Every dieter generally begins a new diet with a clear goal in mind and the intention to see their weight loss goals fulfilled. However, the demands of work, family and social situations can quickly sabotage the efforts of even the most dedicated dieter. Therefore, it is best to take the time to plan your diet to ensure that you are positioned to succeed from the beginning to the end of your plan.
Step 1
Evaluate your previous diets. Pinpoint what dieting strategies worked best for you and which ones you need to avoid in your new diet. For example, ask yourself questions about what you liked and disliked about your previous diets, how often you have dieted and what situations ultimately led to your previous diets dismissal. Did you lose the intended weight? Did you give up? Did you not enjoy the diet food? Did another situation arise, such as an illness or traumatic event, that made you stop your diet?
Step 2
Create a diet mission statement. Write a one to two sentence statement that summarizes your diet goals. For example, write "I intend to lose 20 pounds on this diet and then resume my previous eating habits in moderation." Make several copies of the diet mission statement and place one on your refrigerator, one on your bathroom mirror and one at your work station to help you stay motivated and focused on your goal.
Step 3
Identify your food weaknesses and prepare for their manifestations. For example, if you absolutely love chocolate cream pie or loaded baked potatoes, write down what you will do if you are suddenly presented with a plate of either one. Will you go ahead and eat the food, and then make calorie allowances the next day to make up for the splurge? Will you allow yourself one comfort food a week?
Step 4
Create weekly meal plans that coincide with your new diet plan. A written plan will help you stay on track and take the pressure off of you during your busy work week.
Step 5
Remove all food items from your pantry that do not fit into your diet plan. Gather all the foods that will tempt you from the pantry and refrigerator. Give the non-perishable items to a local church or food bank and give the perishables to friends or family members that do not live with you.
Step 6
Purchase your diet food in bulk. You are less tempted to go out and eat the wrong foods if you already have everything you need for your diet plan at home.
Step 7
Cook your diet food in large batches. Refrigerate what you can eat for the next couple of days and freeze the rest in single-serving containers. Transfer the next day's meals from the freezer to the refrigerator before you go to bed each night.
Tips and Warnings
- Purchase small self-appreciation gifts for yourself after every 5 or 10 pound weight loss mark.
Things You'll Need
- Mission statement
- Weekly meal plans
- Diet foods
- Single-serving freezer containers
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