People often make the mistake of starting a plan, any plan, not just a weight loss plan, is that they do not think about how they will keep to the plan. It is imperative to think ahead to the problems that could occur and threaten to spoil the goals that you hope so much to achieve.
For instance think about situations where you will encounter temptations. If there is a vending machine you have to walk past in your work place to get to your desk then you may wish to consider an alternative route to your workspace, or if this is not possible, refraining from carrying small change with you when away from your desk.
This is just one example among many and of course it is not practical to plan for every eventuality. But just from the act of planning itself you will be more consciously aware of your temptations and therefore be better prepared to take a pre-emptive strike on them before they get the chance to tempt you!
If you write your plans and goals down, this will ensure that you are able to see them more easily.
Stay alert, stay in control. Just like many other bodily functions, eating is a habit. This means that it is not something that we normally think about too much. This however is one of the greatest errors that a dieter can make. They take no notice of the the key to successful weight loss - that it lies in the mind just as much as it lies in the stomach. If you take conscious control over both what you eat and what you feel, you can more easily deal mentally to stop the cravings. I am not suggesting that you torment yourself mentally, I am just suggesting that you ask yourself the right questions before you decide what you are going to eat.
You will be confronted by temptation, you cannot avoid this but if you think about the side effects and the results of what you are going to eat, you will be be stronger and resisting will be easier - just remember you are greater than the urge, you don't have to follow it.
Doing this will ensure that you start to feel in control of your emotions and mental processes. This will in turn make you feel fulfilled as you will feel in control of your future.
Coping with eating Triggers. Its an interesting fact that a lot of the eating you do happens when you are not actually hungry. The reason for this can be explained with a little psychology. We respond naturally to mental cues or triggers. These can be internal or external in nature. An example of an external trigger is the smell of fish and chips or in the case of this author the sight of a chocolate gateau! Internal triggers take the form of stress, boredom, anxiety and anger to name but a few.
External triggers are the easiest to remove. For instance throwing out sweet items from your cupboard or avoiding walking past sites of temptation on the high street. The internal or emotional triggers are a bit more challenging
The first thing to do is accept that eliminating emotional triggers is not always possible, we just need to react to them differently. Instead of eating, take a little exercise, just a brisk walk will go a long way in stopping your cravings winning and changing your behaviour in regards to food.
Fill up on liquids Did you know that a lot the time, people eat when they are dehydrated? This is because feeling thirsty can sometimes be difficult to distinguish from hunger. Smoothies have gained widespread and deserved acclaim in the role they can play in fighting weight loss. Not only are they low in calories, but they are also an efficient way of getting in your 5 a day of fruit and veg.
A body that is used to snacking sometimes needs fooling into thinking it is full. One of the best and healthy ways to do this is through liquids. Of course this means low calorie drinks, it does not mean we can start filling up on carbonated (fizzy) sugary drinks.
Plain and simple water is by far the best liquid you can drink. Flavoured water is also fine if you find it boring in it's natural form. It not only ensures you feel full but it flushes the toxins from your system and keeps your metabolism working really well.
You need to treat yourself too, never forget this it is a very important part of the weight loss process. If you set goals and then you don't treat yourself when you reach them, that is no fun at all. Rewards are well documented as providing a great sense of achievement. In turn this leads to your body realeasing positive endorphins into your blood stream.
You need to set yourself some very specific goals. There are many you could choose but some suggestions are cutting down your intake by 300 calories a day or vowing to exercise for 30 minutes every day for two weeks. If you reach your goal, you need to give yourself a reward. The best rewards are a treat, maybe something you have wanted for a while such as a DVD or something similar. Giving yourself a reward for reaching a goal, is a very important part of your diet plan and it will make losing weight much sweeter.
For instance think about situations where you will encounter temptations. If there is a vending machine you have to walk past in your work place to get to your desk then you may wish to consider an alternative route to your workspace, or if this is not possible, refraining from carrying small change with you when away from your desk.
This is just one example among many and of course it is not practical to plan for every eventuality. But just from the act of planning itself you will be more consciously aware of your temptations and therefore be better prepared to take a pre-emptive strike on them before they get the chance to tempt you!
If you write your plans and goals down, this will ensure that you are able to see them more easily.
Stay alert, stay in control. Just like many other bodily functions, eating is a habit. This means that it is not something that we normally think about too much. This however is one of the greatest errors that a dieter can make. They take no notice of the the key to successful weight loss - that it lies in the mind just as much as it lies in the stomach. If you take conscious control over both what you eat and what you feel, you can more easily deal mentally to stop the cravings. I am not suggesting that you torment yourself mentally, I am just suggesting that you ask yourself the right questions before you decide what you are going to eat.
You will be confronted by temptation, you cannot avoid this but if you think about the side effects and the results of what you are going to eat, you will be be stronger and resisting will be easier - just remember you are greater than the urge, you don't have to follow it.
Doing this will ensure that you start to feel in control of your emotions and mental processes. This will in turn make you feel fulfilled as you will feel in control of your future.
Coping with eating Triggers. Its an interesting fact that a lot of the eating you do happens when you are not actually hungry. The reason for this can be explained with a little psychology. We respond naturally to mental cues or triggers. These can be internal or external in nature. An example of an external trigger is the smell of fish and chips or in the case of this author the sight of a chocolate gateau! Internal triggers take the form of stress, boredom, anxiety and anger to name but a few.
External triggers are the easiest to remove. For instance throwing out sweet items from your cupboard or avoiding walking past sites of temptation on the high street. The internal or emotional triggers are a bit more challenging
The first thing to do is accept that eliminating emotional triggers is not always possible, we just need to react to them differently. Instead of eating, take a little exercise, just a brisk walk will go a long way in stopping your cravings winning and changing your behaviour in regards to food.
Fill up on liquids Did you know that a lot the time, people eat when they are dehydrated? This is because feeling thirsty can sometimes be difficult to distinguish from hunger. Smoothies have gained widespread and deserved acclaim in the role they can play in fighting weight loss. Not only are they low in calories, but they are also an efficient way of getting in your 5 a day of fruit and veg.
A body that is used to snacking sometimes needs fooling into thinking it is full. One of the best and healthy ways to do this is through liquids. Of course this means low calorie drinks, it does not mean we can start filling up on carbonated (fizzy) sugary drinks.
Plain and simple water is by far the best liquid you can drink. Flavoured water is also fine if you find it boring in it's natural form. It not only ensures you feel full but it flushes the toxins from your system and keeps your metabolism working really well.
You need to treat yourself too, never forget this it is a very important part of the weight loss process. If you set goals and then you don't treat yourself when you reach them, that is no fun at all. Rewards are well documented as providing a great sense of achievement. In turn this leads to your body realeasing positive endorphins into your blood stream.
You need to set yourself some very specific goals. There are many you could choose but some suggestions are cutting down your intake by 300 calories a day or vowing to exercise for 30 minutes every day for two weeks. If you reach your goal, you need to give yourself a reward. The best rewards are a treat, maybe something you have wanted for a while such as a DVD or something similar. Giving yourself a reward for reaching a goal, is a very important part of your diet plan and it will make losing weight much sweeter.
About the Author:
If you really want to lose weight, ensure that you check out the great articles and a wonderful free book - 211 pages and details of the Lose 10 pounds in 10 days diet. Don't miss out Learn about great foods to eat
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