One of the biggest problems people trying to lose weight face is changing their old eating habits. In order to be successful (and keep the weight off), it is crucial that you are able to develop different eating habits.
Why not set yourself up for success? Give yourself the best chance ever of doing it this time! There are 3 essential tips that will assist you in this area. By implementing these tips you will empower yourself with tools that are necessary for long term weight loss success.
Tip #1: Curb Your Chance of Temptation
No matter how strong your commitment may be, there will be times when temptation will creep in and try wrapping its ugly arms around you. Being prepared is your best defense!!
Purge your kitchen/pantry/house of all the food items that no longer support your new way of eating. Having them around will only ensure that you can easily give into temptation when it comes calling.
If you have unopened cans/packages/jars, donate them to your local food bank or homeless shelter. That way the food isn't going to waste and you can feel doubly good about cleaning out your kitchen!
Another important way to curb your temptation is to never go grocery shopping when you are hungry. This is just a recipe for disaster. Everything that will sabotage your success will look oh-so-good with a hungry stomach. No amount of resolve or will is a match for a grumbling belly... so just don't do it!
As these changes become habit over time, you will automatically start looking at other ways that you can strategically cut down or eliminate many of the things that might otherwise threaten to derail your progress.
Tip #2: Arm Yourself for Success
So, your cupboards are bare and your belly is full... it's time for a trip to the grocery store!! First, make certain that you have a list of what you plan on buying; only items from this list are allowed into the grocery cart.
Stock your kitchen with those foods and ingredients that will help you lose weight. In addition to items you have listed for meals, be sure to include a few "quick grab" items for those times when you either want a snack or need something to eat immediately.
Good tips for quick grabs would include apples, bananas, nuts, mini carrots and hummus, celery (spread peanut butter on a few stalks and you have a great mini-meal). The important point is that it be quick and easy for you to eat.
Quick grabs are also great for another important element of arming yourself for success: always have one or two snacks with you wherever you go. Carry them in your pocketbook, tuck them in your desk drawer at work, pop them in the glove compartment in your car.
This will ensure you don't get caught off guard. How many times have you thought for certain you'd be home by a certain time, only to get stuck in traffic; or the line at the bank took forever; or you were delayed at work?
Employing these strategies will help you avoid situations that could derail your best efforts and keep you on track to achieve your goal.
Tip #3: Be Proactive, Not Reactive
The kitchen is stocked and you have snacks stashed in all the right places. It's a great start, but don't stop there! It is now crucial that you make a plan for your meals in the coming days. Without one, it is too easy to slide into old habits and make poor choices.
Being proactive involves thinking ahead about your meals: deciding what you will eat for lunch, figuring out what nights you will be able to cook a full meal; preparing the salad ahead of time if you will be coming home late; cooking extra so you have another meal for later in the week.
If you don't plan ahead, that leaves you susceptible to making decision from a reactive state: you leave the office late, you are now hungry, it will take you an hour to cook when you get home. On your drive back to the house you pass the great golden arches of McDonald's. Can you see where this is heading?
Avoid these types of situations by being prepared and planning. It is always far more empowering to act from a position of proactivity to one of reactivity. Doing so will increase your chances of long term success.
By implementing these 3 tips you will be taking steps toward your long term success. People who struggle to lose weight sometimes forget that their ultimate goal is actually a culmination of the success of many smaller goals.
Start using these tips today, and know you are on your way to losing the weight forever!
Liza Wallace is the author of the free info-packed report "From 260 to 140: The Top 3 Secrets I Used to Lose 120 LBS!". Drop by loseitwithliza.com/getinfo for your free copy.
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