How do I stick to my diet?
You've made the commitment this is the year you are finally going to lose weight! You throw out all the junk food from your house and replace it with nutritious snacks. You pack your lunch to take to work to avoid the temptation of fast food and purchase a fun new mug to have at your desk to drink your increased water. You renew your gym membership and try to park away from everywhere you go for that extra parking lot walk. For a few days, weeks, maybe even months you stick to your new plan and then it happens that birthday party, that dinner, those out-of-town guests something that disrupts your normal routine and you find yourself asking-"How do I stick to my diet?" While you're overall diet plan should include: Eating fewer calories and increasing your physical exertion. The best formula for losing weight is to decrease the number of calories you get while increasing your physical activity every day. Depending on how active you are, you may need between 1,500 - 2,500 calories a day. A safe plan is to eat 300 to 500 fewer calories a day to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week. There are a number of things you can do to help supplement your diet plan and insure success.
1. Don't be tempted by crash diets. While they promise quick results they tend to taper off quickly after the first few weeks of weight loss. Studies have also shown that the fast weight
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2. Make exercise a priority! You will see quicker and more permanent results with any diet if it is combined with at least 30 minutes of cardio exercise everyday. Many people say after putting all that effort in exercising they don't want to blow it by eating the wrong things. Dieting can be a frustrating and discouraging activity as well and exercise has been shown to relieve stress and feelings of discouragement.
3. Eat a wide variety of foods. Many people say they could not stick to their diet because of the lack of variety of foods. They become bored with what they are eating and begin going back to old habits.
4. Figure out what it is that causes you to eat unhealthy or causes a break in healthy routines. Learn what triggers you to go off your diet. If you are stressed, bored or upset find a different way to deal with those emotions than eat. Take a walk, call a friend, find something you enjoy doing that doesn't involve eating.
5. Remove temptations. If it is that bag of cookies or candy in your pantry that will cause you to break away from your diet. Get rid of them! Don't feel that you are punishing others in the house they will benefit from your new healthy habits as well. If your route to work takes you past the donut shop find a new way to work. If an office birthday party is in full swing stop by, wish the birthday gal or guy your best and excuse yourself to go back to work before the cake is cut. Be proactive in protecting your new healthy lifestyle choices and you will feel much more in control.
6. Get support. Studies have shown that most people are much more successful when they enlist a buddy to lose weight with them. If that is not possible enlist the support of family and friends. Those people who truly care about you will help you when your willpower falls a little short.
7. Finally, treat yourself once in a while. Every so often have a small portion of that favorite cake or ice cream and then get on with your life. By constantly depriving yourself of your favorite foods you will be much more likely to fall off of your plan in a big way when the craving becomes to much.
8. And again-treat yourself once in a while. No, this is not a misprint! Every so often when you have set a goal in your weight-loss plan and reached it treat yourself to a non-food reward. A massage, a new pair of shoes whatever it is that motivates you and will help you stay on track until you reach that new healthy weight and more importantly that new healthier lifestyle!
