(BlackDoctor.org) – Many of you who started January zealously committed to getting fit are close to crashing hard in February. Everyone who follows a diet has times when it is tough to stay motivated and that is when it is just too easy to give up.
The most important aspect of maintaining a healthy diet isn’t the type of diet you choose, but whether or not you can stick to it. Whether you go low calorie, low carb, low fat or high fiber, you need to be able to eat that way for a long time to keep the extra weight off and enjoy any real health benefits.
In order to maintain a healthy diet, it helps to have a plan so that you know what to do when the initial excitement and motivation of a new diet wears thin. Here are some tips for maintaining a healthy diet:
- Look at the small picture. Concentrate on just losing 5 pounds at a time. When you lose the first 5, celebrate, then decide if it’s reasonable to lose another 5, and so on. Focusing on a big number can be overwhelming; in bite-size chunks, it will seem more manageable.
- Get rid of sabotaging thoughts. “It’s OK to eat this because I’m celebrating.” “I don’t have time to work out.” Sound familiar? These kind of thoughts can derail your best efforts. When you catch yourself making self-defeating excuses, shoot them down by saying, “If I want to be healthier, thinner, and more energetic, I have to follow my diet-and-exercise plan.”
- Ditch that all-or-nothing mentality. Instead of scrapping your program when things get hectic, look over your upcoming week and plan how to fit everything in. And remember, five minutes of exercise is better than none.
- Plan for curveballs. You’ll be stuck at work late one day and won’t have time to sear fresh fish and steam veggies. Keep a stash of healthy convenience food so you can grab a protein bar or heat up a low-calorie frozen dinner for busy times.
