The word "diet" often brings forth images of being hungry all the time or eating the same few foods for a long period of time. Unfortunately, even when you have every intention of sticking to your diet, you can have periods when you're just plain miserable. This often leads to abandoning a diet plan, which in turn eventually leads to weight gain, and the cycle begins again. You can take steps both before and during a diet, however, that can help you enjoy the experience as well as the result. Living happily while on a diet can also increase the chances that you will meet your weight loss goals. Speak with your doctor before making significant changes to your diet.
Step 1
Set smaller, more achievable goals that you can reach on your way to your main weight loss goal. Having a single large goal isn't necessarily detrimental to motivation, but if it's your only goal in the near future, you may become less motivated over time. Making smaller goals, such as sticking to your new exercise routine for one week, may help keep you motivated to continue. Keep a diary of the goals you set for yourself and highlight the ones you achieve so that when you refer to them, your attention is drawn to the positive aspects.
Step 2
Keep your eye focused on the present. Taking life one day at a time may be a cliche, but it's also a useful way to stay focused. Keep your mind's eye on the near future, visualizing yourself reaching your short-term goals. The more you can see yourself meeting them, the more real they can become and continue to be a source of motivation. Don't dwell on goals you haven't achieved because you'll likely end up in a pattern of justifying abandoning all your goals based on a single small one.
Step 3
Get into a routine of regular physical activity every day. Exercise doesn't just help you lose weight faster, according to the Association for Applied Sports Psychology, it can also improve your mood. You don't have to engage in hours of high-intensity activity in order to get the psychological benefits either. Just 10 minutes of brisk walking every day can significantly increase the endorphins in your brain, contributing to a better mood throughout the day.
Step 4
Choose a diet you can live with. Many different diets, diet foods and diet supplements are available, but if you're required to eat a food, avoid a food or take a pill, will you find yourself miserable? If a diet requires you to do something you already know you won't want to do, it's more likely you will abandon the diet. Find a point of compromise and find a diet that includes healthy eating habits that don't completely exclude a specific food that you enjoy. Indulge in your favorite food, in a single serving size -- occasionally -- during your diet and hop back on the diet plan immediately. You'll be able to enjoy reasonable amounts of the foods you like without sabotaging your goals.
Step 5
Ease yourself into a change in eating habits. A diet is meant to help you lose weight, but if you can't maintain the core dietary changes you make after you've reached your goals, you may regain the weight. Making single changes to ease yourself into your new lifestyle may help reduce the shock of a sudden overhaul. Choose diet beverages instead of regular, rather than completely changing over to only water. Have a piece of fresh fruit instead of a prepackaged snack food once a day to add fiber and reduce calories.
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