Diet Success Tips:  Think Marathon, not Sprint.  So many of us are focused on losing weight quickly.  We may cut out all carbohydrates or go on an extremely restricted calorie count.  This often results in rapid weight loss in the first week.  However, this approach leaves you tired, famished and unable to continue over the long haul.  Studies have shown you have an 80% chance of regaining your weight when you approach dieting this way.

So what is a person to do?  I personally went on and off numerous diets, never attaining a healthy lifestyle change and always gaining the weight back.  Nine months ago I tried again to change to a healthy diet and lose weight.

This time was different.

This time I was in it for the long haul.

This time I was in it for LIFE.

This time the goal was to eat a healthy diet consistently over time.  In other words, I went into this with a mindset that this way of eating was not a sprint to quick weight loss, but a slow and steady marathon.

In order for me to be successful, I knew that no food could be OFF LIMITS.  From decades of failed diets, I finally came to understand my human nature.  As soon as you label foods off limits, then you will certainly face challenges to that goal.  You will have homemade goodies galore……and inevitably you will fail.  It is human nature.  With our healthy eating plan, we give you lots of options and all foods can be eaten.  You want to aim for healthy compliance 80% of the time.  Perhaps one day a week you’ll go out to eat and eat some food that you normally do not eat.  You always get back on the more healthy eating the day after.

You never quit your diet.

You never beat yourself up.

You use any diet disasters as a chance to troubleshoot that situation and ask yourself how you can do better the next time you encounter those same temptations.  For example, when homemade donuts would appear at work, I used to tell myself I couldn’t have any.   Then I’d decide by mid morning that donuts sounded better than salad and I would have one.  Usually at that point, I’d beat myself up and figure since I’d already blown it, I’d have more and more.  The problem is: goodies always show up at work and I needed to find a way to overcome this problem.

Some friends of mine just eat a “bite” of a donut and can leave them alone.  For me one bite led to half a dozen!  For me, the best way to deal with that is to tell myself I could have a donut….I would just wait until the end of the day.  Delayed gratification.  If I was lucky, they may be all gone.  If not, I’d grab one donut at the end of the day.  All things in moderation.  I lost weight that way and stopped binging.  So think of your journey as a marathon.  Never quit.  Always forgive yourself for indiscretions and make another action plan to deal with the next round of goodies in your life.

May you have a strong and healthy week.

http://www.robinbeckercoaching.com