The research herein represents an extensive investigation into the current status of the weight control field, the relative contributions of divergent approaches, and the effects of an innovative experimentor-administered, self-initiated weight reduction procedure. Conclusions of effectiveness must include consideration of cost effectiveness, significance of the loss to the client, and potential for maintenance. A suggestion for further research involves utilizing the self-initiated (SI) procedure with two groups, one with a goal line on their weight graph and the other without the goal line, in order to isolate the critical elements of this program.