We all want to be healthy, happy, and eat a balanced diet regime. To be fitter at the age of 40 than most people is the goal that we all aim for. But saying this and following this is different. Sticking to a diet tends to be hard for most people as you cannot keep eating the same kind of food every day. Also, sticking to a diet when you tend to stop eating everything that you like doesn’t work. Why? Because that makes you hungrier for the food that you love, which leads to binge-watching.
Still, do not lose hope. When you stick to a balanced and healthy diet, you feel happier, healthier, and energetic. And you can achieve this, with a bit of discipline and by following a few tips that we will be discussing below. But before that, here are the reasons why most people are unable to stick to a diet regime.
- You are doing it wrong! If you stop eating all things that you like altogether, it will make you give up soon
- When you stay hungry for long, your body craves salt, which is harder to control. It leads to dehydration.
- The exercise routine is not working for you.
Tips for sticking to a diet regime
1. Learn to understand and read your body
Our body keeps sending up messages, and we need to listen to it to be healthy and happy. If you do not align your food habits with your body, it will never stick. Understand how your body works so that you can maintain a balance. Therefore, never introduce any harsh diet to your system without any planning. Do it one step a time so that your body gets a chance to adapt to it.
2. Follow a time-table
Following a schedule or time-table concerning your meals is a great way to stick to your diet. When you have a fixed time for eating breakfast and the rest of the meal, you snack less. Also, it gives you the opportunity to meal plan. Instead of coming up with instant food, plan the meal. This way, you will be able to get all the ingredients beforehand and prep it to cook the food fresh the next day.
Use an online planning app like Canva or Sortd to create a time table or plan your meals. For instance, Canva has a planner and a calendar which you can use to your advantage.
3. Be realistic with your approach
Eating a healthy diet and sticking to it takes willpower and a realistic approach. If you do it to lose weight quickly, you will lose the will to continue as you cannot lose tons of weight, if you follow a diet that does network with your body. Instead, set short but realistic goals that you can achieve without fail.
4. Do not compromise the relationship you have with food
We all love to eat delicious food, and compromising on its quality will not help you stick to your diet. So, if you love spicy burgers, go for it, but find a way to make it healthier, like using wheat or gluten-free burgers and make veggie or quinoa pattie instead of loading it with fats and carbs.
If you stop eating everything that you like, you will give up soon. Also, if there is a food item that you know you may like, but you cannot eat, it is better to never introduce it in your diet.
5. Make a list of things that motivates you
Why are you deciding to eat healthily? What is driving you? Is it because you want to be fitter, healthier, or get into a specific dress? Whatever the reason is, make sure you write it down so that it always motivates you. Another thing that you can do is make a poster using Canva about the reasons you want to eat healthily, print it, and put it on your wall. This way, any time you feel like you are losing hope, you can look at it.
6. Do not bring unhealthy food in your home
Make sure that you are not bringing any unhealthy food items in your home. Be it soda or processed food or so. When you do not have these things in your proximity, being healthy becomes easier. Instead, fill your house with items like fruits and veggies.
Try these tips, and you will find it is becoming easier to stick to a diet regime!
