If you love donuts and hate diets, you’re not alone. Losing weight doesn’t have to be torture, but it might involve redefining the kinds of things that you love. The main thing is that you don’t want the weeks and months ahead of you to be anything less than enjoyable as you move towards your weight-loss goal. Here are a few ways to do so:
1. Put yourself first. Losing weight and taking care of yourself takes more time and energy than you’re probably used to spending on yourself. If someone you love needed help moving toward a healthier life wouldn’t you make that your top priority? Love yourself that much. If you still have a hard time justifying the self-devotion it takes to eat right and exercise, make a list of all the things you do for everyone around you. Next, jot down the things you regularly do for yourself. Chances are, you have earned the right to exert a little of your energy in your direction.
2. Treat yourself as if you are a spa client. Why the heck not, right? Why does water taste so much better in a pretty glass with a slice of lemon in it? Take the time to put on some soothing music while you cook and light a candle when you sit down to enjoy what you’ve come up with. If you want your new approach to eating to last, you want to avoid feeling deprived.
3. Shop one time a week only, preferably on a full stomach. You don’t have to go through the process of pre-planning meals before you shop, just get to the grocery store and supply your kitchen with enough lean proteins, fresh produce and low calorie snacks to last you a week. If you have a hectic week ahead of you, make sure you pick up some organic frozen meals or buy stuff to make healthy mini pizzas (whole wheat pitas, low-fat shredded mozzarella, marinara sauce and fresh veggies. Convenience is definitely the key to sticking to your food plan.
4. Be forgiving of yourself when you fall off the wagon. If you succumb to bratwurst instead of a turkey club for lunch, get right back on that wagon and cut way back at dinner time. If you have time, take a walk or do anything to try to burn those extra calories. If you’ve totally messed up your healthy food plan for the day, make tomorrow a fresh start and maybe you won’t lose too much ground on weigh-in day.
Once you chalk up a few good days in a row of healthy eating and getting exercise, you’ll be on your way to losing weight. What’s more, if you incorporate these steps, you’re overall quality of life will feel better too.
Julie Clark Robinson writes on a wide variety of topics which include Georgia colleges, Florida colleges, and online degree programs.