Dieting is difficult on some level for everyone. However, it is more difficult for some than for others. Losing the battle of the bulge can seem like an endless battle, especially if you've been fighting this war for what seems like your entire life. Hope isn't far off -- an answer exists for everyone. Just as your DNA makeup varies from that of your neighbor, so too does the way you need to tackle the way you lose weight.
Step 1
Write down everything you eat for one week or longer. You must discover the underlying cause of your weight problem. Keeping a diet journal can help. Record everything you eat, the times you eat, where you eat, how you feel emotionally when you eat and if someone is with you to enjoy your meals. List everything, including toppings such as gravies, condiments, salt and cheeses.
Step 2
Take your journal to your doctor or registered dietitian. Have a medical professional examine your log book. She can help you identify any unhealthy behaviors or patterns you must break for weight loss to occur. With her assistance, you can devise an eating plan you can stick with based on foods you enjoy.
Step 3
Create a list of reasons for wanting to lose weight. Your must want to lose weight for yourself, not because a friend or family member told you it's time to shed pounds. Delve deep within and determine why you want to make this change in your life. Maybe it's your health, or perhaps it's because you want more quality time with your kids. Being vain and wanting to look good is OK, too. A healthy eating plan is no good without a list of reasons to support it.
Step 4
Prepare your mind for long-term commitment. Weight loss doesn't happen overnight. Healthy weight loss occurs gradually -- 1 to 2 lbs. per week. Make sure you are ready to change your dietary habits for good. Being realistic before you begin prevents discouragement from setting in when you don't experience a loss of 15 lbs. in two weeks.
Step 5
Create a weekly schedule. Life is hectic, and you may have to change your schedule to make time for exercise, or to ensure you eat healthy meals. Every Monday, pull out your planner and mark the days when you have to prepare dinner the night before to stop yourself from eating at a fast-food restaurant. Make time for exercise at least five of those days as well. Thirty minutes is all you need in the beginning.
Step 6
Increase the amount of time you exercise. Once you lose some weight, you might hit a plateau and stop losing pounds. This can be discouraging, making you want to stop dieting. HelpGuide.org says you then need to increase your level of physical activity. If you walk for 30 minutes five days a week, increase this to 45 minutes six days a week. You might hit more plateaus along the way. Be innovative and challenge yourself to move past them.
Step 7
Accept small increments to reach your goal weight. Many people weigh themselves once a week, and instead of looking at their success s far, they say they only have 40 more lbs to go. This can sound insurmountable at times, no matter how positive you try to be. Rather than keeping your eyes on your goal weight, pat yourself on the back for every 5 lbs. you lose. Those pounds add up quickly. Before you know it, you will be at your target weight without losing an ounce of determination or focus along the way.
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