by Barbara J. Silberman

In a few people’s cases, genetics is the cause of their weight problem, but for the majority, the root problem is in their health profile. So to get on the right path for weight loss success, you need to identify the problem areas in your health and weight profile.

If your weight is steadily increasing month by month, then it is usually attributable to your eating habits rather than genetics. Eating candy or fast food everyday is a good way to put on weight and the likely cause of your weight issue. To highlight the issue areas, you should create a health and weight profile.

Keeping a record of what you eat everyday, the time you eat and the calories consumed is the best way to start. All liquids also need to be included in the record. People are often shocked when they see the amount being consumed without realizing it.

Working out the daily amount of calories you really should have to maintain a healthy weight is the next step. To determine the calories for you, you can speak with your physician or alternatively look at the wide range of dieting books available. You can also visit http://www.healthyfoodportions.com/Resources.htm for free tools and a worksheet. Typically, your daily calorie requirement is calculated using your age, sex, height and weight as well as the amount of regular exercise done.

Then, go ahead and actually look at what you ate in the first week or two that you recorded your eating habits. Are you are able to see that your calorie intake is far higher than what it should be to maintain a healthy weight and even worse for loosing weight?

Also, when you look over your daily list, take a highlighter and highlight all the foods that are essentially bad for you, such as fast food, candy, high fat foods, juice drinks, fountain drinks and more. If your day is very colorful, you need to cut down on those foods. Nobody says you can never have a burger or a piece of chocolate again, but you need to eat less. All that fast food or candy is what brought you into this situation. To get out of the weight trap you need to change those eating habits.

While you record your eating habits, also record your exercise habits. Exercising should be built into your weekly routine several times. Exercising three to five times a week is highly recommended. So go ahead and list those exercising habits of yours in that first two weeks. See how much exercise you do or actually don’t do.

Your exercise record will show if you need to do more, which is likely. It sounds like a tough obstacle to overcome but it is easy to get started. Just go for a walk.

If you can, park as far away from the office or supermarket door as possible to add the extra steps. Take the stairs instead of the elevator and if you have a chance to go to the fitness studio, take advantage of it. Exercise is essential in a healthy diet and even more important in a diet plan.

You can start today on your health and weight profile and begin to take the steps needed to achieve success in your weight loss goals.