How to Handle a Diet
Find a realistic diet for you., Write down your goals and changes., Start a weight loss and diet calendar., Stock up on the right type of foods., Start a journal., Build a support group., Create a vision board., Be prepared for slip-ups.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Find a realistic diet for you.
When you're starting a new diet, you'll find there are a variety of diet plans on the market.
Choosing one that will work well for you is key in determining how well you handle it and how successful you are long-term.Consider your current eating habits and lifestyle.
Large changes or deviations away from what you currently do or eat is most likely not realistic and not sustainable over a long period of time.Review several different diets and find one that is somewhat similar to how you currently eat, includes foods you enjoy, and suggests an eating style that fits in easily with your current life.
Stay away from fad or crash diets.
This includes anything that promises quick weight loss in short periods of time, advises to avoid one or more food groups or large quantities of individual foods or suggests taking large quantities of different supplements.
These diets are considered ineffective and unsafe long-term. -
Step 2: Write down your goals and changes.
After deciding what diet you're going to follow, write down all the changes that will be required of you to meet the requirements of the diet.
This can help you visually see what you'll need to do over the next few weeks of your diet.
This list might be long or intimidating at first.
However, it's best not to tackle each one of these changes during the first week of your diet.
Making large changes or many changes in a very short amount of time is not realistic and not sustainable in the long-term.Only pick one or two changes to work on during the first week.
If you make very small changes over several weeks, you'll see that it's easier to adapt to your new diet.
For example, during the first week you might start drinking 8 glasses of water daily and start eating breakfast. , Noting different dates, goal timelines or when you're including certain changes on a weight loss or diet calendar can help you stay on track and see what lays ahead.
Write the day you start your diet on your calendar.
Then, using the list of changes you want to make, write out which changes you're going to make each week or every two weeks.
Also note times when you might want to spend a day reevaluating your diet.
Maybe after a month, you take a step back and consider how much you like the diet, how easy it is to follow and how well it's working for you.
Also note when your goals end on your calendar.
Did you want to lose 5 pounds in 2 months? Did you want to try to follow this diet plan for 3 months? , All diet programs will suggest that you eat certain types of foods and even may suggest eating very specific foods.
To make sure your diet goes smoothly, stock up on the items that are required.
Review the lists of approved foods that are suggested by your diet.
The diet may also suggest certain meals or provide you with meal plans to follow.
Come up with a grocery list of the items from these lists that you enjoy.
Stock up on refrigerated, frozen and pantry staples.
That way when it comes to making meals or preparing snacks, you have the right types of healthy and nutritious foods to use.
You may also want to consider purchasing any necessary equipment.
For example, some diets suggest measuring portions with a food scale or measuring cups.
Ensuring you have these types of tools at home can make watching your portion sizes more accurate and easy. , Staying motivated with a diet can be easy at some times but very difficult at others.
Prepare yourself for both the ups and downs of a diet by keeping a journal.
A dieting or weight loss journal can be a variety of things
- a diary, food journal, exercise journal or notes regarding your overall progress.
Plus, studies show that those who journal lose more weight.Jotting down notes on how well the diet is going and how you're feeling can help you decide whether or not this plan will work for you long-term.
Using your journal as a food diary will also be very helpful.
Those people who keep track of their meals end up losing more weight and stick to dieting plans longer than those who do not.Tracking your progress can be another motivating and helpful thing to keep handy.
Seeing regular weight loss is exciting.
In addition, if you're seeing a plateau or a gain, you can quickly review your exercise or food journal to see what's going on and make any necessary changes. , A support group can play a very important role in your success with a diet.
They provide motivation and support when you'll need it most.
In addition, those who have a support group will lose more weight and be able to handle a diet better.Handling a diet can be difficult if you're going at it alone.
Build a support group of friends, family members or co-workers.
Tell them what you're doing, what diet you're following, and what your goals are.
Ask them to keep you accountable or lend an ear when you're feeling down or frustrated with your diet.
They can also celebrate with you when you hit small milestones or your end goal.
Also, ask anyone if they'd like to join you.
Many people are looking to lose weight or clean up their eating habits.
Following a diet program with friends can make it more fun and easier to stick to. , Get a little crafty with your dieting motivation.
Create a fun and exciting vision board to keep your spirits up and help handle your diet well.
A vision board is an actual board (of any size) that you can hang on your wall or put on your desk.
Most people put pictures, quotes, or motivating words and glue or tack them up on their vision board.
It's a big collage of motivating images and sayings.
Put up pictures of how you want to look or feel.
Or put up pictures of people doing activities that you want to do (like running a race).
You can also type up or find motivational quotes or sayings that you can read to help motivate you. , With any diet program, there are always slip-ups.
You should go into your diet knowing that you'll fall off the wagon at some point.
Be prepared for how you're going to deal with these incidents.
Nobody is perfect and you're only human.
So when you make a mistake on your diet (whether it was overeating, indulging in one too many cookies or skipping your workout for a few days), it's OK.
Be forgiving to yourself.
Also, remember that everyone slips-up.
The most important thing is not that you made a mistake, but how quickly you correct it.
Try journaling about your slip-up or talking to someone from your support group about it.
You may come up with an idea on how to avoid that problem if it pops up again. -
Step 3: Start a weight loss and diet calendar.
-
Step 4: Stock up on the right type of foods.
-
Step 5: Start a journal.
-
Step 6: Build a support group.
-
Step 7: Create a vision board.
-
Step 8: Be prepared for slip-ups.
Detailed Guide
When you're starting a new diet, you'll find there are a variety of diet plans on the market.
Choosing one that will work well for you is key in determining how well you handle it and how successful you are long-term.Consider your current eating habits and lifestyle.
Large changes or deviations away from what you currently do or eat is most likely not realistic and not sustainable over a long period of time.Review several different diets and find one that is somewhat similar to how you currently eat, includes foods you enjoy, and suggests an eating style that fits in easily with your current life.
Stay away from fad or crash diets.
This includes anything that promises quick weight loss in short periods of time, advises to avoid one or more food groups or large quantities of individual foods or suggests taking large quantities of different supplements.
These diets are considered ineffective and unsafe long-term.
After deciding what diet you're going to follow, write down all the changes that will be required of you to meet the requirements of the diet.
This can help you visually see what you'll need to do over the next few weeks of your diet.
This list might be long or intimidating at first.
However, it's best not to tackle each one of these changes during the first week of your diet.
Making large changes or many changes in a very short amount of time is not realistic and not sustainable in the long-term.Only pick one or two changes to work on during the first week.
If you make very small changes over several weeks, you'll see that it's easier to adapt to your new diet.
For example, during the first week you might start drinking 8 glasses of water daily and start eating breakfast. , Noting different dates, goal timelines or when you're including certain changes on a weight loss or diet calendar can help you stay on track and see what lays ahead.
Write the day you start your diet on your calendar.
Then, using the list of changes you want to make, write out which changes you're going to make each week or every two weeks.
Also note times when you might want to spend a day reevaluating your diet.
Maybe after a month, you take a step back and consider how much you like the diet, how easy it is to follow and how well it's working for you.
Also note when your goals end on your calendar.
Did you want to lose 5 pounds in 2 months? Did you want to try to follow this diet plan for 3 months? , All diet programs will suggest that you eat certain types of foods and even may suggest eating very specific foods.
To make sure your diet goes smoothly, stock up on the items that are required.
Review the lists of approved foods that are suggested by your diet.
The diet may also suggest certain meals or provide you with meal plans to follow.
Come up with a grocery list of the items from these lists that you enjoy.
Stock up on refrigerated, frozen and pantry staples.
That way when it comes to making meals or preparing snacks, you have the right types of healthy and nutritious foods to use.
You may also want to consider purchasing any necessary equipment.
For example, some diets suggest measuring portions with a food scale or measuring cups.
Ensuring you have these types of tools at home can make watching your portion sizes more accurate and easy. , Staying motivated with a diet can be easy at some times but very difficult at others.
Prepare yourself for both the ups and downs of a diet by keeping a journal.
A dieting or weight loss journal can be a variety of things
- a diary, food journal, exercise journal or notes regarding your overall progress.
Plus, studies show that those who journal lose more weight.Jotting down notes on how well the diet is going and how you're feeling can help you decide whether or not this plan will work for you long-term.
Using your journal as a food diary will also be very helpful.
Those people who keep track of their meals end up losing more weight and stick to dieting plans longer than those who do not.Tracking your progress can be another motivating and helpful thing to keep handy.
Seeing regular weight loss is exciting.
In addition, if you're seeing a plateau or a gain, you can quickly review your exercise or food journal to see what's going on and make any necessary changes. , A support group can play a very important role in your success with a diet.
They provide motivation and support when you'll need it most.
In addition, those who have a support group will lose more weight and be able to handle a diet better.Handling a diet can be difficult if you're going at it alone.
Build a support group of friends, family members or co-workers.
Tell them what you're doing, what diet you're following, and what your goals are.
Ask them to keep you accountable or lend an ear when you're feeling down or frustrated with your diet.
They can also celebrate with you when you hit small milestones or your end goal.
Also, ask anyone if they'd like to join you.
Many people are looking to lose weight or clean up their eating habits.
Following a diet program with friends can make it more fun and easier to stick to. , Get a little crafty with your dieting motivation.
Create a fun and exciting vision board to keep your spirits up and help handle your diet well.
A vision board is an actual board (of any size) that you can hang on your wall or put on your desk.
Most people put pictures, quotes, or motivating words and glue or tack them up on their vision board.
It's a big collage of motivating images and sayings.
Put up pictures of how you want to look or feel.
Or put up pictures of people doing activities that you want to do (like running a race).
You can also type up or find motivational quotes or sayings that you can read to help motivate you. , With any diet program, there are always slip-ups.
You should go into your diet knowing that you'll fall off the wagon at some point.
Be prepared for how you're going to deal with these incidents.
Nobody is perfect and you're only human.
So when you make a mistake on your diet (whether it was overeating, indulging in one too many cookies or skipping your workout for a few days), it's OK.
Be forgiving to yourself.
Also, remember that everyone slips-up.
The most important thing is not that you made a mistake, but how quickly you correct it.
Try journaling about your slip-up or talking to someone from your support group about it.
You may come up with an idea on how to avoid that problem if it pops up again.
About the Author
Evelyn Brown
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow crafts tutorials.
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