misc. stuff

Struggling to Stick to a Diet: Here are 4 Tips to Help

Starting a diet is easy. We decide it’s time to lose some weight and start watching what we eat. Many of us do well for a week. We lose a few pounds, don’t miss junk food and feel really good about ourselves. Then, after that first week, it gets much harder. Weight loss slows down, we lose motivation, and we start craving sweet treats. Then, we start having the odd blip, treating ourselves to a pudding or piling our plates a little higher than we should.

Sticking to a diet is tough. If you’re struggling to get long-term results and need some help, follow these top tips.

Find a Plan That Works

With so many diet plans out there, all making the same promises, it’s hard to know where to start. However, finding a program makes it much easier than trying to lose weight on your own. Using weight loss plans that work makes it easier to stay on target, as well as making sure you get all of the nutrients you need while your calorie intake is reduced. People that use a diet plan don’t feel as hungry and eat a wider range of foods than those that attempt to calorie count without any help.

Set Small Goals

When you start your diet, you have a big goal in mind: to lose a certain amount of weight in a fixed period. But, as it goes on and your progress slows, it can be hard to focus on something that doesn’t seem to be getting any closer.

While a big target is great and it gives you long-term focus, to stay motivated it’s a good idea to set yourself smaller, more attainable goals too. You should also try to avoid making these all about weight. Try to hit a specific waist measurement, get into an old pair of jeans, or hit a fitness target. Remember, exercise is as important as diet so fitness targets can keep you motivated and improve your results.

These targets can be tiny and they should be based on what you want to achieve; just make sure you reward yourself when you hit them.

Don’t Deny Yourself

One of the biggest mistakes people make is that they try to deny themselves everything that’s a bit naughty. Then, they crave treats and end up having massive binges. Either let yourself have cheat days occasionally, make some low calorie treat bites or try snacking on naturally sweet fruits to satisfy your sweet tooth. Remember, a little of what you fancy occasionally won’t destroy your whole diet. Just don’t do it all of the time.

Don’t Get on The Scales Too Often

In the first week or two of a new diet, it can be easy to lose a lot of weight, especially if you were overeating before. So, you could weigh yourself every day and see a difference. But, long-term this weight loss isn’t sustainable or healthy and weighing yourself too much will only disappoint and demotivate. Try to weight yourself at most once a week to get a realistic view of how you are doing.

Remember, a healthy weight loss over time is 1-2lbs per week. So, don’t worry if it takes a while to see the results you want. Stick to it and keep going until you hit that target!

+ posts

Leave a Comment