I Will Still Enjoy Food
Dieting is difficult, and if you are new to healthy eating, it can be overwhelming trying to determine what you can and can’t eat. Confusion leads many people to stick to a few “safe” (ie. boring) foods, such as plain chicken or fish, vegetables and boiled rice. All of that blandness can actually make people fall out of love with food. You need to enjoy food – it is something that is designed to nourish us, but it’s also something that is supposed to be pleasurable. It’s your responsibility to jazz up your food and make it fun and interesting – add spice or herbs to your cooking, or snack on high flavor low calorie foods such as smoked ham or olives.
I Will Change One Thing at a Time
You want to lose weight. How are you going to do it? By overhauling your diet and exercise routine, of course. But if you try to overhaul too much at the same time, you can be overwhelmed with the new choices that you have to make – which can make your new lifestyle all the more difficult to stick to. Change one thing at a time and get used to the change before trying to implement another one.
I Will Walk for At Least Half an Hour Every Day
Walking is one of the best exercises that you can do and it’s excellent for people who are completely new to exercise. Pound the pavement for at least thirty minutes every day and you can boost your weight loss and burn off plenty of calories. You’ll also tone your legs and bottom, and you’ll feel healthier and happier!
I Will Forgive Myself
It’s perfectly normal to make a mistake when you’re on a healthy eating regime – you might overindulge or you might skip a workout. This can make you feel guilty, which can cause you to punish yourself, either through exercise, eating less or just by beating yourself up about your mistake. Instead of being hard on yourself, respect your body, remember that making mistakes is all part of the process – and forgive yourself.
I Will Drink Plenty of Water
To lose weight, you need to stay hydrated – and recognize the difference between hunger and thirst. Often, we can misread thirst signals as hunger signals and will eat instead of getting a glass of water. When you feel those pangs, start drinking water instead of going straight to the fridge. With time, you’ll learn whether you are thirsty or hungry, and the extra hydration will make you feel more alert – it will also help you to exercise, too.
I Will Focus on Nourishment, Not Fast Results
In our instant gratification society, when we decide to lose weight, often, we want it all – and we want it all now. This can result in taking drastic steps to lose weight, such as starvation and over-exercising. Instead of focusing on fast results, focus on nourishment – giving your body the vitamins and nutrients that it needs to run and function. You need to restrict your calorie intake, but you also need to eat enough so that you can function properly.
I Will Weigh Myself Once a Week
Don’t weigh yourself every day. It can cause you to fixate on the number on the scale, rather than your diet and how it’s making you feel. Your weight can fluctuate by a couple of pounds, so weighing yourself daily will not give you an accurate idea of your weight loss. Weigh yourself once a week and once a week only.
I Will Not Take the Number on the Scale to Heart
Sometimes, the number on the scale may go up by a few pounds one week, instead of down, even though you tried your hardest. When this happens, it can make it really difficult to focus on the week ahead and can make you want to give up. Don’t take that number to heart – instead, try on a new pair of pants. Even if the number on the scale is staying the same, chances are your size will have changed – which will help put everything in perspective.
I Will Enjoy Treats
This might sound like a strange pledge to make when you’re trying to lose weight. But one of the most important things in sticking to a healthy eating diet is to be able to enjoy it and to be able to apply it to real life. If you don’t enjoy any treats and you cut them all out of your diet, it can make you miserable – and it can make you less likely to stick to your healthy eating plan. Include treats in your diet, enjoy them, learn how to eat them in moderation and you’ll be much more likely to eat healthily well into the future.