Madeleine Hull
Making changes to your diet can be challenging, and it's easy to get derailed. Many factors can contribute to this, from individual habits and cravings to social dynamics and unsupportive family and friends. To stay on track, it's essential to establish clear goals and plans, seek professional guidance if needed, and hold yourself accountable. Consistency is key, and small slip-ups along the way are normal. Regular physical activity, combined with dietary changes, can be more effective than dieting alone. It's also beneficial to keep nutritious and filling snacks on hand to reduce the temptation to stray from your diet when hungry. Taking planned diet breaks can help prevent cycles of extreme restriction and indulgence and boost motivation and metabolism.
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What You'll Learn
Keep a food journal or use a tracking app
Keeping a food journal or using a tracking app can be a great way to keep yourself accountable and prevent your diet from derailing. It can help you become more aware of your eating habits, allowing you to identify unhealthy habits and replace them with healthier ones.
Food journals can be used to track what you eat and drink, including snacks and beverages, and can be as detailed as you like. For example, you can count calories or simply keep a record of what you consume, when you consumed it, and how much. This can be especially useful if you have specific health goals or are trying to increase your intake of certain nutrients. Additionally, food journals can help you identify food sensitivities and any ingredients you may not tolerate. They can also be useful if you are working with a dietitian or therapist, as they can help evaluate your journal and provide guidance.
If you are interested in keeping a food journal, it is recommended to update it throughout the day to ensure accuracy. You can also make notes on your phone or paper after eating and add them to your log later in the day. It is important to remember that food journaling is a marathon, not a sprint, so give yourself grace and start by recording one meal at a time.
If a food journal is not for you, there are many tracking apps available, such as MyFitnessPal, which is like having a nutrition coach, meal planner, and food diary with you at all times. It has easy-to-use tools that make food tracking quick and simple, allowing you to log foods, record workouts, and customize your health and fitness goals.
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Prepare meals and grocery lists in advance
Preparing meals and grocery lists in advance is a great way to stay on track with your diet. It ensures you are organised and reduces the risk of making impulsive food choices when you are hungry. Here are some tips to help you prepare:
Firstly, plan your meals for the week ahead. This may seem like a hassle, but it will make a big difference in helping you stick to your diet. When planning, consider the nutritional value of each meal and ensure it aligns with your diet. You can find many healthy recipes online that are both nutritious and tasty. Planning meals will also help you create an accurate grocery list, so you only buy what you need.
Secondly, keep your meals interesting and varied. Eating the same boring meals every day will make it harder to stick to your diet. Include a variety of foods from different food groups to ensure your meals are balanced and exciting. For example, if you're having a salad, add some roasted vegetables, beans, and couscous to make it more filling and tasty.
Thirdly, prepare snacks and meals in advance. Chopping up vegetables, preparing snacks, and even cooking meals ahead of time will make it easier to grab something healthy when you're hungry. It will also help you avoid reaching for unhealthy convenience foods.
Lastly, don't forget to treat yourself occasionally. Completely depriving yourself of the foods you love will only make you crave them more. Allow yourself to indulge in moderation and practice portion control. This way, you can stick to your diet while still enjoying your favourite treats from time to time.
By preparing meals and grocery lists in advance, you'll be more likely to stick to your diet and avoid derailing your progress. It takes a bit of extra time and effort, but it's worth it for the long-term success of your diet.
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Take regular diet breaks
Taking regular breaks from your diet can be an effective way to stay on track and achieve long-term success. A diet break is an intentional decision to move out of a caloric deficit for a predetermined period, usually around one to three weeks. During this time, you can eat more freely, boosting your motivation and metabolism, and giving your brain and body a chance to reset.
There are several benefits to taking a diet break. Firstly, it can help you retain muscle mass. When you are in a calorie deficit, your metabolism slows down, and you may start to lose muscle, which can make it harder to lose or maintain your weight over time. Taking a break from this deficit gives your body a chance to recover and can help prevent muscle loss. Secondly, a diet break can give you a psychological boost. It can be challenging to stick to a restricted diet, and taking a break allows you to enjoy more foods without the same level of restriction, which can improve your motivation and help you stay on track when you return to your diet.
It is important to note that the timing of a diet break may vary from person to person. A general guideline is to consider a break every few months, around 12 to 16 weeks. However, if you are feeling hungry, tired, or grumpy at the beginning of your diet, a break may not be the best option. Instead, it could be a sign that you need to eat more, even while trying to lose weight.
Diet breaks can also be useful when you have an upcoming event, such as a vacation, where you want to be able to enjoy yourself without worrying about strict diet restrictions. This approach can help you avoid cycles of over-restriction followed by excessive indulgence, which can often stall weight loss attempts.
Overall, taking regular diet breaks can be a helpful tool to stay motivated and on track with your long-term health and weight loss goals. It is an opportunity to reset and renew your commitment to your diet, ensuring that you have the energy and focus to continue making progress.
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Avoid restrictive diets
Restrictive diets are unsustainable and can be harmful to your health. They are defined by therapist Jennifer Rollin as a way of eating that reduces calories below someone's energy needs and/or limits the macronutrients or food groups a person consumes. This can lead to an unhealthy relationship with food and your body, as well as encourage binge-eating.
Natalie Mokari, a dietitian, suggests that if your diet cuts out entire food groups or is primarily motivated by a desire to lose weight, it is likely to be restrictive. Restrictive diets can make social gatherings less enjoyable and cause you to obsess over food. They can also be physically restrictive, preventing you from eating certain foods, or mentally restrictive, causing feelings of shame around eating certain foods.
To avoid restriction, Mokari recommends the 80/20 rule: focus on eating the foods required for your diet 80% of the time, and allow more flexibility 20% of the time. This helps to avoid a restrictive mindset and leaves room for fun. It is also important to work with health professionals to determine what is healthy for you and what is part of diet culture.
It is also worth noting that taking a break from dieting can be beneficial. This involves eating more calories and fun foods to boost your motivation and metabolism, helping you stay on track in the long term. Regular diet breaks can prevent cycles of extreme restriction and indulgence, giving you the freedom to indulge without going to extremes. They can also be helpful when you have an upcoming event, such as a vacation, allowing you to enjoy yourself without derailing your routine.
Consistency is key to success, and it is important to establish habits and routines. Preparing meals and grocery lists in advance ensures you do not leave things to chance and helps you avoid making bad choices when you are not prepared.
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Exercise alongside dietary changes
Exercise and diet work hand in hand, and combining the two will help you achieve optimal health and quality of life. A 2023 systematic review found that obese adults lost the most weight when they combined strength training and endurance exercise for at least 175 minutes each week, along with a customised diet of fewer calories than burned each day.
Regular exercise helps to preserve lean muscle and burn additional calories, while a nutritious diet supports heart health and can reduce the risk of heart disease. Diet and exercise can also play important roles in other areas of your health. For example, to build muscle, you need to do resistance training and consume enough protein throughout the day.
Exercise has been shown to motivate people to pursue healthier dietary preferences and regulate their food intake. A study of 2680 young adults found that 15 weeks of aerobic exercise training motivated participants to pursue healthier dietary preferences and regulate their food intake. Similarly, a Stanford University study of 200 people over 44 years of age found that those who received both nutrition and exercise counselling met their goals.
When starting a new exercise program, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional, especially if you have a heart condition or another chronic condition. It is also important to note that everyone is different, and an individualised approach is needed when making lifestyle changes.
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Frequently asked questions
It's important to establish a clear goal and a plan to achieve it. Consistency is key, and making sure you have nutritious and filling snacks on hand will help you avoid cravings.
It's helpful to keep a food journal or use a smartphone app to track your daily calorie intake, weight, and activity levels. Planning your meals for the week ahead will also help you stay on track.
It's okay to indulge in your cravings occasionally, as long as you practice portion control. Depriving yourself of your favourite foods can backfire and make your cravings stronger.
Sugar addictions can be hard to break. Try to cut out sugary drinks and alcohol, and opt for water or sugar-free alternatives instead.
Diet breaks can be beneficial, as they give your brain and body a chance to reset. They can help boost your motivation and metabolism, and prevent cycles of extreme restriction and indulgence. Listen to your body, and take a break when you feel hungry, tired, or moody.
