Most of us have struggled to stick to a diet plan or a health goal. But seeing it through is worth it. You sleep better, your skin glows, and you feel fantastic! So, here’s how to make sure you choose nutrition-packed meals over fast food. Well, most of the times anyway.
Understand your motivation
Every time you’re feeling down about having to diet, consider why you chose to do it in the first place. Is it to lose weight, is it to become fitter, is it to overcome a health problem? If you’re just following the latest health fad, you’re not likely to stick to it for long. Also, avoid setting unrealistic goals for yourself. Those will only make you feel worse.
Visualise the good it does
Say you’re eating a salad. If you’re only focussed on the meal in front of you, you’ll probably end up feeling miserable. Instead, think about the nutrition your body is receiving and how the vitamins and minerals benefit your health. This is also known as conscious eating – where you’re not just mindlessly wolfing down your dinner in front of the TV.
Think about the nutrition your body is receiving and how the vitamins and minerals benefit your health. (Shutterstock)
Think about the money saved
All too often, we end up spending a sizeable part of our salary on junk food. ‘Just one pastry’ turns into two pieces without even realising. And don’t even us get us started on how much people splurge when they go out drinking. Eating out at every new restaurant that comes up is great for your taste buds but not for your wallet. Shift your focus from just losing weight to reaching a better financial status too. At the end of each month, note how much you’ve saved from eating home cooked meals instead of restaurant lunches and takeaways. That’ll make you feel better.
Allow yourself to cheat occasionally
Being on a super strict diet isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. While some people can go without their favourite foods for long stretches of time, it’s completely alright if you’re not one of those. It’s okay to load your plate with a bit of fried foods, and a bit of dessert once in a while. What’s life without a little indulgence, after all? Alternatively, you could add healthy ingredients to make your favourite dishes a little less harmful to your body. Example: Add loads of veggies to your pasta.
It’s okay to load your plate with a bit of fried foods, and a bit of dessert once in a while. (Shutterstock)
Find a partner and hold each other accountable
Feeling like you’re the only one trying to stick to their health goals can be emotionally draining. If your colleagues are bingeing on pizza and donuts while you’re munching on a kale and quinoa Buddha bowl, you’re bound to feel left out. The solution? Pair up with a buddy whose goals are similar to yours. Motivate and keep each other on track. If they’re tempted to finish an entire tub of ice cream, it’s your job to make sure better sense prevails. And vice versa.