Do you need help sticking to your diet? I know a lot of my clients do. Even I must practice what I preach to keep myself on track. Below are 5 strategies I believe are most important when it comes to sticking to a diet.
First, pick a diet that makes sense long term. Don’t cut out food groups. That is only going to get short term results. We aren’t going to be able to live the rest of life cutting something completely out of your diet. Can you imagine living without carbs forever? I certainly can’t!
Also, avoid extreme calorie counting. This can negatively affect our metabolism resulting in gaining weight faster when you do start eating more calories again. It is more difficult to make it through the day and still feel good while extreme calorie restriction. Instead, choose a diet that gives energy not zaps it.
Second, plan and prepare. This is where a lot of us fall short. Without being prepared for the coming week you will be more likely to stop by and grab fast food for lunch or dinner because you don’t have a plan. If you don’t plan you aren’t going to stick with it. Plan the weeks menu ahead of time. If possible, take a day and plan your menu for the week, go buy your food and prep your food ahead of time. Failure to plan= Failure to execute.
Third, make it doable for your life. If your days are packed with kids going in every direction and work and school, then you know how difficult it can be to get dinner on the table at a reasonable time. Keep it simple. It’s important to find some go to options that you keep in your ‘tool box’ and then add on to those options as you continue your diet. We are all over the place these days. Sports and other extracurricular activities tend to take over our weekends and evenings. Make sure that you have a plan A and a plan B in case your original plan doesn’t work out. One good option for your plan B is PureFit Bars. I sell these at The Pink Physique because they are a great balance of the things your body needs and they are gluten free!
The fourth strategy to sticking to a diet is to make it available. Have somewhere you can keep your food where ever you are. Maybe put a mini-fridge in your office at work. Pack a cooler to take with you to those activities that keep you away from home. Keep your kitchen stocked with nutritious and delicious things so that you don’t reach for the bad stuff.
Last, you need to be accountable. One way to do this is to keep a food log. This is something you can share with your fitness instructor or a friend so that you are more honest about what you are putting in your mouth. Have someone check in on you on a daily or weekly basis. Just knowing that someone is going to ask about your progress is even more reason to stick to your diet and fitness.
In the hectic world we live in today, it’s important to remember that we are worthy of our time and effort towards ourselves. Don’t wait; start today!
Good Luck!
Alli
PureFit Nutrition Bars