How to Start a Diet and Stick to IT

A common mistake made by people when coming up with any plan – not just weight loss- is not the plan itself but how they are going to stick to it. With this in mind it is important to plan how to overcome situations that threaten your weight loss goals.

For instance think about situations where you will encounter temptations. If there is a vending machine you have to walk past in your work place to get to your desk then you may wish to consider an alternative route to your workspace, or if this is not possible, refraining from carrying small change with you when away from your desk.

This is just one example among many and of course it is not practical to plan for every eventuality. But just from the act of planning itself you will be more consciously aware of your temptations and therefore be better prepared to take a pre-emptive strike on them before they get the chance to tempt you!

Writing your goals and plans down is the best way to make them second nature.

Be conscious stay in control
Eating is a habitual process in the same way that many bodily functions are. In other words it is not something we generally ‘think’ about in any extensive way. This is one of the biggest mistakes dieters make. They forget that the key to weight loss lays in the mind as much as it does the stomach.

By taking conscious control over what you feel and eat you can mentally counter the cravings. This is not to suggest you should mentally torment yourself but rather ask yourself the right questions before you make a choice of what to eat.

For instance ask yourself about the consequences or side effects of what it is you are eating. When confronted by a temptation say to yourself “ I am greater than any urge”

By doing this you are also going to start feeling in control of your mental processes and emotions. You will feel fulfilled in the sense that you are in control of your own fate

Coping with eating ‘Triggers’
It’s an interesting fact that a lot of the eating you do happens when you are not actually hungry. The reason for this can be explained with a little psychology. We respond naturally to mental cues or triggers. These can be internal or external in nature. An example of an external trigger is the smell of fish and chips or in the case of this author the sight of a chocolate gateau! Internal triggers take the form of stress, boredom, anxiety and anger to name but a few.

External triggers are the easiest to remove. For instance throwing out sweet items from your cupboard or avoiding walking past ‘sites of temptation’ on the high street. The internal or emotional triggers are a bit more challenging.

Now while it is not always possible to eliminate the emotional triggers it is possible to adapt our responses to them. For instance replacing eating with a form of exercise even if it is just a brisk walk will go a long way to avoiding the vicious cycle of submitting to cravings.

Fill up on liquids
Did you know that a lot the time, people eat when they are dehydrated? This is because feeling thirsty can sometimes be difficult to distinguish from hunger. Smoothies have gained widespread and deserved acclaim in the role they can play in fighting weight loss. Not only are they low in calories, but they are also an efficient way of getting in your ‘5 a day’ of fruit and veg.

A body that is used to snacking sometimes needs fooling into thinking it is full. One of the best and healthy ways to do this is through liquids. Of course this means low calorie drinks, it does not mean we can start filling up on carbonated (f) sugary drinks.

Of course at the end of the day good old fashioned water (or flavoured water if you find it boring) is the best way to flush toxins out of your system and keeps your metabolism flowing.

Don’t forget to treat yourself
Where is the fun in having goals if you can’t treat yourself along the way! Indeed it is well documented that rewards enhance the sense of achievement felt by the individual and this in turn can lead to the release of positive endorphins into the blood stream.

Once you have set yourself some specific goals- for instance, to cut down on 300 calories a day or to exercise for 30 minutes a day for two weeks, be sure to reward yourself with a special treat. Make your reward a treat, something you want, a new DVD or something similar. Rewards are an integral part of any long term plan and help make losing weight that little bit sweeter.