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You've started your shape-up program, including some positive changes to your diet. Now it's important to avoid situations that can undo all your great work. Nutritionist Matt O'Neill reveals the top six diet traps and how you can effectively deal with them.
When you start your fitness routine, watch out for these diet traps that can trip you up:
1. Impatience - Expecting quick weight loss and not getting it can cause frustration. Make sure you set realistic goals. It has probably taken many years to gain weight, so even if it takes a number of months to lose it, you'll be enjoying the new fitter, healthier you from day one.
2. Relying on willpower - Relying on willpower alone to eat less often backfires. Build healthy habits and a leaner environment over time to complement your natural resolve.
3. Testing yourself - Throwing yourself into food challenges too soon in your program can dint your confidence. For example, it may be better to avoid cooking that chocolate cake for the kids if you think you might sample it during the process.
4. Trying to be perfect - Striving for the perfect diet or exercise routine can have the opposite effect if you find achieving it is more challenging than you expected. Remember, "life happens" and flexibility is the key to maintaining a healthy diet and activity pattern.
5. Taking a break - Allowing yourself to take a complete break from regular activity for a month or more, thinking you'll get back into it, is just the type of thinking to avoid. As little as too weeks appears to be the danger period, after which exercisers become non-exercisers for good.
6. Thinking you "know" enough - Information and education about the risks of excess body fat, healthy foods and the benefits of regular exercise are often not enough. You also need to monitor your progress, have practical strategies for managing difficult situations and get encouraging support.
Tips to stay on track
Keeping on track to reach your goals is easier when you regularly remind yourself to eat healthily and take time for activity. The tips below are designed to keep you focussed on the exact healthy habits that get results, especially when you get busy and distracted.
Test yourself by ticking the simple strategies you apply and highlight the new ones you'll add to your routine.
Eating Tips - Set realistic daily eating targets. For example, three pieces of fruit or salad at lunch three days a week.
- Choose one target and track it on a notice board or fridge planner. Ticking them off reminds you of your achievements.
- Keep tempting treats out of the house or out of sight.
- Place fruit bowls in more than one room for a positive trigger every time you walk past.
- Clearly label healthy leftovers and place them in the fridge where you can see them.
- Place healthy snacks at eye level in the pantry.
- Never leave home without a banana (or your favourite fruit).
- Take your water bottle with you when you drive. Place another one on your desk at work. Using more than one water bottle gives you a back-up when you forget or lose one.
- Use effective social eating strategies. Take a healthy dish, eat beforehand or do extra exercise to balance the calories?
- If you travel, plan the meals for your journey. For example, pre-order a "low-fat" meal with your flight booking.
- Make a list of the habits that really work for you and make these rules to live by. For example, if planning meals the week in advance works, make this one of your top five rules. What other rules can you make?
Activity Tips
- Place activity reminder notices around your home and work. For example, a note that says, "Walk Today" on the inside of your front door or on your computer screen will be a constant prompt.
- Better still, make yourself a small poster titled, "Exercise" and list the words that sum up the positive feelings exercise gives you. For example, "Relaxation, Confidence, Energy boost, Thinking time and Me time." This will be a powerful reminder for times when you lose sight of these benefits.
- Be your own excuse eliminator. When you start to hear an excuse not to exercise in your head, stop and swap it for the positive feelings and benefits you enjoy from being active.
- Enter "time to exercise" as an appointment with yourself in your diary.
- Keep an exercise log. Use your diary, notice board or a fridge note to tick off each activity session. The simple act of ticking off a session provides a daily reward.
- Set a minimum workout frequency. Even maintaining a once or twice-a-week habit on set days is likely to keep you in the exercise habit for years to come. This way you can always say, "I am an exerciser!"
- Get your exercise gear ready the night before and leave it at the end of your bed.
- Ask family and friends to remind you about your exercise session. This is a good back-up if you forget.
- If you miss a session, try not to dwell on it. Wipe the slate clean and start the next day as an active day. It's the "average" activity level that matters.
- From time to time (weekly at first) ask yourself, "How confident am I that I can stick to my exercise routine?" If you don't feel confident, ask yourself, "What do I need to do to boost my confidence?" It could be recruiting an exercise buddy, joining a program or reaffirming your priority to make time for regular activity.
FREE REPORT - Click here Click here for Matt's FREE REPORT about Meal Timing & Weight Loss or subscribe to his website - SmartShape.com.au
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