By far, the most common reason that diets fail is due to the fact that people simply feel too deprived and they lose sight of their goals. While we all want to lose weight and feel better, the siren call of our favorite foods can be so powerful that we abandon these dreams and cave to our cravings. However, there are a few techniques that you can use to ensure that you'll be able to resist these calls and keep your diet on track.
The first key is to select a diet that contains the right balance of fats, proteins and carbs. Your body needs to have fuel to live and if you're depriving it of this necessary balance you're not only going to feel awful, but your body is going to start issuing some pretty strong demands. For example, if you attempt to completely cut sugar out of your life, your body, which has grown accustomed to this balance over the years is going to rebel.
This means that after a few days you may be so overwhelmed with cravings for sugar that you simply cannot help yourself. You can learn a very good lesson from a phenomenon that occurs when people adapt strict eating plans, such as fruitarianism. This is a type of vegetarianism where only fruit can be consumed. Over the first few weeks, most people who adopt this diet go through a period where they become so depleted and their bodies get so insistent that they binge without even realizing it.
The second key is to learn from these mistakes and adopt a natural regimen that will slowly train your body to accept your new food choices. Rome wasn't built in a day and you're not going to be able to suddenly start eating healthy and expect everything to go smoothly. You've got to take that time to retrain your body so that you can avoid falling off the wagon.
Let's use the example of giving up sugar soda entirely. This is a very easy way to instantly carve off ten pounds or more (or 300+ calories for 12oz if you dislike hyperbole), but it is very difficult to do. Instead of going cold turkey, start a gradual reduction. Cut back by one soda a day for the first week, then two sodas a day, until you get to the point where you are no longer drinking it. By slowing modifying your intake, your body has time to adjust and your cravings will not be so intense.
A commitment to weight loss requires more than just a week or too. It may take months or even years to achieve your goals. By taking it slow and listening to what your body needs, you can be assured that six months from now, you'll still be on track for your weight loss goals instead of being back where you started.
Losing weight is not easy, but you don't need to make it harder on yourself. Take the time that it takes and set realistic goals.
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Originally posted 2008-11-13 19:52:25. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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5 comments ↓
I actually AM trying to cut out sugar from my diet. This is a personal decision. Sugar tastes really good and gives a temporary buzz, but for me, sugar equals unbalance – both nutritionally and physically.
Yes, the cold turkey doesn’t work with me in regards to sugar – been there, done that with horrible repercussions! Now I’m working on slowly weaning myself of it, like you suggested, in order to avoid that shock to the system.
“Let’s use the example of giving up soda entirely. This is a very easy way to instantly carve off ten pounds or more, but it is very difficult to do. Instead of going cold turkey, start a gradual reduction. Cut back by one soda a day for the first week, then two sodas a day, until you get to the point where you are no longer drinking it.”
Or just switch straight to Diet Soda?
I’ve seen a few times lately suggestions about giving up soda but nobody – not one person – recommends switching to diet sodas. Coke Zero tastes pretty much identical to regular (red) Coke and has about 1.3 calories per can.
I personally don’t have any problems with sugar-free, artificially-sweetened drinks, but I know some people do. But even if that’s the case, surely switching to diet soda makes more sense and is far less of a ‘cold turkey’ move than cutting them out altogether or even weaning yourself off of them? You’ll get the weight loss benefits and, more importantly, not feel like you’re missing out. Psychologically, this is a huge deal. Once your diet starts feeling like a chore – and it has to be for the rest of your life to be succcessful – chances are that you will fail.
The best diet is always one of moderation – I like a ratio of 80/20, where for 80% of the week I’m super-strict (I eat low-GI, which works great for me), and then for the other 20% or so I eat whatever I want. For me, this breaks down to six days of eating clean, and one day – Saturday – of whatever. This way, I never feel like I’m missing out, as I know it’s only six days until my next chocolate chip muffin!
However, because 80% of the time my body is getting the good stuff (I also run run every single day as well), I continue to stay in great shape.
As you say, don’t make it too hard, people – this is why most people don’t succeed when it comes to weight loss or control (or even weight gain, if you’re a bodybuilder).
you know I entirely believe in this.
for me if the way I ate required tremendous WILL POWER I couldntwouldnt do it.
(youre the guest poster today—just a reminder)
@Sheamus
All I drink is diet soda… (At least when I am drinking soda…)
One of the things I am not supposed to have on my diet (but I cheat on) is caffeine. (I get it almost exclusively through a non fat latte and diet soda.)
This is a great article and something I struggled with as I started out on my weight loss journey. I didn’t listen to people when they told me I needed to eat “more” just more of the right things.
When I finally started to do that, I was able to stave off those cravings, although Candy Corn in the fall doesn’t help
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