The majority of people think that if they begin exercising, they can eat lots of unhealthy foods and still lose weight. Unfortunately, this method never works and will keep you at your current weight, or even pack on pounds.
Changing your diet is the key to losing weight, but when you start a diet it can be challenging trying to stick to it.
That said, here are some good tips that’ll help you stick to a healthier diet plan.
Keep Track of your Food, not Calories
Food journals are helpful tools for dieting because they allow you to see exactly what you’re consuming, what time you eat, and will help you put eating habits into perspective. Begin by listing all the food you eat and the rough amount of servings and serving sizes. Keep track of snacks, drinks, and meals and don’t leave anything out! After doing this for a few days, you’ll begin to see where you can make changes to your diet such as…
- drinking less soda,
- eating less bread,
- eating less fast food,
- …or adding more vegetables.
It is important to consume less soda, bread and fast food. Food journal will show you, and maybe even shock you when you’ll see how much of unhealthy foods you consume.
If you have to, list your favorite healthy snacks and allow yourself to eat one of them per day. It will help you to stick to your diet and you will feel rewarded every day. A positive attitude is very important!
Always Eat Enough
Often, we think that eating less and less will help us reach our weight loss goals… WRONG!!!. Eating too few calories will keep your body from using stored fat. Furthermore, your body will store even more fat because it’s being malnourished.
The average woman who is dieting to lose weight should be eating 1,400-1,700 calories a day, depending on their personal weight, height and activity level.
Traditionally, the largest meal of the day is dinner; but it’s been proven that if the largest meal occurs early in the day, you’ll eat less throughout the rest of the day. With this being said, you should begin each day with a…
- large well-balanced breakfast,
- Have a small snack between breakfast and lunch like an apple,
- and another snack in between lunch and dinner.
Avoid Unhealthy Food
Avoiding bad foods is easier than it sounds, but it’s a necessary step when you want to lose weight. If you’re used to having junk food tucked in your cupboards, you’re always going to choose that over healthy foods.
The best and quickest solution is to stop buying cookies, chips, granola bars and pastries.
There are healthy desserts you can make at home that are low in cost and calories and will also give you some nutrition.
Some foods especially should be avoided when you want to lose weight and not to gain extra pounds, they could really affect your motivation on sticking to your diet.
Junk food is over-processed and lacks any nutritional value, but contain a lot of fat and empty calories.
Watch your Portion Sizes
Not only does what you’re eating play a big role in losing weight but so does the amount of food you’re putting on your plate.
Eating 2-3 plates full of food at dinner is not a good idea – even if the food is seemingly healthy!
Over-eating is a big culprit, so an easy way to consume the appropriate amount of food is to stop munching in front of a television or while working.
Other easy ways to stick to your diet…
involves allowing yourself one meal a week to eat what you like.
The most important thing to remember is that it’s only one meal out of the day.
So don’t crash your whole week by spending an entire day eating unhealthy food! And remember to watch your portion sizes because it’s still important to only eat what you need.
An easy way to keep yourself happy while watching your diet is to focus on eating healthy rather than counting calories. Over-eating on vegetables is a lot better than consuming too many cookies.
Making changes to your diet slowly will also help to keep you on track. Take your changes week by week and master one task before you move to another.
- Begin by switching out high-calorie drinks for water for a whole week,
- then add more vegetables to your dieting plan the next week, and continue until you’re happy, more energetic and losing weight!
- Once you’ve developed new habits, it will be easier to stick with them rather than changing everything at once.
It helps to grow your own food, or buy from organic sources when that is an option. And when you’re craving something unhealthy, tell yourself to wait until a designated day to eat it and odds are you won’t be craving it anymore.
Remember to drink plenty of water since it helps alleviate headaches that can be caused by changes in diet.
Another very useful dieting tip is to keep your goals a secret; this way, you won’t have to hear any negative feedback or feel judged by your peers.
