If you’re anything like us, you’re constantly thinking of ways to get healthy and be fit. There is so much noise out there when it comes to dieting, it’s hard to decipher what can work for you and what won’t. From vegan all the way to keto, the options are endless. We ourselves have tried almost every diet under the sun, and we’ve compiled our experience to help you when choosing to alter your eating habits for the better. Follow these tips to ensure the diet you follow will truly work!
1. Believe
While I previously thought that diet was all action, there is new evidence about how much your mindset matters during a diet. Interestingly enough, you have to believe in the diet for it to take full effect. Metabolism is a tricky thing, but ultimately your brain is king of the castle. Learn more with this Vox article.
2. Calorie Cutting
Every diet has a claim to get you slim. But the only true trick is less calories consumed than usual, and running at a deficit. It’s important to understand how many calories you need for your height, weight, and gender to make sure you’re eating under that mark.
3. Liquids First
A really good trick to eating less is drinking a beverage before a meal. Getting a large cup of water or even sparkling water can help you eat less and feel full quicker. The only thing to be wary of is drinking while eating, which can confuse your metabolism. But loading up on water before a meal can really help fill the stomach and curb overeating.
4. Timing
The timing of when you eat is important when thinking about weight loss. You want to be able to burn off the calories of most of the food you eat, so thinking about timing is key in weight loss. You want to keep the majority of your calorie intake in breakfast and lunch, giving your body proper time to digest the food. Eating large meals at night can stunt weight loss and lead to ingestion.
5. The Buddy System
Like most things in life, being accountable will lead to success. Embarking on the weight loss journey with a buddy will help you motivate each other and keep each other on track. Knowing someone is there to impress is a huge factor in staying strong.
6. Journaling
Similar to having a buddy, journaling is another option to help with accountability. Most diets fail because one cheat meal leads to a complete derailment of the entire diet. But if you know you’ll have to record all your calories and meals, it’ll help you think twice when choosing food options.
7. Rewards
What’s the point if there’s no reward? While the ultimate reward to diet and exercise is health, it’s important to reward small wins along the way. Goal setting and rewarding each goal set can help with motivation and proactive about the lifestyle change. You can break up with each win with a pound lost, and go from there with whatever rewards feel best for you.