Begin the program with someone else. If you start the program with a friend or family member, you can be each other's diet coach and experience the successes and challenges together. Find someone who's likely to persevere with the program, even when the going gets tough.

Ask a close friend or family member: Not necessarily someone who has dieting experience, but someone who is positive, motivating, and good at solving problems. You want to find someone who, when you slip, will encourage you to see it as a mistake, not as evidence that you can't stay on a diet. Someone who can help you figure out how you're going to find time and energy for dieting. Someone who will call you once a week to find out how much your weight has changed if you neglect to call him/her.

Find a diet professional: Work one-on-one with a nutritionist, dietician, or mental health professional who has had experience and success helping people lose weight and keep it off. Find someone who helps you identify and counter your unhelpful thinking, gives you practical advice, is highly encouraging and motivating, and willing to help you implement the program in this book.

Join an organized group: Look into weight loss support groups offered by non-profit community groups, hospitals, and commercial organizations. Joining a group will provide you with support and enable you to share experiences and advice with others who are struggling, too. In a group, you may meet someone who will agree to be your diet coach and vice versa.

Investigate Internet support: Joining an online group or community is another venue through which you can receive support, encouragement, and advice.

If you're looking for a diet coach or would like to become one, I'm sorry but we've not set up a training program. Too busy with other professional activities! If you’d like to be informed if we do set up a program, please email us at dietprogram@beckinstitute.org. We'll keep your email address on file so we can alert you.