People begin weight loss programs for many reasons. Some have made an honest assessment of the effort necessary to stay with a program, while others enter expecting a rapid and simple solution. A health scare prompts some people to lose weight, while others may be motivated by family pressure, embarrassment, feeling uncomfortable, or just wanting to look better. These factors converge to form a person’s readiness.

Readiness refers to whether you are truly prepared to begin a weight-loss program. It has several components. Among these are how motivated you are, whether the commitment exists to make a sustained effort, whether your life can tolerate the stresses of a program, and whether you can make significant changes in your dietary and activity patterns. It is important that you ask yourself the following question: “Is the time right for me?” You may or may not be ready.

The Consequences of Not Being Ready

Far too often, individuals begin losing weight with a burst of energy that quickly fades. The result is initial weight loss followed by regain. Most overweight people have experienced this and know how unpleasant it can be. It is what some have referred to as “yo-yo dieting” or weight cycling.

The effects of regaining lost weight have not been studied in detail. Professionals must rely, therefore, on experiences with their clients to formulate a picture. It is a picture of discouragement and self-condemnation for failing at yet another attempt to lose weight. This adds to the legacy of failure that plagues so many people.

The feelings can be turned inside and affect mood (e.g., depression and anxiety) and wear away at self-esteem. They can turn into anger at the program and bitterness at having such a difficult problem. Recent research has also raised the possibility that increased weight variability is associated with negative health effects, such as elevated risk for coronary heart disease. Taken together, these consequences argue for being truly ready before beginning a program.