Shape Up & Drop 10-Introduction

Shape Up & Drop 10™

A Weight Management Program You Can Live With

Dedication

Shape Up & Drop 10™ is dedicated to Carol, Ida, Alex, Bill, Shannon, Pat F, Maria, Vicky, Judy, Steve B, Pat C, Johanna, Steve H, George, Joy, Becky, Denis, Cheri, Ana, Laura and the members of Shape Up America! who have made it possible.

Introduction

Shape Up & Drop 10™ is a weight management program you can live with. We're here to help you get serious about weight management without resorting to strategies that will defeat you in the long run. Our goal is to help you eat a healthier diet and adopt an active lifestyle that will offer you protection from diabetes, cancer and heart disease as we help you manage your weight. We will tell you how to take the weight off safely and keep it off.

Who We Are

We are weight loss professionals with more than 75 combined years of training, education and experience in nutrition, exercise physiology, psychology and weight management. We are described in the "About Us" section on the Shape Up America! website.

We're Here for You

Our team is ready to help, and you can contact us by e-mail to ask questions and we will make suggestions to help you achieve your weight management goals. We are available during the regular work hours of 9-5 in the eastern and central time zones, Monday through Friday. After hours and on weekends, we do our best to get back to you in a timely manner.

Getting Started

Here is what you need today to get started on Shape Up & Drop 10™:

Your personal calorie goal determined by visiting the Shape Up America! CYBERKitchen.

For the future, here is a list of equipment that we have found useful specifically for the purpose of weight management. You may want to look at our online store to see if we can help you obtain what you need. If you cannot afford to purchase everything we recommend, just take things one step at a time, and improvise as best you can.

A battery operated food scale - if you can afford it, preferably one that has a "taring" device. A taring device has a platform designed to conveniently hold a measuring bowl. The taring device automatically zeros out the weight of the bowl. When you add food to the bowl, the scale gives you a digital readout of the weight of the food in either ounces or grams (you select whichever readout you wish to use).
A set of measuring cups - for measuring solid foods (1 cup; ½ cup; etc)
One glass measuring cup for measuring liquids like juice or wine. We prefer one with a 2-cup capacity.
A set of measuring spoons (1 Tablespoon, 1 teaspoon, etc.)
Plastic storage containers that are air tight and of various sizes. We prefer square or rectangular so they don't waste space in the refrigerator.
A pedometer - the simpler the better. Our favorite model counts steps and nothing else. We found a model that costs less than $20.
A salad spinner - to wash and dry several days of salad greens at a time
A body fat analyzer
A pair of sneakers that are comfortable and well-cushioned
Comfortable clothing that allows you to move freely and without chafing
A willingness to spend some time on yourself each day, every day, for the rest of your life.
A journal or blank book for you to write your notes in and keep track of food, activity, problems and questions. You can use it to write down your vital statistics (see below) and track progress against your personal goals.

Are you ready ?. . . If you would like to improve your diet or simply prevent weight gain, but are NOT ready for weight loss, you will still find this program helpful because it will teach you how to adopt a healthier lifestyle that will make weight management easier.

Are you set ?... Goal Setting: Because few people own a body fat analyzer, we use body mass index or BMI to set goals. If you happen to know your percent body fat, we encourage you to select a percent body fat goal instead of a BMI goal. But don't get carried away. Select a goal that is no more than 2 or 3 percentage points (or BMI units) below your current percent body fat. Whether you use percent body fat or BMI to set your personal goal, realistic goal setting is a sign you are ready to do it right this time. Another positive sign of success is a willingness to take it slow and really learn the skills you need to keep with you for the rest of your life. Aim to gain mastery instead of gaining weight.

So please write down your vital statistics today so that you have a record of where you started:

Today's Date
Height
Weight
Age
Gender
Waist Circumference
Hip Circumference
Your reason for starting this program
Your weight loss goal(s):

Weight Goal
BMI Goal
Percent Body Fat Goal (if available)

Your personal calorie goal (calculated in our CyberKitchen)
What is the biggest barrier standing in the way of achieving your goal?
What is the most important asset you have that will help you overcome this barrier?
Do you have a brief saying or prayer or mantra that helps calm you down and keeps you focused? If yes, please write it down.

If you want to keep this information private, that is perfectly OK. If you want to e-mail it to us, we will keep it on file for you under your name and address.

Now Let's Go !! Onward to Step 1 of Shape Up & Drop 10™ !!

Here is a preview of the first few steps of Shape Up & Drop 10™...

Step 1 - The topic is Food - Fullness on Fewer Calories

Step 2 - The topic is Drink - Drinking and Dieting, Do They Mix?

Step 3 - The topic is Centering - Why a Journal Keeps You On Target

Step 4 - The topic is Physical Activity - What's Enough? What's Too Much?

Step 5 - The topic is Food - Slow Food for Life in the Fast Lane