There is a saying that "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail" - many of us have heard over and over again, but how many of us actually apply that to our weight loss efforts? The thing is - if you go into tomorrow without a sound diet plan, then you are wide open to anything your body tells you - and remember, your body is trying to maintain your weight, if not even store a little extra fat just in case! The only way that you can be sure that you are on track is by mapping out EXACTLY what you can and cannot eat and then sticking to it...
Now - there is a trick to making a sound diet plan - by which I mean a diet plan that will work for you! And the trick is to create a plan that is different from what you normally do, for sure, but still includes enough of the things that you enjoy that you won't be tempted to cheat. Let's look at the key elements for this sound diet plan:
The average person needs 2,000 calories per day to maintain their weight - you should pitch your daily calorie intake around 1,500 calories - that gives you about 1-2lbs per week weight loss, depending on how much exercise you get. If you eat too few calories in a day then it becomes VERY difficult to avoid cheating. In the long term, an extremely low calorie diet will cause your metabolism to shut down. It is also very hard to get the nutrition you need on less than 1,500 calories per day.
Plan out your day. Not just "I'll have 3 meals and 3 snacks" but exactly when and where will you be at that time? You do not want to plan on a full 400 calorie meal just when you know that you will be sitting on the bus coming home from work, but you do want to be eating something every 3-4 hours to keep your metabolism burning.
Measure everything - even when you think you know - measure it anyway! Again - your body is trying to maintain and even increase those fat reserves, so relying on your instincts to measure out your food is no part of your sound diet plan!
Make sure your plan includes #1 - the things you like to eat each day and that they are allowed for in your calorie budget for the day and #2 - that you have a "binge" day. The binge day should still keep your calories around 2,000 - 2,500 for the day, we don't want you gaining 10lbs that day, but the extra calories keep your body from going into starvation mode and keep your metabolism burning.
Include your exercise - and timetable it. No matter if you are just going to park further away from the office and walk in or if you are going for a full gym workout every evening - put that on your schedule, including time to change and shower. Now you fit everything else around that schedule - no more excuses of "I didn't have time"!
Finally - once you have your plan laid out - share it with someone! Incorporate it into your regular daily planner or however you normally schedule your day. Put it on the refrigerator door - the more you can integrate this new, sound diet plan into your daily life and the more you tell others what you are doing and why, the more successful you will become!
Now - things will come your way to knock you off course. Life happens! But now you have, and you know you have, a sound diet plan - that is your bible! If in doubt - check the plan. If that candy fits your plan for the day - great. If it doesn't - remember that your plan is your roadmap to the slimmer, healthier you - anything not on the plan is a diversion that it could take you days or weeks to return from to get back on track.
Take the time, and get the support to lay out a sound diet plan for you and your lifestyle and it will make your weight loss easier AND much more successful!
Gary J Bailey - keeping the weight off and feeling great!!
With personal experience of what works (and what doesn't!) to lose 50lbs and keep it off, AND get healthier in the process, these articles are sharing some of my experiences and tips so you don't have to make the mistakes I did!
Try my FREE weightloss program [fitbodytoday.co.uk] here!
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