary habits. This allows you to easily identify what you want or need to change. 

Begin by logging what you eat and drink in an app, like Lose It!, as often as it feels good for you. This habit will allow you to visualize and, therefore, better understand your dietary patterns. Challenge yourself to learn about the spacing of your meals, the composition, the calories, and even the satisfaction level. Strive to gain insight into what’s working for your health goals and what’s not. 

The final step this week is to write a list of pros and cons. The pro is why you want to change, and the con is why you want to stay the same. Experts agree that successful change happens when your list of pros outweighs the cons.

Week 1 To Do:

Week 2: Prep, Prep, Prep

This week is all about the prep. But not the traditional food prep you may think of, like chopping vegetables in the kitchen. Instead, this prep involves a mental shift toward commitment. 

Last week, you found clarity about why you want to change. Keep this list handy, as it will help reconfirm your motivation on more challenging weeks. This week you’re going to work on creating a support plan. Work on finding medical professionals, individuals, or organizations to help you succeed. This might look like finding a food delivery service if you intend to avoid cooking, signing up with a dietitian or nutritionist if you need more tailored advice, or joining a gym to allow for exercise no matter the weather. You can also rethink your environment at this step and reorganize to make the healthiest choice the easiest.

Week 2 To Do:

Week 3: Focus on Food

Week three is when you’ll start to make changes, and this week, it’s all about the food. 

By now, you’re used to logging your foods, and your environment is set up for success. Based on your written goals, start with the one that involves food choices. In general, you’ll want to work on making more conscious choices about what foods to eat. 

Be sure to also pay attention to how those foods make you feel and function. Aim for variety in food groups, flavors, cuisines, and cooking methods. Begin to read nutrition labels identifying healthier or more convenient swaps. Grocery shopping may take a bit longer now, but see it as a chance to discover something new. Remove distractions when eating and be more present with the speed at which you take bites.

Week 3 To Do:

Week 4: Move More

Week four encourages you to layer in movement. But not moving your body only because you must burn a certain amount of calories, instead moving your body because it feels good and makes you happy. 

The key is finding something you enjoy. It might look like stretching, walking, yoga, strength training, cycling, dancing, or a combination.  It might be a class outside of the house or streaming something so you can stay in. The general recommendation for exercise is to complete 150 minutes each week. Take this guideline and translate it into something that feels doable for your life. Remember, any type of movement is better than nothing.

Week 4 To Do:

Bonus: Calculate Your Daily Calorie Goal

If you want to track calories as part of your weight loss or maintenance plan, this calculator can help determine your ideal daily calorie intake.

Note: This is intended to be a general guide only. For more individualized recommendations, please talk with your doctor or dietitian.

The Bottom Line

Making small changes to your health will add up to big results. This four-week approach helps to ensure that you are not only in the right mindset to make the changes but also have the proper support and tools to succeed. While your food and exercise goals will likely continue beyond this month, we hope this slow approach keeps you steady and motivated to find sustainable, long-term success.