Most people overestimate how much weight they can realistically lose, which leads to frustration. To find your happy or healthy weight look back on your weight history as an adult and identify a weight you were able to maintain naturally and fairly easily.

And if you’ve gained more than a few pounds since your wedding day, forget trying to fit into that bridal gown. “As you gain weight, you experience an increase in fat cell size and number, which will probably prevent you from getting back to your married weight. Instead of focusing on the numbers on the scale, set behavioral goals: “Eat breakfast every day, go for daily walks, eat more fruits and vegetables — when you set behavior goals, they are easier to accomplish and they make you feel good.”  Stick with these behaviors for 3-6 months and they will become part of your life.

Based on your current weight, eat about 10 calories per pound of nutritious food (low in fat, rich in lean protein, high in fiber), get regular exercise, and assess your weight after a month or so.

As you get to a healthy weight, you can go up to 12 calories per pound.