Tips on Successful Dieting
Most of us like to do things in the simplest and most convenient way and dieting is certainly no exception to that rule.
We want to shed those annoying pounds of flab and lose several inches from our waistlines, thighs and hips or wherever it has accumulated over the years but we want it to be easy.
We don't want to work hard at it and we certainly don't want to have to go without anything that we like to eat. So what is the solution?
We find the most convenient diet program that's available and sign up right away, often only on the say so of a TV commercial we saw. Then we panic because a big box full of food turns up at our door and we are faced with the stark reality that it is now time to start that diet, like it or not!
Home Delivered Diets
Chances are we signed up for Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig of Medifast as they are the big three names in the home delivery diet world. They are pretty similar in their strategy in the way you are shipped all your food and then you follow the instructions and eat until you are thin. At least that's the plan.
Just how many of those diets go to plan, do you suppose? The truth is not as many as you might want to believe. But many people do succeed and lose weight with those programs, so don't give up just yet. How about I give you a few tips for maximizing your chosen plan so you can at least stand a pretty good chance of staying with it to the end and losing some of those irritating pounds of fat that I mentioned at the start of this article.
Top Tips for Success
You might not be overwhelmed with the anti-climatic techniques that you are about to read, but they are tried and tested dependables that will give you a fighting chance at success. Check these out:
- Understand that small portions are necessary for you to lose weight through calorie restriction. Yes, you have to eat less to shed those pounds!
- Water is your best friend. Drink 8 glasses per day and make sure you drink a glass right before each meal. It will help you feel fuller for longer and stave of any hunger during the day between meals.
- Exercise is your other best friend. Do some each day, even if it's a 20 minute brisk walk around the block a few times. Don't find excuses, just do it!
- Take a look at your mental attitude and switch it to "positive". Get happy and laugh a lot (find things to laugh at) and you'll find that things seem better and your goal seems more attainable!
- Don't cheat! Even when no one is looking, remember, you are looking! The only person you cheat is yourself, so be brave, courageous, outstanding... and go for it!
Other Tips that Work
There are few other tricks that will help take your mind off food and put it into other things. The very act of getting your mind on other things is the secret to intentionally forgetting all about your diet until its time to eat again.
When you're at home, alone and feeling bored, get up out of your seat and find something interesting to do. Getting out of the house is one of the best ways to do this because moping around the house is a killer. You get bored and thoughts of food will creep into your head!
That's why exercise is recommended and getting out into the sunshine and fresh air is a wonderful way to take your mind off food by putting it onto doing something else. If you have a back yard that could use some tender loving care, here's a perfect excuse to get out there and do some gardening. Don't know how? Now is a great time to learn!
Get together with friends or neighbors and find a mutual interest and then meet up every day to get involved with it. There are extra benefits to doing this, not least of these being you can make some new friends and find you have talents you never knew you had!
Eating Tips
When you do eat your meal, make sure there are no distractions. Never eat in front of the TV or while reading a newspaper or magazine! It's important to focus all your attention onto your meal. That way, you eat more slowly and actually taste the food you're eating. It helps with digestion and your body gets the max from the food.
Deliberately put your fork down after each mouthful. This forces you to slow down too, which is so important for enjoying your meal and allowing your body to process it in the most efficient manner. Plus you feel fuller sooner!
Brush your teeth early. Don't wait until you are about to go to bed at night. Do it an hour or two early. It's a psychological barrier to wanting to eat. Plus you know that food tastes terrible right after you brushed!
Try these few handy tips and tricks and you'll surprise yourself at how much more you get from your diet program. You'll lose weight more easily too and, ultimately stand the best chance at reaching your goal.