Tip Sheet #2
How To Stay Motivated while Dieting - tricks for staying on track
If you're like most dieters, you shine at the beginning of your diet. You buy low calorie diet foods, read the latest weight loss book and prepare the suggested low fat recipes. And your first few days are perfect. Then, slowly but surely, you find yourself in the inevitable meltdown. You stop shopping and chopping and start munching and crunching. You give up and get discouraged.
If this is your pattern, then you need to learn how to stay motivated while you diet. Here are some tips to help you succeed
- Pay Attention to the Little Successes. Give yourself a pat on the back for each day that you stay on your new food program. Remember that enough good days add up to successful weeks. Reward yourself for each low calorie week with non-food treats such as new clothing or make up, a new hairstyle, a backrub, a manicure, a special musical CD or tape, a trip to the movies, theater, ballet or special sporting event
- Practice Positive Seft Talk. Speak outloud complements to yourself each and every day. Offer yourself all the loving encouragement that you would give to a friend. Never be mean, harsh or punitive or call yourself names. Remember that love and kindness always get better (and quicker) results than anger and criticism.
- Set A Realistic Goal. Aim for a goal weight that is real rather than ideal. Set your weight loss program up in a series of stages and "graduate" yourself after you complete each stage. Be sure to take some time off from dieting and practice maintaining your new weight loss.
Remember, you can stay on track. If you have further questions contact your local psychological association or email Dr Haber for her full length article, How to Stop Emotional Overeating
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