When you set a goal, you have to work really hard to succeed. Maybe you have accomplished with success most of your goals, but there is still that one that you can’t manage to complete. Dieting is a huge problem for most of us. A diet looks easy when you see it written on a piece of paper, but when you actually start dieting, you start to experience all kinds of obstacles.
All of us have experienced obstacles during dieting. I bet you have broken your diet at least once. Or you have slipped and ate something you shouldn’t have. Maybe you’re one of those people who always start dieting ‘next Monday’, and then again ‘next Monday’. Just think of how many promises we’ve broken and how many times we have failed at dieting.
Losing weight and staying in shape can be a difficult challenge. We already know that there is no such thing like a magic pill or something. All we can hope for are diets. However, they really require a lot of self-discipline and determination.
We have to stay highly motivated in order to successfully go through dieting. Successful dieting is something that we rarely hear. We mostly hear stories about how difficult it is to stay on a diet, or how somebody tried dieting, but failed. We hear these same stories every day. And it’s no wonder why we find dieting so hard.
We live in a time when food is usually not a big luxury. We are surrounded by food wherever we go. Temptations are everywhere. How can we be successful at dieting with so much food around?
It is not enough just to find the right diet. You have to be ready for a challenge. If you wish to be better at dieting, there are numerous factors to take into consideration. Factors that will help you achieve your goals and overcome your obstacles. These tips can help you become a better dieter:
Decide when it’s the right time
Be sure to check your calendar to see if any important events are coming. It is not a good idea to start a diet if your birthday is next week, or if you have to attend some other social event.
Accept the fact that you will have to overcome some obstacles
It is better if you know what you’re dealing with. There will be a few obstacles, know that before you decide dieting.
Plan ahead
Make a list of all the obstacles you think you can experience. Then, make a list with possible solutions. You can also make it easier and get rid of foods you are not supposed to eat.
Choose the best for you
Do not even try to start a diet that doesn’t work for you. Browse all your options and find a diet that works for you. Don’t let your friends tell you their diets. What works for them might not work for you. You won’t succeed at dieting with the wrong diet.
It’s better if you go for a lifetime changes
This all depends on the type of diet you wish to go through. However, if you still haven’t decided, choose to make lifetime changes. Avoid going on unhealthy crash diets. Your results will be only temporal and you will slow down your metabolism. Instead, you can commit on changing your eating habits. For example, stop eating fast food and start taking cooking classes.
Go one step at a time
It’s the first day of your diet and you have to make it work for 20 more days. This is a scary thought indeed. It is better if you take smaller steps. For example, promise yourself to succeed today. Then do the same thing tomorrow. This way, it will be easier to keep the promise.
Set a realistic goal
Let’s get real. You can’t lose 10 pounds in 5 days. Make sure you know that before you start dieting with high expectations. You can never be disappointed if you expect less.
If possible, find company
You will be better at dieting if you have a friend with you. That way, you will stay motivated knowing that you’re not alone. Besides, you will have someone to talk to if you are struggling with temptations.
Try not to think about forbidden food
You have never wanted to eat chocolate that much, but now when you’re on a diet, you can’t think of anything else but chocolate. Thinking about forbidden foods is a common mistake. People always want what they can’t have.
The more you think about the fact that you can’t eat chocolate – the more you want it. You become obsessed with chocolate. So try a different approach. Do not list your food into ‘forbidden’ and ‘allowed’. Instead, eat one little piece of chocolate and move on with your diet.
Find your motivation
Motivation is a powerful weapon. No one else can do that for you. Find something that’s important for you and stick to it. For instance, if your goal is to look like your favorite actress, stick pictures of her all over your room. That way, every time you see her flawless body, you will remind yourself why you’re doing this. Or if your goal is to lose 10 pounds, write a note that says ’10 pounds’ and stick it somewhere so that you can see it all the time.
Be patient
Don’t give up that easy! You might not get the results you expected right away, but hold on. Keep in mind that even if you give up now, sooner or later you will need to start dieting again.
Reward yourself
This one can be pretty motivational. Make a promise that you will buy yourself something nice for every lost pound. If you lose a pound today, go buy a new shirt, if not, work harder to deserve it.
Find time to exercise
A successful diet goes along with exercising. Find time to exercise. If you go to the gym, pay in advance for the whole month. That way, you will have to go every day. If you pay per day, you might decide that you don’t want to go today.
Avoid temptations
Why go to a restaurant if you can’t eat? Instead, meet your friends for a coffee. You know that if you go to a restaurant, you will have to fight to resist the temptation to eat something. Restaurants and fast foods are too much of a risk while you’re dieting.
Inspirational stuff!
If you feel that you’re about to give up, remind yourself why you’re doing it. Read an inspirational story, read someone else’s experience, or watch an inspirational movie. There are many real stories out there that will inspire you to continue fighting. Seeing other people’s success and failures can be pretty motivating.
Write in a journal!
Keep your own journal and write everything. Write what you eat on a daily basis. You can also write about your feelings and temptations and how you’ve managed to overcome obstacles so far. Then you can read it every day and see what you’ve accomplished. This way you will convince yourself that you are able to overcome many things!
Sticky notes everywhere
Buy a pack of sticky notes and write inspirational quotes on them. Stick them somewhere you can see them every day, especially on the refrigerator. If you get a desire for a late night snack, you will first read the quote and most probably change your mind. A great quote for the refrigerator would be: “That piece of cake won’t look good on you”.
Cut the excuses!
You can’t always blame someone or something for your own failure. Thinking of some excuse is probably easier. You say you don’t have time – yes you do! You stubbornly try to justify your lack of determination. This is definitely not a good quality!
Control your emotions!
Dieting can sometimes be very frustrating and overwhelming. Remember that you are doing this for yourself not for someone else. Emotions will definitely play a huge role in this battle, so try to focus your emotions on beautiful things. If you feel too stressed, go and get a relax massage instead of comfort food. Don’t escape from your emotions with food because emotional eating might become your worst nightmare.
We can now conclude that dieting is for sure one of the hardest things to do. It implies changing our habits and managing not to break any rules. Many of us already know what foods to eat and what not to eat. So the rest is all in our mind. We need to have enough motivation and strength to resist temptations. We need to have self-confidence and believe in ourselves. Believe that we can, that it is worth it. Try to stay inspired with these few simple steps, and be a better dieter!
