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Step 9: Pave the Way for Persistence

Mind Over Body: A Healthy Lifestyle Plan for Success

-- By Dean Anderson, Behavioral Psychology Expert

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When it comes to permanent weight loss, persistence is where the tire meets the road. There will be many ups and downs along this road, and you'll have to keep yourself going even when things get tough. If you’ve been working the previous eight steps in this plan, you have already done much of the preparation necessary to cultivate and support persistence. You’ve developed some knowledge and skills to help you overcome common stumbling blocks. And you’ve articulated your vision, found your inspiration, chosen your direction, designed some specific goals and strategies, and given your beliefs and attitudes a good reality check.

The next step is practice—developing a set of daily practices or situations that promote persistence. Here are some key elements you’ll want to include in your daily practice:

Surround yourself with excellence.

Find success stories that inspire you and read them often.
Associate yourself with people who are actively pursuing positive goals similar to yours.
Share your Vision Statement with a few people you can trust to be supportive, and ask them to give you a good kick in the butt when they think you need it.
Give yourself permission to demote non-supportive friends to “I’ll check in with you later” status.

Give your physical environment a persistence-building makeover.

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Step 10: Learn From Your Own Experience (article)
Sharing Is Achieving (article)
Goal Buddies are Golden (article)
Weight Loss Journals: Hands-On Inspiration (article)

Dean Anderson
Dean Anderson has master's degrees in human services (behavioral psychology/stress management) and liberal studies and extensive social work experience as a caseworker and community organizer. Dean's interest in healthy living began in 1999 when, at the age of 50, he confronted his own morbid obesity and related mental and physical health issues. He joined SparkPeople, lost 150 pounds and regained his health. During this process, Dean earned a personal training certification from ACE, received training as a lifestyle and weight management consultant, and began working for SparkPeople. He is currently pursuing a certification from the American Senior Fitness Association.