Dieting and exercising are tough lifestyle choices that come with their own set of hurdles. While you start with a lot of motivation, the going can get hard. Is there any way you can prepare yourself to see your diet through over the long term? Yes, of course. Dieting demands a lot out of you, both physically and mentally. It’s only fair that you prepare your body to face this gigantic challenge. Here’s how you strengthen yourself physically and mentally before starting a diet.
1. Ask Yourself Why You Want To Do This
Write down your thoughts. Ponder over why you want to do this. Set a goal that will motivate you to diet and workout. Make a list of all the things that make you feel inferior, frustrated, or negative in general. What would make you feel more confident? These are the reasons why you want to diet. Pin up the list where you can see it often and use it as a motivation.
2. Set A Timeline
Decide when you’re going to step into your new lifestyle. Choose a date and prepare yourself mentally and physically to get into the grind. Ensure that you do not delay the change any further and work toward it.
3. Consult A Doctor
Before you start to diet, figure out everything you can about your body. Get your body checked and understand your strengths and weaknesses. Your diet and exercise routine should work around any illnesses you have and focus on curing it. You can’t do this if you don’t know what’s wrong or right with your body.
4. Choose The Right Diet
Don’t go on a specific diet just because everybody else is following it or because it worked wonders for your friend. Choose a diet that suits your body type. The best way to do this is to consult a dietitian and stick to their suggestions.
5. Understand Your Diet
Listen to your dietitian, but not blindly. Understand your diet, why you’re eating the foods you eat and avoiding others. Know that every minor step in your diet is going to help your body and mind in one way or the other. Trusting the steps you take will help you reach your goals.
6. Control Your Eating Habits
Note down when you tend to eat more. There are different ways in which you might lose control of your eating habits. Do you impulsively buy that tub of ice cream when you step out? Do you snack distractedly, when watching tv or reading a book? Or do you just eat when you feel anxious and that’s most of the time? These are the habits that’ll break your diet. Snacking like this can break your diet. So, prepare yourself for the diet by eating only when hungry, not to just keep yourself occupied. Find ways to distract yourself from the junk.
- Eat healthy snacks like nuts, fruits, and veggies, albeit moderately.
- When you feel like eating something for the sake of it, drink lots of water.
- Call a friend, take a walk, or maybe just do the dishes to help your mind stray away from food.
7. Find A Good Personal Trainer
Like your diet involves your health issues, the exercise routine should also look into your physical body. Good trainers will understand your body well, know what needs to be improved, and how to go about it. Working out beyond your limit can be counterproductive, so find a trainer who’ll take you through the regime at a good, healthy pace.
8. Create Your Personal Exercise Routine
Prepare yourself gradually for a full-fledged workout by starting slow. Do warm-up exercises, try mild versions of each kind of exercise, and see how it works out for your body. See what helps strengthen you and what’s harming your body more. Also, be honest and open with your trainer. The exercise routine should be planned with both of your inputs
9. Stay Active
Get out of your lethargy; that’s what’s caused all the trouble in the first place! Keep yourself motivated by staying active all day long. Here are some ways to keep yourself active:
- Don’t crash into the recliner as soon as you go home. Walk around a little and finish up the chores for the day. Rest once and for at night.
- Take breaks in between work or studies and go for a walk. No need to step outside; just walk around wherever you are.
- Take the stairs, as much as possible.
- Walk/cycle to the store instead of taking the bike/car out every single time.
10. Know That There Will Be Setbacks
Prepare yourself mentally for multiple setbacks. No dieting or exercise regime is perfect. And your body will respond to these routines in its own way. Naturally, hurdles are to be expected. But this doesn’t mean you give up. Work harder, take tiny breaks if required but get back up and focus on your goal. Train your mind and body to strive nonstop until you reach your goal and lead a healthy life.
11. Reward Yourself
Focus on rewards rather than rebuking yourself. The best way to keep yourself motivated is to set tiny, achievable goals. Reward yourself in a good way, not with a dessert but, maybe, with a trip to the spa, when you reach each of these milestones. Celebrate every single success and be confident about yourself.
12. Get Support From Family And Friends
Encouragement from friends and family can help you get through any tough phase, including diets. So, be open and honest with your loved ones and take their help. Even better, find a friend who can take up the diet with you. This is one of the easiest ways to ensure that both stick to the routine. If not, join support groups to find like-minded people.
These tips will prepare you to take the big step to an extent. But, dieting, be it to lose weight, gain weight, or just stay healthy, is all about willpower. It’s about wanting something so badly that you’re ready to realign your life to attain it. Be strong and focus on what needs to be done as the end result will definitely be worth the wait and trouble.