1. Are You Ready?
Distribute “Are you Ready?” forms to participants with a pen or pencil.
Welcome to “Weight — the Reality Series”. This first session is designed to help you assess your readiness for change at this time in your life.
A 10-week program of self-discovery, education, skill-building and support

2. Reality Check
Only 5 percent of successful losers can keep weight off at least 2 years
Let’s do a reality check: did you know that only 5 percent of U.S. adults who lose 20 pounds or more can keep the weight off for at least 2 years?

3. 3 Essential Elements: How much you eat How active you are How you feel
There are 3 essential elements related to body weight: how much you eat, how active you are and 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
One of the most powerful things a human being can comprehend is that through our reactions to what the universe gives us we create our world. How we react or interpret events and messages is completely under our control. During WTRS you will (review points on slide.)

5. Weight — The Reality Series
is about what will work for YOU
During this program you will be asked to design or re-design your approach to weight management 3 times. Learning about what does or does not work for you is all part of mastering the skill of weight management.

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
Review points on slide.

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.
Read slide.

8. Are You Ready?
Using a scale of 1 to 5, answer the following questions.
1 = not at all
5 = more than ever
Let’s begin completing the Are You Ready? form using this scale.

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?
Read questions while participants complete form.

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?
Read questions while participants complete form.

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?
Read questions while participants complete form.

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
Consider your score on the readiness scale. Refer to the score ranges on page 2. If you think you are ready to start Weight — the Reality Series, (review points on slide).
Announce time, place, registration for the WTRS series.

14. Professor, Extension Specialist for Food and Nutrition
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 Mullins, Ph.D., R.D., L.D.
Professor, Extension Specialist for Food and Nutrition
Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition
Family and Consumer Sciences Extension
School of Human Environmental Sciences
May 2008
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