1. A 10-week program of self-discovery, education, skill-building and support Are You Ready?

2. Reality Check Only 5 percent of successful losers can keep weight off at least 2 years

3. 3 Essential Elements: How much you eat How active you are How you feel

4. You Create Your Reality You will learn about yourself You will learn about food You will learn about activity You will create and improve YOUR program

5. Weight — the Reality Series is about what will work for YOU

6. What Has Worked for Others: Keep trying, don’t give up Don’t deny yourself Weigh yourself often Exercise 1 hour per day Maintain an active day Eat low-fat, moderate carbohydrate, lean protein foods Eat 5 small meals a day National Weight Control Registry, University of Colorado

7. Learning to manage body weight by changing eating and activity behaviors is like learning any new skill. It takes time, effort, and the right frame of mind.

8. Are You Ready? Using a scale of 1 to 5, answer the following questions. 1 = not at all 5 = more than ever

9. Are You Ready for Reality? Compared to past attempts to change, how motivated are you to succeed over the long term this time? Eating right and exercising when you’re feeling down takes real effort. How willing are you to take the time and effort to change?

10. Are You Ready for Reality? Changes in behavior require time and focus. How willing are you to take it slowly – maybe a year or more – to work toward a healthier you, one behavior at a time? Learning new behaviors requires time. How much time do you have to try new food and physical activity approaches?

11. Are You Ready for Reality? The process of self-examination can be unpleasant. How willing are you to do the mental work required to examine why you overeat and are inactive? How much support for your efforts can you expect from your family, friends, and community?

12. Ready or Not? 6 to 16: reflects low commitment and high probability of failure, try another time. 17 to 23: a moderate commitment, will need to work on motivation in addition to new skill development. 24 or higher: high motivation, chances for making meaningful, long-lasting changes are good at this time.

13. If You Are Ready for Reality… Commit to 10 weeks Be ready to learn: – about yourself – about food and nutrition – about activity and exercise – how you can help you

14. Mention or display of a trademark, propriety product, or firm in text or graphics does not constitute an endorsement and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms. Stock images by 123rf.com Janet Tietyen, Ph.D., R.D., L.D. Extension Specialist for Food and Nutrition Associate Professor Department of Nutrition and Food Science School of Human Environmental Sciences May 2008 Copyright ©2012 for materials developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. This publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety for educational or nonprofit purposes only. Permitted users shall give credit to the author(s) and include this copyright notice. Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.