Let’s face it, dieting sucks. We want what we can’t have and nobody likes to feel hungry. Especially when we live in a country of abundance.
Dieting doesn’t have to be as hard as you think, in fact it can be quite an enjoyable experience. When dieting you have to learn how to be smart with the restrictions you are facing. You have to actively educate yourself about food, which isn’t a bad thing at all. You also learn a lot about your own psychology – strengths and weaknesses. It is not an easy road, but you will gain a lot of knowledge and self-confidence.
To help you, here’s 10 quick tips to help you on the road to clean eating success.
- Hire a professional who can coach you through the process.
- Consistently set yourself up for success – plan your meals ahead and make sure you don’t put yourself in situations where you have to rely on willpower.
- Spread out your meals throughout the day, 3-6 meals depending on the caloric restriction and how many times a day you realistically can fit in a meal.
- Educate yourself on the nutritional value of the foods you eat – you want to find foods that give you the most ‘bulk’ in the stomach so that you stay fuller for longer.
- Eat sufficient protein – this is to ensure minimal muscle loss during your diet. It will also make you feel fuller for longer as it takes time to digest in the stomach.
- Track your food and be honest – keeping a food diary is an easy way to keep track of exactly what you’ve consumed each day.
- Take regular measurements – e.g. photos, weight, callipers and circumference.
- Find someone to whom you can be accountable e.g. (your coach, a friend, relative) – this way you are more likely to stay on track and stay motivated.
- Be proud of yourself and the hard work you put in and don’t beat yourself up if you slip up one day – just move on and be sure to learn from it.
- Consistency is key – one bad day is not a disaster, just get right back on it the next.
UP Recommends
MyFitnessPal is a great way to track your food AND educate yourself on the nutritional value of the foods that you eat. The longer you diet, the better you become at picking foods that will fit into your target.
– It will also give you a bit more flexibility in choosing foods whilst still hitting your target for that day.
– Aim to eat 90% of whole foods – this means fresh food that hasn’t been processed. 10% can come from “questionable” food sources, but the more you eliminate these, the better the outcome will be.
– Experiment with different seasonings to make the meals more enjoyable.
