If you are struggling to stick with a weight loss program, you are definitely not alone. Millions of people worldwide start and fail diet programs every day. There are some key reasons why some people succeed and others fail.
Why is it so hard to stick with a new diet? Is it all just “willpower”? Or are there secrets you don’t know? If you’ve ever felt like a “failure” because you couldn’t stick to a diet, and want to learn how to succeed, then this article is for you!
Diet Success Tips You MUST Know For Success with ANY Weight Loss Program!
Frequently people fail at their diet plan for a few very specific reasons. If you understand these key mistakes most people make, you can avoid failure.
Instead of making the same mistakes everyone else makes, let’s look at 4 key diet success tips that will help you succeed. When you actually implement these tips into your diet strategy, you’ll find it’s easier than ever to achieve the results that you are looking for.
Here are 4 secrets to succeeding with any diet plan.
Diet Success Tip #1 Get A Diet Buddy
You will be MUCH more successful if you have a “diet buddy” doing the diet with you. Your “diet buddy” can be your friend, partner, spouse, or co-worker. This idea is backed by academic scientific research if you have someone following the same plan you are, you will be more successful!
It can actually make or break your weight loss success.
There are at least a few benefits you will get from having a diet buddy that will help you be successful:
- Encouragement and Support – having someone who is going through the same experience as you is an awesome way to create a social support network for the new you. Weight loss can be challenging at times as we all know. And when you’re having unmotivated or low motivation days and want to give up, a little bit of encouragement and support can make the difference between staying on your diet vs. quitting.
- Accountability – a diet buddy will help keep you accountable to the reason why you want to lose weight, get in better shape, and live a healthier lifestyle. Let’s say you’re having a stressful day and want to read for a piece of chocolate cake. Everyone can relate to this, right? Your diet buddy can remind you that if you make that unhealthy choice you need to do 30 plus minutes of major cardio just to burn off those calories. And that discussion can help you make the right decision.
- A diet buddy will create a friendly competition – most people like a bit of competition. When you are struggling to reach an exercise goal and you know your friend is doing it, it will bring out your competitive streak to your advantage. This especially helps on the days you’re not motivated to exercise. And if you are doing things like sending each other photos of your meals, it can help inspire you to eat healthier on a day you want a piece of chocolate cake.
If you aren’t able to find a diet buddy, at the least, find someone who will encourage you on the days you are having challenges. Eventually you will have challenging days where you may struggle with your exercise or food plan. And on those days to be successful with your overall diet, it’s tremendously helpful to have someone who can encourage you to do the things you need to do.
Diet Success Tip #2 Use Hunger-Busting Strategies
Feeling too hungry is a main reason why many people can’t stick with a fat loss diet plan. If you cut back your calories too much, eventually your body will get really hungry and that’s when you over eat and have a food binge.
If you’re not eating foods that encourage you to feel full (what nutritionists call “satiety”), you will always feel hungry. So it’s important to understand what foods help you feel full. That includes foods that break down and digest slowly to help you feel full between meals. Lean proteins and carbs that have fiber (e.g. celery, broccoli) will keep you filling full, while eating healthier foods. And if you have a good balance of carbs and fiber, then you can eat less fat too which will help you avoid higher calorie foods. Healthy fats can help you control hunger too and these can come from things like avocados and beans and not just from animal products.
Diet Success Tip #3 Set Short-Term Goals
Anytime you are trying to change your habits or behaviors, it is critically important to set short term goals so you can see changes. This will help prevent you from becoming frustrated with lack of progress and giving up.
So, think about what it is that you want to accomplish within the next two or three weeks. And write those goals down on a post-it note or piece of paper.
For many people, putting the components of a successful diet together (diet strategy, meal planning an exercise) becomes too complex. It is easier to have a plan that is set out for you that you can follow.
A program such as The Cinderella Solution will help you build good habits in the next 3 weeks and get you on the fast track to diet and lifestyle change.
Want to learn more about how to make the 3 week concept work for you? Check out The Cinderella Solution plan, which teaches you how to build proper habits over the course of three weeks that result in great weight loss and set you up for a future of weight loss and maintenance.
Diet Success Tip #4 Get rid of your “old” clothes
As you lose weight, it is really important to help yourself create an identity as a healthier person. If you’re losing a lot of weight, it’s important to get rid of your old clothes since they are part of your old identity. They help your body and mind differentiate between the new healthier you and the past you. If you hold the clothes, you’re telling your mind that you’re not sure you are successful. Or that you aren’t committed to a new healthier lifestyle. So make the commitment to yourself to celebrate the new you. Donate your clothes to a charity resale store. Or a women’s shelter.
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