5 Tips To Plan Your Diet

We have all been there, the excitement of losing a few pounds in the early days. Then Wham! the harsh reality of the hard work that a diet takes. Losing weight is a dedicated long term commitment. We often forget how long it takes to put on the weight. It creeps up slowly, pound by pound. So in the same way it’s going to take time to lose it pound by pound.

Having interviewed hundreds of dieters we know what it takes and the reality is often hard. To make things easier we have a list of 5 tips to plan your diet. If you are really serious about losing the weight then you need to plan your diet mentally so it will work physically.

1: Plan Your Diet and Make the Goals Realistic.

The temptation to read an article somewhere about a new diet that worked and doesn’t seem that difficult is always there. Instead why not plan the diet like you would a shopping trip or holiday. Take a step back and be objective. List out your objectives but be realistic. Making small manageable goals which are broken down by week is much better than a big end goal. This way you can succeed bit by bit.

2: Be Patient and Expect Setbacks

From experience we know things never go fully to plan, at least not all of the time. That’s why we plan and part of that plan is to expect setbacks. If it took you six months to put on the weight give yourself the time to lose the weight. Setting an achievable target will ensure you hit it. Setbacks happen but being patient will pay off and reduce the pressure.

3: Have a Support System

Whether it’s your family, friends a local group or online support group you will need help. Trying to go it alone is a quick way to fail. There are only so many cabbage soups or broccoli tarts you can eat before you need to tell someone about it. It’s simple human nature to talk about the things we do in our lives. And if a diet is something that is taking up your life well then you need to share that. If your friends and family can’t help then find a group of people with similar goals, they will understand the pain. Sometimes the difference can be as simple as an ear to listen.

4: Reward Success

When you plan your diet make sure to work in a reward system. Not just the new dress at the end or stylish new bikini but something that gets you through it long term. Things like small treats after achieving a weekly goal. This could be some new lipstick, a trip to the cinema or a simple DVD. Build in small rewards so you can achieve them. This will bring you to the big reward and lessen the journey.

5: Have a Long Term Maintenance Plan

When we consider starting a new diet the temptation is to focus on the outcome. This can be very dangerous for many reasons. It means you are thinking in terms of “an end” and if you let this happen then gaining back the weight is almost a certainty. When planning your diet build in a long term strategy. What will you eat when you finish the diet? Is the diet achievable long term? What will you be comfortable living with long term? There are some of the questions you need to ask before deciding on a diet. Strategy is everything. It’s you versus the pounds, and this time its war!