The Shift | WW USA

Want sustainable weight loss? Time to make #TheShift

So you want to lose weight and get healthier. Did you know these changes start in the mind? It’s proven: How you think impacts what you do—and we’re here to help you make #TheShift.

Meet behavior change scientist and best-selling author Gary D. Foster, Ph.D.

Gary is a psychologist, obesity researcher, and behavior change expert with a focus on scalable, evidence-based approaches to weight loss in community settings. Before joining the WeightWatchers® team in 2013, Gary founded and was the former director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University in Philadelphia. Prior to Temple, he served as the Clinical Director of the Weight and Eating Disorders Program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He has authored over 250 scientific publications on the causes and treatment of obesity.

Follow Gary on Twitter @DrGaryFoster

Read Gary’s contributions on Psychology Today

Learn more about Gary on his WeightWatchers® Bio

In his national best seller, The Shift: 7 Powerful Mindset Changes for Lasting Weight Loss, Dr. Gary Foster, Ph.D., WeightWatchers chief scientific officer, outlines seven shifts to get you closer to your goals. Read on to learn more.

The Shift sneak peek

Start with these three mindset shifts.

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Embrace self-compassion
It’s the single most important tool for weight loss. Clinically, people who do well over the long-term—4, 5, 10 years—are those who practice self-compassion.

Set goals and form habits
Results are about "skillpower"—setting realistic, behavior-oriented goals and building better habits to help you make progress towards the outcome you want.

Value your body
It may sound counterintuitive, but improving your self-image—and actually celebrating what your body does for you—helps you lose weight.