Starting a diet is easy. Whether you want to lose a few pounds after an over-indulgent summer, or you need to lose a little, or even a lot, more weight for the good of your health, it’s easy to announce that you are going to start a diet. It’s easy to decide on a calorie goal and to start buying things with “low fat” written on the label. It might even be easy to stop snacking at night and to start making other cutbacks.
Many of us find it easy to lose weight in those first few weeks. We make a few simple changes, and a couple of pounds seems to fall straight off. We’re delighted. We don’t feel like we’re trying hard, and it’s working. Then, suddenly, it stops. You’ve lost a few pounds, but you can’t lose anymore. It’s hard. You might even find those lost pounds creeping back on. That’s when we start to slip. Our diet isn’t working as well. We no longer feel good about ourselves, we feel as though we’re failing, and we often turn to food for comfort. Yes, starting a diet is easy, but sticking to it, and making it work long-term certainly isn’t. Let’s take a look at some tips to help you.
Research Different Diets
Diets aren’t one size fits all. Just because something worked for your friend, doesn’t mean that it will give you the same results. If you are looking for paleo diet for weight loss, that’s great, but some people might prefer to simply count calories. Research different diets, and try to find something that suits your targets, health, and lifestyle.
Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Knowing your weaknesses can help you to combat them. If you know that you snack in the evening, make a plan. Prepare healthy snacks, sip on fruit water, and find ways to keep busy so that you aren’t tempted to raid the fridge just because you are bored. Understand your eating habits and food choices, and you’ll have a better chance of changing them.
Prioritize Exercise
Dieting works so much better, and the results last for longer if you exercise. Simply eating less will never work long-term. You need to add exercise to your daily routines. Hit the gym, practice online workouts, go for a walk after dinner, and find other ways to add steps to your day.
Allow Yourself Treats
Tell yourself that you can never, ever eat the foods that you enjoy and you will crave them. Eventually, you’ll give in, have a massive binge and feel terrible. Instead, allow small treats. Factor them in, and don’t feel bad. Manage your treats, and they won’t ruin your diet.
Start Cooking
One of the best ways to control your diet is cooking. If you prepare all of your own meals from scratch, you know exactly what is in them. You can make healthy swaps and use healthier ingredients, and you know exactly what you are putting into your body.
Set Realistic Targets
You’re not going to lose a stone in a week. Or at least not healthily. So, don’t try. Set yourself small, attainable targets, and you’ll find it much easier to stick to.
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