Dieting - An Update - Losing 10 Pounds Now
One way to establish your weight loss programme is to keep a food diary. Start a full week before you plan to commence dieting. Enter every single piece of food and every drink you have into the diary. A log of seven days consumption will tell you a lot about your eating habits, and how you can make positive changes.
Patently if your record shows a higher consumption of alcohol or fatty foods than you’d realised, you might begin by reducing those initially. Maybe your diet looks pretty good. But if you’re too heavy then you’re probably eating too much of it. Whether it’s the first or the second situation, you’ll be able to see how to adjust your intake from the entries in the diary.
Make notes about how you intend the following seven days to pan out. This should include food, drink and exercise. If some foods are to be forbidden or limited, write that down. And follow on with the food that you will be eating plentiful supplies of.
Next comes drink - which often contains more calories than people imagine. Restrict alcoholic beverages to four small drinks a week, and write down the days you will have them. Rule out all sweet carbonated drinks. You’ll need to commit to a fitness regime, so next write in your diary which days you plan to exercise and how.
Get on the scales just before you’re about to start your program. Then repeat the process each week. If necessary, modify parts of the plan for better results. Don’t be tempted to weigh yourself too often - once every week at the same time is sufficient.
A plan such as this will allow you to manage your weight loss programme and adjust it to suit yourself. Make comments as you go - keep the diary as a working document. Also enter the exercise you’re doing, to make sure this isn’t getting left out. A diary is a very simple way to monitor your progress - and a remarkable tool for staying with the program!
It won’t happen overnight though. Changes may be hard to detect in the early stages, but clothes will start to become less tight, and your energy level will increase after a few short weeks. Remember patience is a virtue! Don’t think about what you’re missing out on; think about what you’re going to gain as a result of your weight loss.
Don’t beat yourself up if you get off-track - it can be easily reversed with a bit of focus. Maybe you need to modify your plan a little. Additional physical activity can help you catch up. Are there any fitness classes you could attend in the evening?
Be proud of your achievements. Your efforts will be much more sustainable if you do. New clothes may need to wait until your goals have been reached. But what about booking the best seats in the house when you’re quarter or half-way there?
(C) Scott Edwards. Visit WeightLossDietWar.com for great diet advice on diet weight and weight loss stories.