Change Your Diet - Change Your Mindset!

When starting a diet, most of us tend to set ourselves up for failure right from the beginning.

Why? Because most of us dread going on a diet and therefore start sabotaging our efforts before we even get started.

It's human nature

When we think we are going to be deprived of our favorite foods, we stock up on them or overeat them in the days preceding the diet. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Proper dieting doesn't mean that you have to deprive yourself of the foods you love

Proper dieting means that you need to change your way of thinking about food. Food isn't the enemy. Even your favorite foods aren't the enemy. The enemy is your personal inability to balance the types of foods you put into your body. The problem is that the vast majority of us consume the wrong foods far more often than we eat the right foods. This is the where most diets fail.

Our bodies crave proper nutrients ~ the nutrients that can be had by consuming five servings of vegetables and three servings of fruit daily. If we don't give our bodies these nutrients, our bodies feel deprived and are therefore hungry. Numerous studies have shown that if we were actually consuming the proper balance of fruits and veggies daily we would find that we were far less likely to feel hungry and crave those foods that aren't as healthy. This means we would be much more likely to enjoy our favorite foods in moderation as they should be enjoyed.

Moderation means portion control

In today's food industry "up selling" has become the norm. In fact, your server has been trained to sell you more than you order and certainly more than your body needs ~ all in the name of profit. It may only cost an extra dollar or so to a get a larger size or some extra food, but in the end your body, and ultimately your health, will pay the price. You must learn to say no to these temptations.

Don't think of it as depriving yourself. Think of it as building a healthier and slimmer you. If you think dieting is all about depriving your body, perhaps you should turn your thinking around.

Think of your weight loss plan as a positive force in your life so that you can make changes for the better. If you ever have thoughts where you think you are depriving yourself, remind yourself that you are depriving...
your bones of carrying around that excess weight
your wardrobe of those bulky clothes that are designed to hide your love handles
your body of years of bulges and bringing back the body of your youth

Moderation is the key to a successful diet

Be sure to enjoy some of the good things that life has to offer ~ including great food. Watching your weight and counting your calories does not mean that you can never have fun and enjoy your favorite foods. The goal is to find balance.

If you learn to portion your food correctly, practice moderation, and take part in calorie-burning activities on a daily basis, no doubt you will see great results.


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