When people are trying to lose weight, they are often first told that they should try diet and exercise. This is because medications have side effects and people should not run the risk of suffering these side effects unless they absolutely have to. With this in mind, most people work with their physician or healthcare professional to come up with a diet and exercise plan. While this sounds nice on the surface, many people have trouble sticking to their diet and exercise plan. Therefore, what are some ways that people can stick to their diet and fitness plan?
1. Use Smaller Plates
This is, by far, the most important point about trying to stick to a diet. People are conditioned from birth to eat everything on their plate because wasting food is bad. This is definitely true and a reason why many people have trouble sticking to their diet plan. They use the same-sized plates, they fill their plate up, and they eat everything on it. In order to stick to a diet plan that involves smaller portion sizes, use smaller plates. People will feel full if they eat everything on their plate even if the plate is smaller.
2. Find a Workout Buddy
It can be tempting to roll over and go back to sleep when that alarm goes off to go to the gym. Without anybody else to hold that person accountable, this can become a habit and derail an entire exercise plan. Therefore, try to find someone to go to the gym with. Each person can hold the other accountable for making sure that not only do they show up to the gym but that they work hard while they are there as well. Someone else should be pushing that individual to stick to their exercise plan.
3. No “Cheat” Days
For some reason, people have it in their mind that their diet will work even if they have “cheat” days. For those unaware, these are days where people are allowed to eat whatever they want to without counting their calories. This is not how the body works. The body processes everything that goes into it and even one cheat day filled with extra calories and unhealthy foods can cause a body to revert back to its old state. Do not have any cheat days.
4. Remember That Sweating During Workouts is Normal
When individuals come up with a fitness plan, they often believe that simply showing up at the gym and going through the motions is enough. Some people even try to find ways to do their workouts without breaking a sweat. This is not how the exercise plan is supposed to go. Sweating is the body’s way of trying to cool itself off when the heart rate and internal body temperature rise. This is supposed to happen. Instead, people should be trying to sweat as much as they can during a workout.
5. This is a Lifestyle, not a Treatment
Sticking to a diet and fitness plan should not be viewed as a treatment for someone who is overweight. They should be viewed as a lifestyle conversion. When people accept this new diet and exercise plan as a lifestyle instead of something that is temporary, they commit fully to it. This commitment is ultimately what is most important when it comes to sticking with a diet and fitness plan.