Lose Weight For Good

Want to lose weight, but feel as though you’ve already tried every trick in the book? It’s time to take a different approach to dieting. Try these 12 proven strategies will help you slim down for good.

Change the way you describe your goals.

“Call it whatever you want, but don't call what you’re doing a ‘diet,’ ” says David Grotto, RD, author of The Best Things You Can Eat. “Diets have a beginning and an end -- and that’s the problem.” You will only succeed, Grotto says, when you make a lifelong commitment to a healthier lifestyle.

Make your goal meaningful.

Shift your focus from “I want to fit into those jeans” to “I want to feel good and have more energy.” Internal goals -- like how you feel instead of how you look -- tend to have greater staying power over time. Concentrating on the feel-good benefits you're getting also helps you to stick with something. I know that when your young (under 40) you may not realize that you lost any of your energy, but if you gained weight in the pass 10 years you've lost energy. You might not realize it, because you don't use a lot of energy so you still have enough for the work you do. But if you can remember back to those college days or back when you started working or when you bought your first house and had to paint the whole thing, if you can remember back when you weighed less and could work all day and party at night, do you still have all that energy? Believe me, lack of energy has very little to do with how old you are. 

Break up with things that don't work.

Consider what you’ve done in the past to try to lose weight. What you could do differently this time? For example, if your downfalls were snacking at work and waiting until the end of the day to exercise, start packing a healthy snack to  take with you each day and go for a run first thing in the morning before the day's demands get in the way of your good intentions.

Make it easier on yourself.

Set yourself up for success with some small tweaks, starting at home. Do things that will help, not hinder, your weight loss. If you want to make that early-morning jog happen, lay out your running gear before going to bed. Want to get in the habit of snacking on fruit, not chips? Put a bowl of fresh apples or pears on your kitchen table or counter. If it's convenient, it's more likely to happen. Get use to packing food at night to bring to work. That's one of the best first steps you can make.

Form a fan club.

Tell supportive friends, family members, and co-workers about the changes you’re trying to make. Let them know what you need and how they can help. Be specific. Don’t leave this up to them to figure out. For instance, maybe you don’t want them to remind you of what you are or aren’t supposed to eat, but you would like them to give you ongoing encouragement or pep talks when you need them. Everyone will feel like quitting at one point, so you need your friends if you want to stay on course. Don't be afraid to tell your family that your going to start eating differently. You want to start feeling healthier.

Be flexible.

Something is bound to pop up that can throw you off track (the grocery store sells out of your favorite salad ingredients, or your favorite Zumba class moves to a new time). Expect the unexpected. You might have to create a backup plan on a moment’s notice -- like trying a new class at the gym, or buying celery or snap peas to go with your hummus. The key is to be ready, willing, and able to revise your routine and find ways around obstacles. Don’t let one surprise throw off your whole routine. Be prepared to make changes to your weight loss plan.

 Be your own best friend.

When you miss the mark, show yourself some compassion. You’ll avoid letting a slip become a fall. His research on New Year’s resolutions found that most people who succeed at keeping them say their first slip-up strengthened their resolve. So give yourself a pep talk, just as you would a close friend. Then dust yourself off, learn from the lapse, and pick up where you left off. You have the same goal, It might take longer then you thought but never quit.

Tune into your hunger.

To prevent overeating, rate your hunger on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being extremely hungry. Eat when you’re first getting hungry. If you wait too long and your on the high-end of the scale, you'll start eating everything in sight. If you know you won’t be able to eat later, have a snack or small meal when your hunger is low. This helps you avoid getting overly hungry, which can set you up for overeating later on.

Make yourself accountable.

Keep a food and exercise diary on paper, online, or with an app on your phone. Consistently recording your eating and exercise habits, along with weighing yourself regularly, gives you some advantages. Seeing the results you want motivates you to keep going. If the results aren't so great, you can make changes to fix that.

You can monitor your progress any way you want to. Experiment and pick the method works best for you and that you are most likely to do. You can get a free app for your phone or look into a Fitness Tracker.

Know your emotional triggers.

Using food to handle boredom, frustration, stress, anger, or sadness can sabotage your diet. Feel your emotions, but don't let them get the best of you. Figure out what helps you relax and feel positive. Try listening to music, chatting with a friend, or going for a walk.

Make sleep a priority.

Studies show that not getting enough sleep triggers hormonal changes that can lead to feeling hungrier. There’s no underestimating the importance of a good night’s rest. The recommended amount for adults is 7 to 9 hours of shut-eye per night.

Practice mindful eating.

Chew your food thoroughly, and put your fork down between bites. Eating more slowly will help you appreciate your food more and give your stomach a chance to notify your brain that you’ve had enough. Once you get that signal, put down your fork and ask yourself, "Can I stop eating now and walk away from this table satisfied? ”  If the answer is no, eat some more. If the answer is yes, push your plate aside and focus on the conversation or something other than the food.

I try never to eat a meal alone, I always eat too fast and eat too much. If I have to eat alone, I read something like a book or newspaper. It slows down the meal and let's me stay interested in something besides eating.