What Do You Have to Lose? An 8-Step Weight-Loss Plan

Find Your Zone

Step 6: Find Your Zone

Okay, now you know your number, but what the heck does a healthy 1,600- or 1,800-calorie-a-day eating plan actually look like? Our handy chart, here, tells you exactly how many servings you'll need daily of protein, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and grains, and gives you a range of calories for each. (If you're like most of us, you'll gravitate to the higher end of some of the food groups -- grains, say -- and to the lower end of others, meaning that your calorie count will even out over the day.)

To begin this new way of eating...

• Compare your food journal and your ideal calorie plan, below, then jot down a list of the changes you'll need to make.
• Work on one thing at a time. "Your brain looks for consistency. Big changes trigger a fear mechanism that prompts you to try to avoid them," says Maurer.
• Practice the four-day strategy. "Focus on that one change for about four days, then pick another," says Beck. According to her research, four days of success and a reward at the end -- like a few new songs for your iPod -- creates a snowball effect that can lead to long-term achievement.