Okay I hate the word diet, but these tips for sticking to a diet this year are basically for anyone trying to lose weight! Dieting, making lifestyle changes, etc is HARD and I love good tips to make it easier! These tips are perfect for people following the Weight Watches program!
Tips for Sticking to a Diet This Year
This is the time of year when everyone is thinking about what is to come next year. What kinds of resolutions will we make? What kind of life changes or improvements will we focus on?
Well for people who are trying to lose weight our resolutions and goals almost always revolve around weight loss and dieting. That is why these tips for sticking to a diet are focused on THAT resolution and not all the other ones out there.
Dieting resolutions are really just another way of saying we want to improve our weight so we can improve our health. These goals usually involve changes in how we eat, how we move and how we think.
What is My Motivation?
First we have to figure out what our motivation for losing weight really is. Are we losing weight so we can look more attractive?
Is this diet going to help improve our health in some way? Are we doing this work for our family? Or maybe it is for the approval of other people?
Figure out WHY you want to lose weight and then how you are motivated!
What motivates us to want to reach a goal?
There are 2 kinds of motivation. One kind is intrinsic and it comes from inside. So you like how you feel inside when you do certain things. Intrinsic motivation is something that is motivated by YOU and your reactions.
The other kind of motivation is extrinsic and it comes from outside your personal scope. Extrinsic motivation is something that works more from a reward system standpoint. You are more motivated to do XYZ because your accountability partner will be checking in with you!
When we know what kind of motivation works for us it will help us narrow our focus in the right direction. When we know why we want to lose weight it will add even more depth to our efforts.
Smaller Steps and Actions
I would love to set my weight loss goal for this year at 50 pounds. Sure…if I lost 50 more pounds on top of the 30 I have already lost…I would weigh what I did about 20 years ago.
BUT…in reality I know that a goal that big would overwhelm me within the first month. What if I rephrased that goal.
Instead of saying I want to lose 50 pounds this year I will say that I want to lose 4-5 pounds each month this year. That is a reasonable goal and if I do it each month I will lose around 50 pounds this year!
By rephrasing my goals into smaller bites I am able to manage them and stick to a plan!
These goals can be weight loss goals, eating goals, exercise goals, etc. All of these things work together for weight loss.
When I reach a small goal it is a positive reinforcement for me to start working on the next step!
Realism is a Must
When we think about our dieting goals for the new year we need to be realistic. I have to look back at how my weight loss has gone to far. If I have never been able to lose 5 pounds in one month then that goal may not be realistic for me.
Look at how much time you can actually devote to making positive health changes in your life this year. If you are a super busy working parent…you probably don't have time to spend an hour at the gym 5 days a week.
Set realistic expectations for yourself so that you can experience success and not continual failure. Each time you are able to meet your goals it will push you even closer to meeting the next goal!
Make a Plan
Losing weight isn't just eating less food. It isn't just ONE change. That is why sticking to a diet is so hard.
Start planning your goals and obstacles. Map out what will be a challenge for you in meeting your goals.
Be organized! I love to use my Weight Watchers Health Planner to help me stay on track. There are so many different ways for me to track my progress and of course the encouraging quotes along the way!
I love being able to see on paper how far I am coming along in my resolutions and goals.
Plan out your meals, your workouts and some time for YOU! It is okay if you don't stick to the plan completely…but each time you do is a step in the right direction! Don't forget to stay POSITIVE during the journey.
Stay Accountable
Every time we are making a change in our lives we need accountability. We had teachers who held us accountable when we were students.
Now we are the adults and we have to hold ourselves accountable (or try to, LOL).
When I am accountable I am taking responsibility for the choices I make whether good or bad. I don't always like to admit that I made the choice to order take-out because I didn't feel like cooking…but I have to start doing it anyway.
It is possible to have an accountability partner who can help you stay on track, but ultimately it is up to each of us to be responsible to ourselves!!
Which Tips for Sticking To a Diet Are the Hardest for You?
Sticking to a diet or weight loss plan is hard…I have been working on it for YEARS! 🙂 Recommitting to these tips is a practical way I can push myself to keep going on this journey to better health!
Think how great we will feel as we watch the scale go down and down. What are some of your diet or weight loss goals for this year?
Be sure to check out my cookbooks to help give you some new meal ideas that are healthy and nutritious!
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