Are you a creature of habit when it comes to your grocery shopping list? Most of us are. We buy the same things we've eaten for years. That is why dieting is and must be a true lifestyle change. You might have tried several diet plans before only to find they didn't work. That is probably because in times of stress and instability, we tend to revert to old habits as a coping mechanism. Even if you were successful in dropping weight, you probably found yourself right back where you started at some point.
Chances are, you have spent A LOT of time thinking about losing weight. You may have even devised a plan to do so. The best plan of action is to keep things simple and remember that successfully changing your diet and exercise plan should only entail these three thought approaches:
- 1. Making yourself aware of the bad habits you want to change
- 2. Understanding why these habits exist in your life
- 3. Putting together a plan to slowly, but surely change your bad habits into healthy new ones
Step 1. Make small changes. Don't try to change everything all at once or change things too quickly. You will set yourself up for failure before your even begin. Try implementing some of these suggestions slowly:
- - Eat breakfast!
- - Make sure you get enough sleep
- - Eat at the table without distractions concentrating on chewing and tasting your food
- - Train yourself to eat when you are truly hungry and to stop when your comfortably full
- - Reduce your portion size
- - Switch to lower fat dairy products
- - Use wholegrain bread for sandwiches and mustard instead of mayo
- - Use cooking spray instead of oil
- - Drink more water
- - Flavor your food with spices instead of sauces with high sugar and salt content
- - Limit your alcohol intake to 1-2 drinks per day
Step 3. Get a plan. Now that you are implementing some more healthy strategies into your diet, it's time to put together a plan to build new and healthier habits. You can make a plan or buy a plan; it doesn't matter. I would suggest a plan that includes recipes and shopping lists to help you in your transition.
Step 4. Set goals and keep adding to the list. A person who sets a goal is much more likely to take action. Set goals, and keep track of what you accomplish. This will create a sense of power and accomplishment to help you in your journey. Add a small goal to your list each week.
Step 5. Keep it real. Don't expect too much too soon. Making a complete lifestyle change takes time and effort. You will see results, but they will come at a slow and steady pace. Don't depend on progress for your motivation. Keep your end goal in mind.
Step 6. Learn to manage your stress. Stress is a leading cause of overeating and bad eating habits in general. Educate yourself on stress management as a part of your lifestyle change.
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