Rules for your dieting need to take into account your personal health needs as well as your personality. If you are a "people person," the rules that would work for a disciplined bean-counter will be frustrating and soon abandoned. You may need to join a group for the social motivation to carry out your goals of weight loss or fitness, but be sure to keep your physician in the loop when following any diet plan.
Plan According to Your Personality
You should be honest about whether a dieting plan will work for you if previous attempts have failed. MayoClinic.com says that you should only set goals that take into account your personal limitations. Special health needs such as diabetes, mental attitudes such as addictive tendencies and knowing what it takes to keep motivated will influence the success of any diet regime. Make a chart, put it on paper or make it part of your Facebook page if that will help you stay with your plan.
Read All About It
Starting with just a general desire to lose weight isn't enough to carry you through the long-term process of healthy weight loss over time. Start reading food labels so you know what nutrition and calories you are taking in. Resources such as MyPryamid.gov can guide you to healthy food choices and amounts such as eating 3 cups of veggies, 2 cups of fruit, 3 cups of low-fat milk, 3 slices of whole-grain bread and 6 ounces of lean, meat-group foods daily to have balanced nutrition.
Take Small Steps
Radical dieting or huge changes in your eating habits invite failure. Try to take one small step such as starting your shopping in the fresh produce section of the market instead of the meat aisle. MayoClinic.com says that by beginning in produce, you can take your focus off meat as a main dish and shift gears to see fresh produce as the main deal in any meal.
Remove Obstacles
Don't be afraid to donate canned and packaged foods to food banks and hunger drives. MyPyramid.gov says that processed foods tend to have unneeded salt and preservatives that can lead to obesity-related diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Clear those from your pantry to avoid the temptation of having unhealthy processed foods and snacks too available on your shelves.
Make Alternatives Accessible
If you are used to having processed snack foods at hand, removing them without a viable replacement will make you feel deprived. MyPyramid.gov suggests you leave cut up fruits and veggies out for snacking between meals. Try matching them with flavored low-fat yogurt dips so you can eat tasty snacks that conform to your healthy goals.
Know Your Limits
Losing or even maintaining a certain weight means setting limits. The University of Maryland Medical Center says that women can eat 10 calories for each pound of their body weight in order to maintain current weight, while men can eat 13 calories per pound. Eating slightly less will mean lost pounds over time. A slight cut in calories per day or exercising at least a half-hour daily with a brisk walk to the post office will mean less calories taken in and more calories burned toward your goal.
Mileposts for Motivation
A long-range goal of 30 lost pounds in a year can be realized in monthly increments of three pounds per month and still leave a six pound error or backward-step possibility. Allow for short times of overeating or a missed goal so you won't derail the entire plan. MyPyramid.gov says that a weekly check of your weight and going over your diet goals is a good check-up to keep you on track.
Picture the Final Product
Visualize yourself slimmer, healthier or more active and you will more likely continue to work toward that goal. Listen to self-help tapes or spend time with those who have similar goals to help stay on track. MayoClinic.com says that placing a final goal date and where you want to be on the scales that day may help you carry out your mission. Just don't be afraid to change the final date slightly to allow for bumps in the road to your goal.
Reward Yourself
Place rewards along the way for short-term progress towards your goal. Instead of being rewarded for cleaning your plate, MyPyramid.gov suggests you reward your children with positive attention for stopping eating when they feel full. Similarly, you can reward yourself with non-food activities or time doing favorite things when you follow your diet plan.
Plan for Life
If your only goal is to lose a certain number of pounds in a year, once achieved there is nothing to keep you from gaining the pounds back unless you have a plan for life. Use whatever aids help you keep focused on a healthy lifestyle within your weight goals. MayoClinic.com suggests a personal journal may keep you on track. Other possibilities include delving into healthy interests such as hiking, community activities or charities to help remember that life isn't all about food.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Weight Loss
- University of Maryland Medical Center: How Many Calories and Fat Grams Do You Need?
- MayoClinic.com: Healthy Menus and Shopping Strategies
- MyPyramid.gov: Help Them Know When They've Had Enough
- MyPyramid.gov: Steps to a Healthier Weight
- MyPyramid.gov: Tips to Help You Eat Your Vegetables
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