A Simple (Re)Start

And what better time to do that that now, when the back-to-school vibe is all around? Everyone's shifting from laid-back summer vacation mode and returning to routines and schedules. So this is a perfect time to reassess and reconnect with your healthy lifestyle goals and ride September's "fresh start" feeling. Take a look at where you stand with the Plan. Then choose some specific, healthy actions to take up (or re-take up, more like it!) and use your online and mobile tools to help you stay on track. Here are some ways to go.

Act like a newbie
The excitement of starting something new makes it easy to jump in wholeheartedly. (Desire and motivation are a dynamite duo. The former gets us going, the latter keeps us on track.) Same thing with joining Weight Watchers. You read through all your Plan materials, looked up PointsPlus^® values for everything, tracked faithfully (maybe you even pre-tracked!), got in as many Weight Watchers Power Foods as possible. You were firing on all burners, and it showed up on the scale. So if you've slipped into a been-there-done-that kind of rut, go back to basics and pull out your measuring cups and Plan tools. Talk to your Leader. Surround yourself with encouraging people, and reach out to other members. You can't help but get revved up again.

Try some new dishes
One of the best surprises about joining Weight Watchers is that you can eat what you want — and that we have some really delicious recipes! And by some, we mean thousands and thousands of recipes. Explore by meal, by ingredient, by PointsPlus value. And there are lots more in our Community Recipe Swap, too! Even better, you can tweak them to your heart's (and stomach's) content with our Recipe Builder.

Get some inspiration
Just as you might do with a new job, or when you started college, finding a mentor can be a huge help. So look to and learn from successful members. Let their stories, their lapses and triumphs, to help guide your own steps. You probably know a few such members (including your meeting-room team!); but when you're not at your meeting, check out our Success Stories whenever you need real-life motivation. And you'll find other great advice from members on our "Motivate Me" Message Board.

Look for ways to get more activity into your day
If the high heat and humidity melted away some of your enthusiasm to get out and move more this summer, it’s a perfect time to get back on the activity track. Of course, start off slow to avoid injury. And look for fun things to do so it doesn't feel like a chore. Many communities and schools set up family fitness events in the fall. Perhaps try a new class at the gym or at a dance or yoga studio nearby. Maybe look for charity walks and races in your area. A good way to make sure your fall fitness efforts don't slip off your to-do list is to actually schedule activity in to your day. Better yet, make yourself accountable to a fitness buddy; it'll help motivate you (both) to stick with it as the weather gets colder.

More ways to jumpstart your Plan for fall: