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Starting a diet is easy.
Staying on it is hard. And the worst part of diet failure is that you feel that you’ve failed yourself. You increase your chances of staying on track by creating a better weight loss plan. How do you do that? Well, here are 6 secret diet tricks to make your next diet your last one.
Look to past failures before moving forward
It amazes me that many people start a diet by doing a similar version of what didn’t work last time. There are many aspects to weight loss success. And you need to take responsibility for your own actions. However, many diets contribute to failure by not addressing important factors needed for long-term results. So if you have a pattern of yo-yo dieting, understand that 100% of the failure may not be your willpower. It may be that the diets you’ve tried have never addressed the real issue.
Which brings me to the next issue…
Focus on healing the body
A good weight loss plan won’t just starve the body. It will lead you through a healing process that will help you lose weight for good. Healing the body means balancing your blood sugar, easing inflammation and getting your hormones out of fat storing mode. A weight loss plan must be nutrient rich to help with detoxification. It must also include a focus on improved digestion to ease inflammation. It must also reduce stress so stress hormones can’t further encourage the body to store fat. Look for a plan that will help heal.
Avoid starting with a crash diet
You may have started a weight loss plan with a crash diet in the past knowing that it wouldn’t bring you long-term results. Why would you have done this? Because you thought it would be a springboard for your weight loss. You would quickly knock off a few pounds, and once you had gotten yourself on the way to success, you would transition to a more reasonable, long-term plan. But the secret is that this rarely works. Crash diets are only meant to bring you short-term results. They create imbalances that eventually cause weight gain. The quick results of crash diets are tempting, However, a crash diet should never precede any other diet plan as it will sabotage your results going forward.
Approach diet as a long-distance runner
As an impatient person, I understand the desire to get want what you want quickly. But with weight loss, it is essential to exercise patience. You might lose some quick weight within the first few weeks. However, weight loss should average only a pound or two a week. This will better your chances of lasting results. You just need to prepare you mind for a distance run and not a sprint. Help yourself understand that you’re creating your success by taking the slow route. And then sit back and try to enjoy the ride.
Focus 80% on diet and 20% on exercise
Both diet and exercise are important for weight loss. But don’t be fooled into thinking that your exercise routine alone will take off the pounds. Exercise is essential for increasing metabolism and balancing the hormones that get you out of fat storing mode. However, it is your actual diet that will allow your body take advantage of these benefits. Food choices are the determining factor of whether pounds are lost or gained. Diet is like the foundation of your house. A good foundation is essential for building a stable home. Exercise is like a staircase within your home. It helps you get to the next level, But without the right foundation of food choices, everything will eventually come crashing down.
Address the emotional as well as the physical
Willpower isn’t enough when looking to make lasting changes. You must address the emotional reasons that you’re turning to food for comfort. One of the first steps of any diet change should be acknowledging that part of yourself that is turning emotionally to food. Create a mental picture or give that part of yourself a name. Nurture her as she adapts to living without her crutch. Check in with her often and take care of her. Treat the emotional eater in you like you would a small, innocent child. Only when she is nurtured can you succeed.
So got out there and get healthy!
But first remember these 6 secret diet tricks. They may seem simple, yet they may be what is standing between you and your weight loss success.
Interesting, the % recommendation, 80% diet and 20% exercise. Having a complete plan is such a good strategy. Just doing it randomly just doesn’t work.
Yes, it drives me crazy when I see people working out so hard at the gym, while not giving much thought about diet. Then they get so discouraged when they don’t see results. Better education is necessary.
Yes, I agree with all the technical points you have mentioned here. Especially the balance between exercise and proper diet (since this has worked for me too).
However one of the biggest challenge is to maintain the body after losing pounds. Many people work hard and lose weight only to get back to their old form after a few weeks due to lack of maintenance.
Good post,
Thanks
Tuhin, I think many people go back to their old ways partly because they pick the wrong diet. That is why I mention focusing on a diet that is healing. Diets that just deprive are really difficult to stay on long-term for a multitude of reasons. So the issue isn’t 100% willpower.
I like the idea of focusing on a diet which heals. If you start to feel better, it is much easier to stick to the plan. It puts a positive aspect into dieting as opposed to the deprivation and sacrifice approach that is hard to maintain.
I agree, Donna. The most important thing is really feeling better.
I don ‘t have to diet, thank goodness but I know a number of people who diet all the time and never seem to get anywhere. I like the one about meeting the emotional as well as the physical needs. I almost think that’s the most important one – I’ve seen to many give up when something negative happens. Good info as always Erica.
Yes, food often masks an emotional need. And our emotional always need to be addressed to be healthy.
Dieting only works short-term. Changing what, how much and when you eat guarantee changes to your physique and weight. For example, I have cut out bread and white carbs. I have seen a distinct difference to my physique and weight.
Yes, it really is a lifestyle change. It should never be about deprivation but adapting your diet in livable ways that make you healthier.
Yes I vividly remember the crash diet days of my youth. Somewhere along the line I discovered portion control and it was life altering! That said, currently I’m focused on beefing up that 20% on the exercise end of the scale. 🙂
Exercise is the hardest part for me too. For me, it is all about getting myself on a routine and then I’m pretty good.
I like that you mentioned addressing the emotional as well as the physical. For me, I eat when I am sad more than when I am hungry. It’s an ongoing process. I do notice that if I tell myself, I am emotionally eating, it tends to stop me from eating as much. If I do decide to eat something, I limit it to 1 or 2 bites instead of eating the whole plate full.
Sabrina, that is great that you can do that. It is a big step to not only identify that you are emotionally eating, but also be able to adapt your behavior just with that knowledge. Congrats!
This is a wonderful post for me, considering I am just beginning my diet.
My cholesterol was extremely high, so I have been dieting since January, I must say I have lost 20 pounds since then.
Your tips and advice are very encouraging. As for me, I must always remember that I did not put on this extra weight in one day, so I am not going to take it off in one day. As you mentioned, it is a long term strategy.
Thanks for sharing this with us.
William, I’m so glad that you relate to the long-term approach. I think that will do you well as you move forward. Congrats on the 20-pound loss!
Love the tips on this post. I agree 100 percent that we need to heal emotionally, because a lot of times we eat to fill the emotional void that we are feeling. I myself have to reflect constantly when I find myself over eating (emotional eating) thanks Erica <3