Keep Your Diet Resolutions - 10 Tips!

1. Eliminate the dieting mentality.
Permanent weight loss requires embracing the fitness lifestyle. Many people view nutrition changes and exercise as a temporary thing-something they'll only do until they get their weight off. The good nutrition and exercise habits that will get the weight off are the same good habits that will keep the weight off.

2. Get determined.
Many people start a weight loss program with the subconscious belief they will fail. Consequently, it's not long until they give up. Permanent weight loss success begins with the belief you will succeed. Resolve that you will change your eating habits and exercise regularly. Don't allow any excuses to creep back into your new fitness lifestyle. Weight loss success happens when you are 100 percent committed.

3. Visualize your ideal self.
Cut pictures out of health and fitness magazines. Add your face to the fit person's body. Visualize yourself as a healthy, fit, and energetic weight loss success story.

4. Get support.
Join a health club. Hire a certified personal trainer to teach you the body shaping exercises in Lose the Lies, Lose the Weight. Choose a personal trainer over working out with a friend. Friends often fail to show up for workouts. Paid professionals will be there to workout at a designated time. Consistent workouts lead to results. Results lead to motivation.

5. Set specific fitness goals.
Winners at weight loss set specific, realistic, and obtainable goals. List your long-term, monthly, and weekly weight loss goals. For example: I will lose 40 pounds. I will lose 8 pounds per month. I will lose 2 pounds per week. I will exercise 5 days per week. I will exercise 30-60 minutes per day. Obtaining your weekly weight loss goal will motivate you to work toward your monthly and long-term goal.

6. Keep a food journal.
Weight loss requires a caloric deficit. Guessing at how many calories you're eating isn't effective. People tend to think they're eating much less than they really are. Purchase a calorie counter book and use it regularly. The average woman will lose weight by consuming 1,200-1,500 calories daily while the average man will lose weight by consuming 1,800-2,100 calories daily.

7. Change your environment.
To build self-discipline, eliminate tempting situations such as buffets or happy hours. Toss all your sabotage foods including: brownies, cake, candy, cookies, cupcakes, donuts, and potato chips. Stock your home with foods including: fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads, pastas, tortillas, and lean protein sources such as skinless chicken breasts, white turkey, salmon, and lowfat cottage cheese. Choose low-calorie snacks such as: fruit, vegetables, rice cakes, air popped popcorn, frozen juice bars, lowfat cottage cheese, and smoothies.

8. Keep your mind off food by staying busy.
Sign up for an art class.
Join a health club.
Pamper yourself at a day spa.
Visit a new place every week-restaurants excluded.
Read fitness books and magazines.
Organize your photographs.
Finish your degree.
Go to a fitness competition. Seeing so many fit people is very motivating.
Pursue an interest you've put off for too long, like photography, woodworking, or dance lessons.

9. Reward yourself along the way.
Don't wait until you get to your ideal weight to reward yourself. Do something special every time you lose 5 pounds. Treat yourself to a massage, new clothes, golf, a special night out, or a weekend getaway. Plan a trip to celebrate your future weight loss victory.

10. Think long-term.
Resolve that this year will be different. This year you will finally choose a fabulous physique over a few moments of food. Instead of focusing on your food, focus on how incredible you will look and feel when you say no to temptation. Remember-dessert only tastes good for a minute, but living in a healthy body feels tremendous all year long!  

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For more information and great weight loss tips, read Lose the Lies, Lose the Weight by Laurie Bell.

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Copyright 2007 Laurie Bell, Lose the Lies Lose the Weight: The Ultimate Guide to Permanent Weight Loss, http://www.losethelieslosetheweight.com