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How to Stick With Your Diet Plan
By Bev Bennett
February 2005
Starting a weight-loss program is easy. Sticking to one is the challenge that leaves more dieters with setbacks than victories.
But for every failure, there's a victory that provides lessons for others who want to shed pounds.
"I'm my own laboratory," says Janice Taylor, who lost about 50 pounds three years ago and has kept it off.
During the process, Taylor read diet research, learned to avoid food triggers, rebounded from temptations and enjoyed a reduced calorie lifestyle.
Though not a trained nutrition expert, Taylor turned her achievement into a vocation. Her Web site, www.ourladyofweightloss.com, is a full-time job. Dieters begin with an almost religious experience, says the New Yorker.
"The diet clicks, you're in the groove and nothing can tempt you. But one day you're off (the diet)." The challenge is to recover from the chocolate cookie indulgence or potato chip orgy -- and you can, says Taylor.
"It's very easy to get off track, but then you need to go right back on. People don't understand that. Their feeling of self-defeat is ingrained," she says.
To reverse the downslide, Taylor recommends you analyze your motivation. "It's very depressing to lose weight and get all those compliments and gain the weight back. Ask why you're doing this to yourself. Losing weight isn't that difficult to do if you make small changes each time. These add up to big results," she says.
She passes along the following tips that work for her and others who follow her Internet site.
• Eat large amounts of fruit and vegetables. "The worst thing for a dieter is to feel hungry," says Taylor. Eating large volumes of low-calorie fruits and vegetables helps you avoid that.
• Include portion size in your meal plan. Instead of just putting rice on the menu, make it a half-cup rice. It's important to know how much you're eating, as well as what you're consuming.
• Avoid trigger foods you have a hard time eating in moderation. But, if you do overeat, get over it, says Taylor. "If trigger foods get the best of me, I say, 'I've had an old person return for half an hour to say hello.' The person says hello every so often," Taylor says.
• Don't beat yourself up if you've a bad diet day. "Don't run yourself down. Those negative thoughts are just thoughts, not who you are. Say, 'This is who I am,' and work with it," Taylor says.
• Get involved in non-food activities. If your hands are busy with writing or knitting, you're less likely to feel low and think about food. As Taylor was dieting, she designed original artworks, such as ceramics and graphics, to battle her food cravings. "You can separate yourself from the impulse to eat, and the more you do that the more likely you are to change your behavior," Taylor says.
Most Dieters Need an Occasional Nudge
The Kick in the Tush Club, a free weekly e-mail newsletter from Taylor, is one option. For sign-up information, check www.ourladyofweightloss.com.
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