In order to achieve success with your diet or weight loss plan / program, follow these nine (9) steps:
1. Start with a GOAL in mind.
To successfully and purposefully achieve anything, you must have in mind a desired end result or goal. Take a marathon runner for example, before even starting he/she knows that it is 10,000 kilometres to the end of the race and that is how far he/she must run to win or even place in the marathon. Similarly, you must start with a goal of how many pounds you want to shed or lose after completing your weight loss program.
2. Research the BEST route for achieving your final result/goal.
Continuing with the example of marathon runner, he/she must then devise an effective strategy that will allow him/her to win or place well in that 10,000 kilometre race. The strategy may involve starting fast to break the pack, then pacing him/herself and taking only small sips of water every few kilometres to remain hydrated but not become sluggish. You can devise your diet or weight loss strategy by looking at realistic diet & weight loss programs or product reviews to discern which diet plan feels right for you.
3. BEWARE of instant success diets or weight loss plans.
Your body is a gentle system of organs, cells, muscles, tissues, blood vessels and nerves. When you follow a gradual diet or weight loss program, you eliminate any likelihood of damaging your organs, tissues and muscles or gaining unsightly stretch marks.
Think about it. In which of the following scenarios do you normally feel your best?
- When you jump out of bed in a rush and start running around to start your day? Or
- When you gently emerge from sleep, become aware of your surroundings, open your eyes and then get out of bed?
Well similarly, your body reacts best to gradual weight loss changes and you will more likely succeed at burning off the fat, keeping off the weight you lost and maintaining a healthy weight after you complete your weight loss or diet program.
4. Set REALISTIC MILESTONES to monitor and measure your progress.
They say, "The journey of thousand miles begins with one step." Marking the gradual progress made during your diet does four (4) main things for you:
- It gives you encouragement and motivation as you see some change(s) happening that move you closer to your desired final goal/result.
- It gives you personalized feedback on how your body is progressing and will progress during your weight loss journey.
- It keeps you realistic about the progress you should expect along the way and at the end.
- It gives you an indication of whether you need to alter your diet or weight loss program and/or reduce your weight loss expectation at the end of the programme.
Remember, two (2) persons who undertake the same diet or weight loss program may experience different weight loss results due to a number of factors including, body type, conditioning, metabolism and the body's level of efficiency when burning fat.
5. Use OBJECTIVE MEASUREMENT TOOLS to track your progress.
You know the saying, "What gets measured gets done." Well it's the same with your diet or weight loss program. If you don't objectively and periodically measure your progress, you're setting yourself up for major disappointment at the end of your diet or weight loss program. It is better if you know upfront and early on if you're falling behind so that you can make the necessary adjustments and reap the desired goal/result.
Measuring with different scales will leave you with frustrating, fluctuating weight readings. So, if you don't already have one, buy a reliable bathroom scale and a small notepad, so that you can measure your weight loss progress for yourself and record it. Additionally, always measure your weight at the same time of day in order to get an accurate and consistent reading. For example, weigh yourself before breakfast or before going to bed.
6. Properly SPACE your Progress MILESTONES.
In one of the Simpsons' series, the family is taking a trip someplace. From the back seat, the children keep yelling at their parents, "Are we there yet?... Are we there yet?... ," every few minutes causing grave distress to the parents. Your bathroom scale will be as frustrated with your "Are we there yet?" attitude, if you climb it too often to measure progress. Really, although your bathroom scale won't get pissed with you, you'll only frustrate yourself and erode your confidence in achieving your desired weight loss goal. So a realistic time span of one (1) week between measurements is recommended as opposed to everyday.
7. DRINK your 8 Glasses of WATER Daily.
So you have the best diet program, top health products, you've bought a good bathroom scale but you feel lousy. Guess what!! You need to drink your recommended daily dosage of water to keep hydrated, cleanse and flush your system of the fat and toxins you're shedding in your diet or weight loss program.
8. WATCH What You Eat, Your Portions and Your Mix of Foods.
In a typical choir, four (4) principal voice types - Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Bass - are necessary to bring full tonal quality to the choir. Then there must be the right number of voices in each voice type to ensure there is a nice musical blend and harmony when all the voices come together. Likewise, you need to eat from ALL the five (5) major food groups - Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Milk, Meat & Beans - in order to provide the perfect blend of nutrients to your body, even while dieting. So a good weight loss or diet programme doesn't stop you from eating. Rather, it advises on better ways of combining and incorporating the five (5) food groups in your cooking and eating to lose fat and maintain a healthy body weight.
9. PAMPER YOURSELF!
That's right!! You heard me! You don't have to feel as though you're doing penance while you diet. Pamper yourself, from head to toes, with some refreshing personal care products, such as fragranced shampoos and conditioners, scented body washes, foot scrubs and/or decadent body lotions. If you just want to keep it simpler and all natural, then look for simple & natural beauty recipes that use everyday products to achieve the same fabulous results. While you massage your scalp, or body or feet, you will also be aiding blood circulation to those parts and sloughing off dead cells to reveal younger and clearer skin cells. And here's the BEST part... you won't add one ounce of fat!