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Five Sure-Fire Ways to Commit to Calories Loss and Lose Weight
By Rowena French | November 18, 2008
When you start a new diet it is always exciting and easy to ‘commit’ to a daily calories loss menu and regular exercise. You tell yourself that this time you are going to stick with it, this time will be different, this time you are really committed. But do you really stick with the diet or do you go back to your old eating habits and end up with no weight loss and sometimes even a weight gain?
That is what happens to most people because dieting is not always fun, change is usually no fun and there are times when losing weight can just get hard. But in order to make real, healthy, permanent changes you need to make sure that the food you eat over the long term is both enjoyable and provides you with the calories loss you need. You need to be committed to getting healthy and fit and to sticking with your diet and this time you really do make that commitment.
Committing to anything involves letting others in on your secret and using some kind of outward sign that you are serious. If this seems a little contrived to you, do not underestimate the power of an action like this and recall the significance of symbols like trophies, rings and pledges during special ceremonies on other important occasions. Politicians like Senator McCain or Senator Obama will be committing to our whole country in November. If you really are serious about sticking to a balanced calories loss diet and you really want to enjoy the benefits of and successful exercise program then be prepared to commit this to others in your life.
There are some fun ways to make a commitment to become healthier, happier, and fit by losing weight so begin positively and write it down, making a weight loss contract and committing to stay on your diet for at least six months. Include in the contract, rewards for staying committed and penalties for breaking the contract. Then sign it, have a friend witness it then keep it on the refrigerator to remind you of your commitment.
Hire a personal trainer as extra incentive because once you spend the money for a personal trainer, that money is gone whether you use those personal training sessions or not. The same rule usually applies to a gym membership as well, so spending money on exercise this is a commitment to getting fit. And knowing that money is gone whether or not you use that gym membership or get those personal training sessions they are likely to motivate you to exercise more.
Start up a ‘Weight Watching’ club by finding friends and workmates who like the idea of sharing their commitment to a healthier body and life. Make meetings fun, focusing on each others’ weight loss success and include time to hear about what works best for individuals. Support groups like this are public opportunities for members to make initial and then ongoing commitment to themselves and each other and work very effectively for large weight loss organizations as well as smaller groups.
Tell people about your diet especially your friends, your family, the people at work, or anyone that you see on a regular basis, explaining your plans to lose weight, eat better, and exercise more. Once you have told people you are committing to a calories loss diet, they will ask you about the diet and how you are doing and you will have to answer them. Embarrassment about telling people that you fell off your diet can be good motivation to keep going in those moments when you want to quit.
Visualize just how you want to look at your healthiest and happiest and have fun selecting magazine pictures that reflect this or your own photos taken at an earlier and healthier time. Make sure that these are on display in your office and at home as such images say ‘This is who I will be’ and ‘This is where my weight loss will take me’. They will be daily reminders of the importance of committing to a calories loss diet that will bring these results.
Topics: Diabetes |
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