“I’m going to start with my diet tomorrow” is a statement we hear too often from our friends, families and even from ourselves when we are faced with a sumptuous meal or a craving for that chocolate ice cream. We endlessly try to stay away from these temptations that can ruin our carefully planned diet program but what can we do, we are only humans. These sentiments might not sound surprising to you anymore as it is to me. A lot of times our discipline and self control is put to a test of whether to take a bite off that luscious cake or just stick to the plan of eating no more than one slice of wheat bread for an afternoon snack. It’s hard but it can be achieved if you set goals realistic enough for a successful outcome without the feeling of self deprivation that can almost always lead to a failed diet program. Follow these simple steps in setting your diet goals.
- Aim to lose weight slowly – You didn’t gain excess weight overnight nor did it happen over a period of one week. Weight gain is brought by a gradual intake of more calories that your body can burn. A couple of weeks’ absence in the gym or a period of ongoing stress can contribute to overeating thus leading to weight gain. An exercise regimen plus a healthy diet is a good start to losing weight. Give it two to three months to see a gradual drop in your weight if you maintain regular exercise and stick to the right caloric intake for your body height and age.
- Be specific – In making an outline of your goals you should practice being target specific. If you know what you want, when to achieve it and how to do it there is an increased chance that you will feel motivated and empowered to put your goals into action. A realistic goal is to lose 1 to 2 pounds every week with a diet regimen and continuous exercise.
- Keep a journal – This can serve as your tracking tool to see where you are in terms of you goals and milestones. It is good to document what you eat to see what food groups you should be focusing on, those that can provide the necessary nutrients as you do your regular exercise. Keeping a journal of your achievements and seeing it as a gradual success will give you more motivation to keep up the hard work. This will prevent you from getting off track.
- Set your long term goals – slowly build your long term goals as you progress and take each step in your diet program. Have a vision of what you want to achieve in six months time and every month re-evaluate your goals, making changes necessary to align it for your long term goal. This will give you something to look forward to and give you inspiration to sustain and stick to your present weight loss program.
Eating healthy is a habit that is desirable to adapt because it is an effective way to lose weight and keep it off. A regular physical activity or exercise is a wonderful partner to promoting a healthy life, fit body and a positive outlook in life.
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