10. Log what you eat before you eat it.
Food logs are a great way to study your diet habits and hold yourself accountable for maintaining a diet. Make sure to write down what you eat, then eat it, or you’ll feel tempted to fudge the ledger. If you feel the need to lie about it, it likely was not a good choice.
9. Look at your body.
Take photos at the beginning of your journey at at major milestones, and study yourself in the mirror in between. Keep yourself motivated by seeing with your own eyes how far you have come and how far you can yet go.
8. Know portion sizes.
Learn how much one serving actually is and stick to it. Measure it out at first to be absolutely certain. Only when you are comfortable with guessing and your own weight should you eyeball it.
7. Make healthy substitutions.
Take that skim milk over whole milk, put that applesauce into that cake. Make as many tiny substitutions as you can in order to improve the foods you already know and love.
6. Bring your lunch.
Skip going out to eat with your coworkers and bring a homemade lunch to work. If you make it yourself, you can control exactly what goes in it and how much you get, allowing you peace of mind in the middle of a hectic day.
5. Voice your needs to those around you.
Don’t let modesty, tradition, or embarrassment hinder you. Refuse seconds if you must, and say you cannot eat certain things if you are avoiding them. Be reasonable, but don’t let others ruin your diet for you.
4. Exercise.
Calories out must be greater than calories in. Exercise is a great way to burn more calories and thus speed up weight loss or allow you to eat more and be more comfortable while still losing weight.
3. Vary your walks.
Take a different route, go up some hills, or add in a few more blocks. As soon as your walks become simple, immediately change them up to challenge yourself.
2. Brush your teeth between meals and snacks.
The minty-fresh feeling in your mouth will discourage you from eating mindlessly when you should be waiting for the next meal. Don’t want to ruin that clean feeling!
1. Take your measurements.
You can lose weight without your body having significant visual changes. Writing your measurements down can reassure you that things are changing, you just can’t see it yet.