November 28th, 2008 — healthy eating, motivation, trigger food
Starting a diet can be a momentous event and most of us going into it with the best intentions. We want to lose weight and we want to look and feel better, at least for the first few days. Three days in however, and you may be ready to completely chuck your diet so that you can go back to eating real food again.
There are a few keys that will help you avoid cheating on your diet. You can employ any number of them to assist, but remember, even if you do end up cheating a little, it's not the end of the world. Call it a day and start your diet again. It's only a problem if you give up and lose focus. Let's go over a few of these keys that will help you avoid cheating.
1. Don't start a deprivation diet.
Strict diets usually get fast results initially, but these are usually wiped out if you cave to intense cravings. If you know that you have a hard time giving up your favorite foods, don't doom yourself to failure by starting a deprivation diet. Instead, find ways to simply eat less of these foods. You won't end up feeling as though your cravings are controlling your life.
2. Allow yourself a little wiggle room.
You'll need to have pretty good discipline for this to work, but your diet will be much more successful if you allow yourself a little freedom here or there. If you simply must have ice cream, than allow yourself to have one small portion every few days. Just make sure you can keep it to that portion or you will have sabotaged yourself.
3. Set up rewards.
One of the best ways to avoid cheating on your diet is to set up a rewards system with your goals. Just make sure that the rewards are not food related. For example, once you reach your first five pounds lost, go get a manicure, or do something that you really enjoy. This helps keep you motivated, even when the going is tough. It gives you something else to focus on and makes it easier to stay focused.
4. Stop kicking yourself.
You can preprogram yourself to fail if you believe that you cannot do something. Instead of saying that you can never stick to a diet and always end up cheating, tell yourself that you can do this. When the going gets tough, keep repeating "I can do this." If you do it often enough, you'll start to believe it and you'll be able to make it a reality.
5. Avoid known problem areas.
If you have a hard time sticking to your diet when you go out with friends, it's time to evaluate your activities. Stay away from restaurants where you know it's going to be tough to stay on your diet. Give up going to the bar every week. You'll be able to see results in less time and you'll be able to avoid the traps that always derail you.
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November 21st, 2008 — activities, exercise, goals, gym, rewards
When you're first starting out with your exercise plan, it is all too easy to get discouraged. Working out is not always easy and if you don't take the right approach, quitting can be all too simple. However there are some techniques that you can use to make sure that you actually start to enjoy your workouts.
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Wear Clothes That Fit
First, you'll need to pick a gym that appeals to you and where you feel as though you fit in. Most cities have more than one gym so you can try out of a few on guest memberships to see which ones you feel comfortable with. If you can't find one where you fit completely in, try to schedule your workout for times when you won't have to worry about interacting much until you can build up your confidence.
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Find an Affordable Gym
Second, you'll need to pick a gym that doesn't cost too much. Some memberships can be pretty expensive and it is too easy to justify quitting when it's taking up a large chunk of your income. Try to find a gym that offers discount rates or see if there are guest packages that you can take advantage of.
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Do What You Like
Third, you'll want to find a gym that offers the types of exercises that you're interested in. Whether it's a spinning class, yoga or simple aerobics, having the classes you like at the gym will help you stay motivated. In addition, you'll also want to pick the classes with teachers that you like. This helps make it easier to go through the routine.
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Reward Yourself
Fourth, it is important to set up a rewards system with yourself. For example, if you go to the gym for five days straight, you can treat yourself to a special manicure, a video game or a movie. Just make sure that the rewards are not food related. By setting it up so that you have a tangible reward, you can train yourself to look forward to exercising.
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Make Sure the Gym is Nearby
Fifth, the distance to the gym is very important. Again, you want to avoid making it easy to justify not going. Whether it's close to your house or on the way to work, make sure that it is convenient enough so that you can't make excuses.
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Mix It Up
Sixth, variety is the spice of life. It is too easy to get bored when you do the same exercises over and over and it won't help if you have hit a plateau. Look for a gym that offers several different options so that you can change up your workouts. This can really make a big difference in how you look forward to exercising.
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Set Reasonable Goals
Lastly, you'll need to set reasonable goals for yourself and stick with them. Try rewarding yourself like we mentioned above when you reach them. Start small so that you don't get discouraged. Whether it's losing five pounds, or being able to spend ten straight minutes at top speed on the treadmill, set little goals to give yourself a reason to keep trying.
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June 10th, 2008 — motivation, rewards, trigger food
One of the hardest parts of dealing with a diet is the feeling that you are depriving yourself. Everyone needs a boost and for many people, food is the natural reward. Whether this started in childhood or became an acquired habit later in life, you'll need to find new ways to reward yourself and a new system to follow that will help you stay on your diet and still feel satisfied.
First, make a list of all your "cheat" foods, or the things you normally turn to when you're feeling down or when you want to celebrate. Post this list in an easy to spot location so you can keep it on your mind. Keeping it right there will help you retrain your brain so that you'll be aware of your danger zones and steer clear of them.
Next, you'll need to set up a rewards system based on your diet and exercise plan. Our goal here is to replace the usual food rewards with something that is a lot less damaging to your figure. Take that list once again and write down a column that contains all of the things you enjoy doing. Whether it's a bubble bath, a trip to a museum or a shopping spree, you'll need to list everything.
Start by setting your first goal. It's a good idea to make sure that it is achievable in a small amount of time so that you stay motivated. Whether it's losing that first few pounds or lowering your blood pressure by a few points, keep the goal easy to reach. Now, pick one of the things that you enjoy doing and set it up as a reward.
It's a good idea to make sure that it's not an event that you generally do. This will help you keep the rewards special and make it more fun to reach them. Once you have your first few goals and their corresponding rewards outlined, you're ready to start making progress.
Whenever you feel as though you're ready to give into a food craving, look at that list again and see what you'll get to do if you can hold on and keep on your diet. This can really help you retrain your brain and get rid of problem behavior that leads to the failures of so many diets.
By sticking with your diet and making sure that you reward yourself for your successes, you'll be able to stay motivated for your diet. In addition, since you are replacing food rewards with other activities, you're building a strong foundation for a new and healthier life. This means that long after your diet is done you'll be able to keep that weight off.
Losing weight is difficult, but it is doesn't have to be impossible. We all need rewards and sometimes it just feels better to pat yourself on the back. When you're not using food, you're setting up a whole new future for yourself and guaranteeing your success.
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