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Tips to Stick to a Diet

Staying on a diet can be one of the biggest challenges of losing weight. At the beginning of a diet, motivation is strong, but after a few days and many temptations, it becomes difficult to stay focused on the long-term goals. There are a few things you can do to ease the stress of sticking to a diet and reach your weight loss goals faster.

  1. Be Prepared

    • Staying organized and prepared will help you to stay on your diet. Shop weekly for your meals for all week, and take healthy snacks and water with you when you know you will be out and tempted by high-calorie foods. Eat healthy snacks between meals that are high in fiber and protein. Do not allow yourself to get very hungry, because then you will be more apt to choose high-sugar and high-fat foods.

    Set Short-Term Goals

    • It is very difficult to stay on a diet when you are trying to lose a large amount of weight. The goal seems far away and impossible to reach. Therefore, it is advisable to set short-term goals of 2-5 lbs. and reward yourself with a non-food prize each time you reach one. "Weight loss should be about 1-2 lbs. per week," says the National Institutes of Health (Resource 2). However, don't overuse the scale. It is unadvisable to weigh yourself every day. Elizabeth Josefsberg of weightwatchers.com says, "Weight fluctuates from hour to hour and day to day. Jumping on the scale too often can become frustrating and get in the way of you seeing your overall progress" (Resource 3). Weighing yourself once a week should be the goal.

    Eat a Variety of Foods

    • Eating the same thing every day can become monotonous and can lead to unhealthy choices. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. The key is to choose foods that are a variety of colors and foods that offer a variety of nutrients. This will help you to fend off boredom. According to Nancy Clark at teamintraining.org, eating a variety of foods "helps you consume a wider variety of nutrients," which enhances your overall health (Reference 1). Although nutrition is an excellent benefit, eating a diverse group of foods will also help you stick to healthy eating.

    Look at Your Diet as a Lifestyle Change

    • If you see your diet as a healthy lifestyle, it will be easier to stick to it. Josefsberg suggests, "If you find yourself dreaming about the day you 'finish,' reframe that idea and begin to focus on healthy eating. When you refuse to quit, eventually all of this becomes second nature. Let go of perfectionism and settle in for the course of a lifetime." The idea is that healthy eating is a lifestyle change, not a diet. If you take this view, you will not be as frustrated when you get off course, because the next meal is always a brand-new chance to make a healthy choice.

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