Millions of people all around the world struggle with their weight, and just can’t seem to stick to a diet. We’ve all been there, and it can sometimes be so difficult when there are so many unhealthy options around us all the time.
However, you should never give up, and to help you keep on track we’re sharing ten awesome ways you can guarantee that you’ll stick to your diet – and it will work!
1. Fail to prepare…
Before you even start your diet, it’s really important to take a step back and think how you’re going to motivate yourself throughout. Grab a pen and paper and jot down all the reasons why you might quit the diet. Then create a solution for each one, so you give yourself a great chance of success before you even start!
2. Why do you want to diet in the first place?
One of the best ways to keep motivated throughout the diet is to make a list of reasons why you want to diet in the first place. Are you looking to shed a few pounds for a holiday this year? Do you need to diet for health reasons? Can you no longer fit in that dress?
Once you’ve made a list, make sure you put this somewhere you will see it everyday. One of the best places would be on the fridge, or some place in the kitchen near where you eat. That way, if you do get a craving for something unhealthy which will mess up your regime for the day, you can take a second to read your list and get back on track.
3. Sit down and relax
Try to make sure you don’t eat everything on the run, and take the time to sit down for each meal and relax. Rushing your food doesn’t give you time to realise how much you’ve eaten, and the less you chew, the more hungry you’ll be when you finish your meal.
4. Get a friend to help
You can’t always do this on your own! So why not ask a friend to help you track everything, and to give you some morale support and guidance. This will help you to stick to the regime, as you will not want to let your friend down as well as yourself.
Try to stay in touch with your friend at least once a week, and consider sending them an email so you can detail everything that you’ve done. Putting it down in writing will have more success than just speaking to them.
5. Don’t expect too much of yourself
It’s easy to give up on a diet because of how strict it may be. So instead of choosing an extreme diet that doesn’t allow you to eat anything unhealthy, why not choose a diet that is not only balanced, but also doesn’t stop you from eating some junk from time to time.
There is nothing wrong with eating a couple of slices of pizza, or having the odd bag of crisps now and again. If you don’t let go sometimes, you will probably go insane and quit anyway!
6. Change your mindset
Before you start the diet you need to decide if you want to lose weight, or if you want to eat anything you want, when you want? Unfortunately, you can’t have it both ways. One of the biggest struggles a dieter has is deciding whether or not it’s really that important losing weight and going on a diet. So make your decision now, and change your mindset completely on what your goal is.
7. Is being hungry really that bad?
Although it might not feel very nice being hungry, is it really that big of a deal? Sure, it may be an uncomfortable feeling, but it’s certainly something that can be managed and controlled.
A great way to push through those hunger pangs is to make sure you drink plenty of water (not fizzy drinks that are high in calories). There are lots of occasions when you think you’re hungry, but in fact you are a little dehydrated. A large glass of water will usually take the hunger away, and constantly drinking throughout the day will have a lasting effect.
Another smart way of repelling hunger is to eat healthy snacks. Fruit is a great way to keep within your calorie goal, and should keep you going until your main meal.
8. Create some distractions…
Whilst dieting you may find yourself thinking about all the nice junk food and unhealthy snacks you used to eat. One of the best ways to take your thoughts away from this is to create some distractions. If you are working for most of the day, then this may not be a problem for you. However, when you come home after a long hard day at the office, the evening time might be where it all goes wrong.
It will be different for everyone on what the distraction could be. For example, you may want to join a gym that you can go to in the evenings. Some gyms have saunas and swimming pools which might be a fantastic way to relax in the evening.
The main thing to remember is to keep busy! Don’t let yourself get bored, otherwise you may find yourself craving those unhealthy snacks.
9. Consider a set meal plan with snacks!
Typically the most successful diets are planned in advance – and include snacks. When you think of a diet you instantly assume that snacking is out the window, but this isn’t the case. If you don’t actually plan your meals for the day/week, and also include snacks in between, then you are much more likely to fail. However, it is of course important to remember that these snacks must be healthy. Fruit, or even low calorie cereal bars are always a good option.
So make sure you not only plan out your meals and add up all the calories, but also include a couple of snack times for the day. Typically the best time to snack would be once in between breakfast and dinner, and again in the afternoon between dinner and evening meal. Depending on how many calories you are allowing yourself, you may even be able to include another snack at night.
10. Join a group
Joining a group is a fantastic way to lose weight. Groups like Slimming World and Weight Watchers continue to get great results – and it’s easy to see why!
One of the hardest ways to diet is to do it on your own. Finding that inner motivation can just be too much sometimes, and it’s very easy to lose that mental battle after a few weeks. However, if you are going to a group once a week, it’s much easier to stay focused when you are presenting your results in a group each week. There is nothing worse than gaining a few pounds and everyone knowing about it!
It’s also a great way to socialise and make new friends. You’ll also be able to get some fantastic advice on what to eat, as well as some great recipes. It can also be nice to know that you are not the only one who struggles with losing weight, and being able to share your experiences with other people can help you keep going.
You will always come across someone who finds it much harder than you, and when you find yourself helping them, it can be a very enlightening experience.