Losing Weight, Lowering Your BMI

The best way to reduce your Body Mass Index is to reduce the calories you eat/drink and be more physically active.

Long-term success and good health is not about finding the "right" diet. Instead, it's about:

• Identifying the behaviors that have led you to eat/drink more calories than your body needs.
• Making a plan to develop good eating and exercise habits.
• Following that plan.

For example, you may eat when you're under stress rather than when you're hungry. Do something else when you feel stressed, such as taking a walk -- that may help you break the habit.

You're more likely to change a habit if you set a specific goal. For example, instead of saying, "I'm going to lose 20 pounds," decide that you'll be more active every other day of the week. Be specific about what kind of activity you'll do and which days you'll do it.

Your new goal might be: "During my lunch hour on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I'm going to walk for half an hour in the park." Once your new healthy behavior becomes a habit, you can set another goal.