8 Diet Motivation Tips for Success

Monday blues?  Here are some easy to follow diet motivation tips to get you back to feeling your best. 

Can't lose weight? Try these diet motivation tips for success.

If you've dropped and regained so many pounds it would take a Harvard PhD to do the math, then here are some diet motivation tips that can help.

Sure, you've tried to diet before. You've gotten rid of the cookies in the cupboard, and virtuously refused the cake at the office party. And then, a few weeks into it, your motivation begins to flag. Maybe you hit a plateau in your weight loss, or you're bored with steamed vegetables for dinner night after night, or, tempted by a special dessert, you decide that just this once can't hurt. A few slip-ups and you're totally derailed, physically and emotionally.

If this isn't the first time that losing weight was one of your New Year's resolutions, then maybe you just haven't had the right diet motivation. It turns out that the key to losing and keeping weight off isn't simply a matter of what you eat or how much you exercise - it's your attitude. Lasting weight loss is a slow process and it's all too easy to give up before you reach your goal. With the right psychological tools your chances of diet success can be greatly improved. WebMD consulted experts for diet motivation tips that will keep you, and your diet, on the winning track to losing.

Diet Motivation Tip 1: Set Realistic Goals for Diet Success 

The first step to maintaining your mojo should take place before you cut a single calorie. In fact, one of the strongest predictors of long-term diet success lies in setting the right goal at the start. "If you set unattainable goals, such as losing 30 pounds in just a few months, you're setting yourself up to fail," says Ann Kulze, MD, author of Dr. Ann's 10-Step Diet: A Simple Plan for Permanent Weight Loss and Lifelong Vitality. Instead, you'll be more likely to stick with a diet if you "focus on your health and create sensible eating strategies," says Kulze. Setting smaller, attainable benchmarks, like losing 5 pounds or a single dress size, will give you the confidence to continue.

Diet Motivation Tip 2: Go Slow 

Diet success entails making real lifestyle changes, and that doesn't happen overnight. "You have a better chance at keeping the weight off if you lose it slowly. People who are starving get irritable and have a higher failure rate," Kulze tells WebMD. "If you cut back 200 calories a day, you won't even realize it and the weight will come off and stay off." If you keep in mind that optimal weight loss is 1 to 2 pounds a week, you'll be less frustrated

Diet Motivation Tip 3: Expect Setbacks 

Everyone is bound to give in to temptation (hello, hot fudge sundae) from time to time. The danger isn't a single splurge but letting it become an excuse for an all-out binge. Call it the "I've already blown it so I might as well eat the entire bag of Oreos" syndrome.

Diet Motivation Tip 4: Don't Be a Perfectionist 

So what do you do if you've scarfed down a pint of ice cream before noon? "Perfectionist thinking gets in the way of success more than anything I know," according to Vicki Saunders, RD, who oversees the inpatient weight loss and lifestyle program called Transformations at St. Helena Hospital in Napa, Calif. "A 100-calorie indulgence is just that. But if it's perceived as a failure and a reason to give up, it can turn into a thousand-calorie indulgence." Bottom line when you slip up: Forget about it. Tomorrow is a new (healthier) day.

Diet Motivation Tip 5: Use the Buddy System 

"It's hard to make major lifestyle changes when you're swimming upstream by yourself," says Saunders. Finding other people with similar goals can greatly improve yours odds of diet success. When your spirit - or willpower - flags, having people to call on can provide the support you need to continue. Saunders recommends looking for people at your local gym or Y, Overeaters Anonymous, or an online support group. "Having a support group to turn to, whether it's your family or people in a weight-loss chat room, can make all the difference" for diet success.

Diet Motivation Tip 6: Be Patient 

One of the biggest diet motivation-busters is the dreaded weight loss plateau. You've been doing everything right, exercising and eating well, and the numbers on the scale have been steadily dropping. Then suddenly: nada. The scale stays stuck for several days in a row. According to Ann Kulze, this is perfectly normal. "Turn it around and congratulate yourself on the diet success you've had so far," she urges. "This is a natural part of the weight loss process." When you hit the plateau, you may want to try something slightly different to jump-start your diet. "Commit yourself to expending an extra 100 calories a day with walking, for instance," Kulze advises. "And look honestly to see if you're backsliding in little ways with your eating." A few minor adjustments and you'll soon be back on course.

Diet Motivation Tip 7: Reward Yourself 

Dieting is hard work -- and it's not always a whole lot of fun. Small rewards can provide an incentive to keep going. But make sure your rewards are not food-related. (Translation: Rewarding yourself for losing 5 pounds with a box of chocolates is not what we're talking about.) Set mini-goals along the way and reward yourself when you reach them. Your reward could be a massage, a round of golf, a new pair of jeans, or a hot bubble bath. "Celebrating your diet success will fortify your resolve to continue," says Kulze.


Diet Motivation Tip 8: Have a Maintenance Plan 

For many people, losing weight is far easier than keeping it off. It's important to remember that healthy eating is a lifelong goal, not a one-time project. If this has been a problem for you in the past, devise a maintenance strategy ahead of time. Vicki Saunders says you may want to consult an expert to help create a diet or exercise plan that works for you. "Plan an appointment with a professional, whether it's a nutritionist, a counselor, or a trainer, for an added boost," she says. An expert can help you get off on the right foot -- and maintain your healthy habits even after you've reached your ideal weight.

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Renaming Your 'Cheat Day' Could Help Achieve Weight Loss Success

Here's Why Rethinking Your 'Cheat Day' Could Help You Shed More Pounds.

Call It This Instead.

Every week, you look forward to your cheat day—a day to cave to a few of your cravings after sticking to a well-balanced diet (and workout regimen) all week long. But Men’s Health senior editor Paul Kita takes issue with the concept.

“When you say ‘I’m cheating,’ that makes it sound like it’s some kind of indiscretion that shouldn’t be forgiven for, or even admitted to,” says Kita.

Instead, Kita prefers the term rest day. “Think of [your cheat day] as your rest day for your diet,” Kita says. “Every now and then you just need a rest. And what happens the day after a rest day? You go in and you hit it harder because you’re replenished.”

Science backs him up. Last year, researchers put study participants on a diet that was limited to only 10,500 calories per week, or about 1,500 calories a day.

But half of the dieters were allowed to eat anything they wanted on Sundays.

After two weeks, the two groups both reduced their average body mass indexes and there was no significant difference in the amount of weight the two groups lost, however those who took Sundays off were happier and more motivated to continue working toward their weight-loss goals. In other words, taking a break once a week didn't slow dieters' progress, it only motivated to keep up their healthy habits for longer.

Researchers say that the reason behind this is that occasional indulgence makes dieting more sustainable.

To hear more of Kita’s nutrition strategies, along with tons of fitness and weight-loss tips from Men’s Health Fitness Director BJ Gaddour, check out the latest two-part episode of the Men’s Health Podcast.

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Source:  This article was written by Joelle Smith and provided by Men's Health. 

See more here… http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/cheat-day-approach

Monday Motivation: Go The Extra Mile

The Best Views Come After the Hardest Climb

As they say, go the extra mile, it's never crowded—and it's totally worth it....not least for the selfie or Instagram pic!

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Monday Motivation - Determined

A good mantra to start the week....

Source:  Fitness Magazine

Do You Have to Be Antisocial to Lose Weight?

We all know how tough it is trying to lose weight, or even maintain weight, with the type of hectic social schedules that most people (certainly those with a busy job and friends!) are faced with.  It's impossible! That dream of a healthy lifestyle goes out the window and overeating, too much drinking and weight gain slowly slip back into your life.  Ever tried mindful eating?  Read on for some guidance on how this can help in the battle against the bulge!

When it comes to weight loss, friends and restaurants can lead to overeating. Do you have to choose between keeping the pounds off and hanging out with friends?

Picture your last meal at a restaurant with friends.

Plates loaded with delicious food.

People laughing and telling stories.

Wine glasses filled and refilled over the course of the meal.

A good time, right?

Sure. But researchers say there’s a downside to all that social revelry, especially if you are trying to lose weight, or even just keep off the pounds.

New research has found that the urge to overeat is strongest when you are dining with others in social situations, especially when out at a restaurant.

“The biggest source of temptation is when people are in restaurants and they’re with other people. In particular, being with others who are eating is a huge trigger,” Lora Burke, PhD, MPH, the study’s lead author, and a professor of nursing at the University of Pittsburgh, told Healthline.

But it’s not just your friends who can lead your diet astray.  People can feel food temptation “even if they’re alone but are in sight of people who are eating,” said Burke.

Increasing Temptation

In the year-long study, researchers used a smartphone app to follow 150 people enrolled in a weight loss program.

The app asked people to check in up to five times a day, reporting whether they were tempted to stray from their eating plan, or if they actually did.

At the same time, they reported where they were, who they were with, and their mood.

Throughout the day they also reported whenever they ate — or thought about eating — foods or portion sizes that didn’t fit their plan.

And they weighed themselves every day on a digital scale that sent data to the researchers automatically.

This use of technology in the study allowed researchers to capture information in real time, rather than relying on people to remember details later.
“We assessed them in the moment,” said Burke. “They’re in their natural environment — wherever they are — and they let us know what they’re doing, rather than relying on recall.”
The amount of data provided some hints at how people react to food temptations in different situations.

People were more tempted when they were in the presence of other people eating, compared with eating alone — even if they were sitting near strangers.
They also reported more food temptations when they were at a restaurant or bar, rather than at home or work.  And they were less likely to be tempted when eating in their car or at another person’s house.  Not every meal with friends at a restaurant leads down the path of temptation.

But the study found out that when people were tempted at a restaurant and were around others who were eating, “at least 60 percent of the time they will go on and eat something that they really weren’t planning for,” Burke said.

The chance of giving in to temptation at work or in the car was about 40 percent and 30 percent, respectively.

The study was presented at a recent meeting of the American Heart Association.

Mindful Eating

So is locking yourself in your house with a bowl of salad and ignoring your friends’ text messages your best option?

Not quite.

Even though eating at a restaurant with friends can be a high-risk situation, friends can actually help you stick to your weight loss plan.
Other research found that people who received more social support were better able to keep the weight off. As were people who enrolled in a weight loss program with friends.

Plus, the new study found that even though people experienced fewer food temptations when they were at home, they still gave into them about half of the time. Even when they were alone.

So food temptation lies in wait in many places. As do distractions — which some think may be behind our overeating.

“People often overeat when they’re distracted — social situations can be distracting, of course,” Dan Zigmond, author of “Buddha’s Diet: The Ancient Art of Losing Weight Without Losing Your Mind,” told Healthline. “But sitting alone at your desk at work can be hugely distracting, as well. And there’s lots of evidence that people make bad choices in that situation, too.”

You can counteract the effect of these distractions by being more mindful while you eat.

This technique has been applied in successful weight loss programs. But its roots extend even further back.

“Part of the theme of our book is to carry forward the teachings that Buddha presented so many years ago. Those really all boil down to just paying attention,” said Zigmond. “To try to ensure that you’re always paying some attention to what you’re eating, no matter where you’re doing it, when you’re doing it, or with whom.”

Zigmond said that this works even in groups, as seen with Buddhist monks who eat their meals communally, and mindfully.

Mindful eating mind might mean something as simple as pausing for a moment before starting to eat. Or paying attention to each bite of food. Or talking about the food with your friends.
In the end, this can improve the dining experience for everyone, without leaving you feeling guilty afterward for overeating.

“I don’t think meals out with friends have to be bad for our health or our weight,” said Zigmond. “But we have to combine them with a certain amount of attention and mindfulness.”


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3 Reasons it is Vital for Women to Stay a Healthy Weight

The worst thing you can do for your self-esteem and confidence is to convince yourself that you are just fine to gain a few pounds. While a couple of extra pounds on an already healthy frame will not really make a difference, those few pounds can be the starting point for a downhill slope that you want to run away from and ruin your healthy weight.

To help you understand just why that is, you might want to take a few moments to reflect on the following reasons as to why it is so important to always make sure that you are getting to and staying at a healthy weight.

1. You Will Live Longer

You already know that you have a lot to live for. However, if you start to allow yourself to no longer care about your body, you will find that it is going to be a lot harder to stick around for a long time.

You want to be around for your friends, your family, your pets, your work, and for all of the future adventures that are in store for you.

2. You Will Be an Inspiration

Do you have any young girls in your family? Whether it is your own daughter, your younger cousin, or a niece, you want to be an inspiration to her. Even if you are in a slump and feel as though you could really care less about your own health at the moment – it is likely that you care a lot for the health of your young relative or friend.

By staying a healthy weight, you will be showing her:

• Goals can be achieved
• That you have to love yourself
• That you have to care for your body in order to be healthy
• That is it fun to be at a healthy weight

3. You Will Feel More Attractive

This is not to say that a woman who carries a little more weight on her is not able to feel or be attractive. However, many women find that their self-esteem is automatically affected in some way or another when they start packing on the pounds. If you want to prevent that, you will want to remain a healthy weight for as long as possible. You will look better and you will feel much more comfortable in the clothes that you like to wear.

With all of those reasons in mind, it should be easy to see why you are going to want to do your best in order to make sure that you are always staying a healthy weight.

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