The first step is to get ready, prepare yourself, and provide a framework for success. This first step forward may be the most difficult because it means commitment. You've already made some commitment by purchasing this book, reading the first three chapters, and gaining knowledge of the female fat cell- how it differs from a male fat cell and what activates it. Nevertheless, commitment can be a frightening word.

What scared Joanne was that she was committing herself to a program that would last the rest of her life: "The only thing that I have ever committed to for the rest of my life was brushing my teeth after every meal."

But where did that lifelong commitment come from? First, Joanne was constantly reminded by her parents to brush her teeth. Then, goals were set for her to do it on a daily basis. She received the positive reinforcement to continue brushing her teeth because of the benefit of better dental health and fewer cavities. Her commitment and lifetime behavior developed over time in a systematic way. That's how behavior change works. It may not be as simple as brushing your teeth, and your parents probably won't remind you to exercise or to eat when you are hungry-but it is a series of small steps that naturally leads to a new behavior.

Like Joanne, you will be relieved to hear that although the end result is lifelong change, the OFF Plan is a series of small step-by-step changes that are slowly integrated over the next three months. By setting and achieving short-term goals, the progressive changes will eventually become permanent changes. Joanne was not willing to commit to exercise for the rest of her life, but she was willing to start by setting realistic goals every two weeks and committing to scheduling exercise into her life. I know this is hard to believe, but at the end of three months, she actually wanted to continue exercising.

That's the way the OFF Plan works. The small, progressive changes over the first three months make you feel better and provide the motivation and commitment for the rest of your life. Eventually, the new behaviors replace the old ones, and the new, learned behaviors become effortless. The changes you make are so natural and realistic that you don't have to think about them anymore. You wake up one day realizing that you are exercising every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. You are automatically ordering your sandwiches without mayonnaise. You are not even considering seconds. Rocky road ice cream doesn't enter your mind even when you are stressed. Doesn't this positive, natural, and healthy approach make much more sense than "yo-yo" dieting? Dieting is negative, unnatural, and unhealthy-and does not change behaviors. The OFF Plan does.

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Women's health