Contracts

If you find yourself falling into the trap of relapse, devising a contract with your health care team may help. The contract is an agreement between you and your health care team that is designed to help you keep on track. The details of this contract will depend on what you can anticipate as being problems for you, and your contract must be realistic in order to work. For instance, you may have a contract with your health care team that says that you will lose three to four pounds per month until you reach your goal (see sample contract in figure 9.1). Or you may have a contract that states that you progress at a certain rate in your exercise program until you reach your goal. You can incorporate many things into a contract, but you must understand that you've doing this for your own benefit. The only person who will suffer from a breach of contract will be you. Your health care team will be flexible, understanding that your needs and desires may change; they will respond to that in kind, ensuring that you meet your goals.

Sample Contract