Possible complications include heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, gallbladder disease, breathing problems, bloating and stomach upsets, varicose veins, and even psychological problems.

In fact, according to some studies, almost 70 percent of heart disease cases in the United States are linked to excess body fat. Obese people are more than twice as likely to develop high blood pressure.

Obese women are at nearly twice the risk for developing breast cancer, and all obese people have an estimated 42 percent higher chance of developing colon cancer.

Almost 80 percent of patients with Type 2, or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus are obese.

The risk of medical complications, particularly heart disease, increases when body fat is distributed around the waist, especially in the abdomen. This type of upper body fat distribution is more common in men than in women.

The social and psychological problems experienced by obese people are also challenging. Discrimination for overweight people is most likely to occur in educational institutions, employment, and social relationships.

Other psychological effects include stress, nervous tension, boredom, frustration, lack of friends, depression, inferiority complex, and poor self-esteem.?

Losing weight is not at all different from any other situation related to creating success. It also involves taking action based on proper plans built on good information. ?The better your plan, the more solid the information it is based on, the more satisfying your result.?

Setting a goal is the first step in planning. Know what you want to accomplish. This way, the road you are taking is clear. You can keep track of your journey and observe if you are heading in the right direction. With a goal in mind, you are always motivated to finish a task.

Setting a specific goal, when planning to lose weight, improves your chances of success.

Be clear and definite about what you want to happen.

Instead, state your goal distinctly. Use size and weight figures in your goal.

I suggest you write it down and put it where you will always see and read it. This way, you will always be reminded of what you want and need to accomplish by the end of the month, the week, or even the day.

In establishing a definite goal, make sure that it is possible and doable.

Goals need to be sensible so that they can be achieved.

When you set an unrealistic goal, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Many people give up on their goals because they fail to base their plans on the correct information.

After deciding on your goal, the next step is planning how to accomplish it.

Planning involves proper scheduling of activities throughout the whole day for a certain period of time.

These include exercises, meals, and rest.

It also includes the time these activities should be done, the duration, and, in the case of eating meals, the food to be consumed.

This way, inappropriate decisions can be avoided.

A proper and effective plan consists of quality time for performing such activities. ?Give yourself enough time to meet your goals. For example, sleep should be scheduled to last for around 8 hours a day so that you will be able to get enough rest. Lack of sleep may cause improper eating habit the next day.

Again, plans should be realistic. Include only time and activities you know you can accomplish for a given period of time.

After preparing the plan, write it down since you cannot always keep the many details in mind. Post it in a place where you can always see and read it to remind you what your plans are for the day.

Try your best not to skip anything in your scheduled plan. ?Work on making it happen.

In conclusion, then, the first step to positive change is in your mind. Once you have a positive intention, the process of change begins. ?If you really want something to happen, you have to say yes to it. Then, and only then, can you see and experience ways in which you can shift your reality.