Diet Tricks that work for me!!!!

1. Plan to be on a diet the rest of your life. Did you ever notice how some thin people always talk about dieting? You think to yourself 'they don't need to diet' but in order to obtain lifelong results you must think this way. That’s why they are thin, because they work at it constantly. You must plan to be on a diet the rest of your life. Not necessarily a weight reducing diet your whole life... obviously at some point you’ll want to just maintain your weight. But - you need to continue good healthy eating choices from here on out... and not slip back to old ways.
   
2. Take it slow. Don’t be in a hurry to lose weight. If you follow tip #1 above, this won’t be a problem. Go for 1 or 2 pounds a week. Slow weight loss is healthier, is more likely to be permanent, and is so much easier to sustain over the long haul. And if you need to lose 100 pounds like me, it’s a long haul!
   
3. Don’t Get Discouraged. If you go a week, or two, or even three, without losing a pound - don’t worry! Any week that you do not gain weight is a successful week in my book. And don’t get discouraged by the constant up-down-up-down-up-down-down pattern of your weight. Its usually water weight most of the time and not solid fat which is causing the scale to fluctuate.
   
4. Don’t eat after dinner. Make it a rule to not eat after dinner. Evening munchies was one of my biggest weight gain problems. The way I broke this habit: whenever I want to munch at night, I make myself a cup of warm green tea with splenda. I don’t think diet coke would help as much as a warm beverage.
   
5. Write it down! Keep a food diary and write down every calorie or point or carb (or whatever it is you are counting!). It’s amazing how quickly the calories add up! Even if you cheat and snitch a spoonful of cookie dough or a bite of someone else’s cake. Write it down.
   
6. Get Sweaty! Work up a sweat at least six hours a week. Six days a week you should try and workout to the point where you are sweaty for 1 hour. It doesn’t really matter what you do, as long as you do it regularly. Find something you enjoy and keep doing it until it becomes a habit. Ideas: go for a walk, get a piece of exercise equipment, aerobic workout DVDs, join a gym, go swimming, go for a bike ride, take a spinning class...the sky’s the limit! (Please be sure to check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.)
   
7. Only Eat in the Kitchen. Do not eat in front of the TV or computer. Only eat at the kitchen table.
   
8. Drink lots of Water. Drink lots and lots of water...at least 8 full glasses per day. Add a slice of lemon to spruce it up. Often, we think we are hungry when really, we are just thirsty. So, next time you head for the fridge, grab some water first and see if that does it for you.
   
9. Veggies and Dip. Keep fresh cut vegetables handy and munch on them when you are cooking dinner to avoid munching on fattening foods. This will benefit the whole family! Choose a low carb ranch dip to dip them in. I like to use Hidden Valley Ranch.
   
10. Don’t eat When you are Stressed. Find another way to relieve stress. A warm bath, a hot cup of tea, a nice long walk....anything besides eating!
    
11. Cut out the Sugar and Refined Carbs. Sugar and Carbs make you crave more of them. Cutting them out really helps you not be so hungry.
    
12. Listen to your body. Don’t eat unless you are truly hungry. If you pig out one day, don’t eat the next meal until you are hungry again.
    
13. Stay Busy. If you’re anything like me, you are sitting at your computer avoiding work, housework, yardwork, exercise, etc. Housework burns more calories than sitting on your duff! Just go do it - whatever it is you are avoiding.
14. Stay clued up
    Knowledge is power. By arming yourself with the facts about healthy diet, and ignoring the fads, you are more likely to build confidence in your abilities and achieve your weight loss goals. Don't expect to lose 15 pounds a week like the people on the TV show 'The Biggest Loser' instead set realistic goals of 2-3 lbs a week

****Believe in Yourself****

This final diet tip is just as important as the tips about eating and exercise.

If things go wrong don’t panic. Learning new habits takes time. Think back to when you learned to ride a bike. No-one expected you to do it the first time. You no doubt fell off a lot and needed picking up, with help along the way. Step by step you took control of that bike and learned how to keep it on course.

How you think, affects how you feel, and in turn the actions you take. Believe in yourself every day. Focus on what you want – being fitter, healthier – rather than how unfit you are. Setting realistic goals and having positive expectations will make all the difference.