Your Get-Slim Timeline from SELF Magazine

From the Editors at SELF Magazine

When you begin a diet, you have a clear picture of where you're starting from (too-tight jeans) and your desired endpoint (a stellar six-pack). But knowing what to expect along the way is key to success -- if you spot a roadblock ahead, you can swerve to avoid it. To help you, we've plotted out your body's likely highs and lows during your weight loss journey and devised strategies to make each step easier. Depending on your goal, your start-to-finish may be even shorter than our calendar indicates. Let the losing begin!

DAYS 1–3

Your stomach is growling

At the start of any plan, you'll be hungry enough to eat your own shoe, because your body is making more of the hunger hormone ghrelin than it did pre-diet. "As you wait for your body to adjust, subdue hunger by eating protein and whole grains -- they suppress ghrelin best," says Dr. David Cummings, of the University of Washington at Seattle.

DAYS 4–7

The pounds pour off.

Bye-bye, water weight! Normally, your body burns the carbohydrates you eat as fuel. However, when you eat less, you also tend to slash your carb intake. In turn, your body must raid its glycogen stores for energy. Molecules of H2O are attached to glycogen, so burning it rids you of liquid pounds. Water loss can be permanent if you stick with your eating plan long-term.

PITFALL

The weekend.

Happy hour, pizza night and brunch could derail your new diet. Ask pals who support your healthy lifestyle to join you for food-free fun this Saturday or Sunday. Visit a museum, go on a hike or head to a spa for facials or manicures.

WEEK 2

Build muscle to shrink fat.

You'll drop a healthy average of a half to two pounds weekly from now on. To keep shedding at that rate, stoke your body's fat-fighting fire by hitting the weights. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so building biceps may help you torch flab, says Gary Foster, director at the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University in Philadelphia. Try the strength plan on page 72.

WEEK 3

Old habits die hard.

The hunger of week one has probably subsided, but your brain may still be trained to encourage emotional eating, Foster says. If you usually soothe stress with chips, the feeling and the food are coupled in your mind. The good news: Each time you resist, you weaken the psychological pairing. Use a food diary (see page 149) to spot triggers and replace junk with nonfood soothers (exercise, TV comedies).

WEEK 4

Inside-out improvements.

You can likely cinch your belt a bit tighter, and your ticker is reaping benefits, as well. If you're overweight, losing just 5 percent of your weight (eight pounds for a 160-pound woman) can reduce your risk for heart disease. Call your hospital to ask about free cholesterol tests. Get one now and compare it to your previous lipid levels. A better score can provide you with motivational mojo to keep losing.

PITFALL

Your period.

Some women retain water right before their period starts. "If you were expecting to be at a certain weight by the end of the month, but you weigh a few pounds more because your period is due, it can be disheartening," says Bonnie Taub-Dix, a registered dietitian New York City. Don't let PMS bloat throw you -- it's temporary.

MONTH 2

Feeling sexy, looking fab.

Quitting is fairly common at this point, as your plan's novelty wears thin. One stick-with-it strategy: Focus on the benefits of your new bod. After eight weeks, many dieters feel more confident. And some report a boon in the bedroom, says Martin Binks, research director at the Duke Diet and Fitness Center in Durham, North Carolina. Buy something new to wear (and slip out of) for extra time between the sheets.

MONTHS 3–5

Stress sneaks in.

If you've reached your goal (great job!), the slippery slope to weight regain starts here (eek!), and tension is often the cause. To keep from reaching for the Rocky Road after a rough day, establish a new coping strategy. Bookmark a funny blog, go for a jog, load your iPod with soothing songs and keep supportive friends on speed dial.

MONTHS 6–8

Push through a plateau.

Weight loss can halt here partly because metabolism slows. As you shrink, there is less of you to provide energy for, so you burn fewer calories. These stalls can last weeks, so rather than get frustrated, reflect on goals you have reached and try new workouts to keep your metabolism going. Do Pilates? Try boot camp. Runner? Try Spinning.

MONTH 9+

Committing for life.

Your final challenge is to stay lean for good. Try eating the same way on Sunday as you do during the week. Dieters who eat similar meals on weekends, weekdays and vacations are 50 percent more likely to avoid gains, compared with those who let loose on special occasions.

CELEBRATE

After you've reached your goal, mark the accomplishment. Book a tropical vacation, ask a friend to snap shots of the new you, take a day off for fun or splurge on a piece of jewelry you've been lusting after: You've earned it!


Find out how SELF's editor-in-chief stays in incredible shape while juggling a busy life.