How do you stick to a diet?

Question

I've tried Weight Watchers and did lose some weight, but I can't stick with a plan for very long. I get frustrated and sick of feeling deprived - and I start eating everything. I've tried just eating a small amount of something that I'm craving, but once I get the taste in my mouth - I want more and more. I've been exercising lately, but haven't lost any weight - because of my eating.
When I try to diet, I get so hungry - I lose it by dinnertime and eat too much. How do you control this?

Answer 1

Get a hobby or try to find things to occupy you when you are the hungriest.
If you live a stressful life try to find ways to reduce stress.
get a support group or friends with common interest in losing weight.
Pick up a exercise which you enjoy - reduces cravings.

Answer 2

I've been dieting for a little over 10 weeks, and have lost 36 lbs. Part of what helps me is that I set mini-goals. Some are the same, like not snacking between meals. Some are different, like different exercise goals each day. (I do exercise an hour a day, but try to vary it a little.) I also keep different motivations going, whether it's a new size of clothing, looking great for my high school reunion next April, or getting to the next "decade" on the scales.

I also give myself different little non-food rewards for accomplishing goals. One of my favorites is getting a manicure or pedicure. That really works for me. I feel pampered after I get my nails done, so it helps me get over feeling deprived of food.

I've gotten off of two medications since losing weight, and that's been a big motivation for me. I'm working hard to get healthier, so I can make sure I can do the things I want to do.

I also got a blank journal to write in, and sometimes when I have cravings, I'll write instead.

I'm also watching less TV, because I used to ear in front of the TV a lot. Old habit, plus all the food commercials are pretty suggestive! ;-)

I would also suggest cutting out all added salt, and going with low sodium foods. That's one part of my diet that's helped a lot. Salt is an appetite stimulant, and of course it can make you retain water.

Answer 3

well... remember that the ultimate goal of exercise and dieting is to achieve a healthy body... not to lose weight.

First off, neither dieting nor exercising should be a chore. The only way to stick to something is to find something you like. Think of healthy foods that you really enjoy. Do you like a certain kind of vegetable or fruit? Is there a particular cut of meat or dairy product that you feel you absolutely need to have? Work with that. Example... I absolutely love fruit, dairy products, beef, and potato bread... so i might make something like this. A swiss cheese sandwich and banana for breakfast, yogurt and 2 apples for lunch, and a nice beef stew for dinner (made from beef cubes, potatoes, mushrooms, rice, onions, and garlic).

Drink fluids before you eat... sometimes we misinterpret thirst as hunger.

Oh and never go to the grocery store when youre hungry... you'll make some terrible decisions.

Minimize empty calories... pastries, sodas, candy. All that stuff is good, but it's not really doing anything for you. You get 2000 calories a day, and that's plenty of room to work with.

Buy raw food instead of processed foods and learn to cook properly. When you cook your own meals, you know what's going into your system.

As for exercise... pick something you like. Do you like swimming? (good all body exercise) Running? Walking? Martial Arts? Ultimate Frisbee? Soccer? Football? There's got to be something out there that you like to do.

Remember that if youre going to exercise like a warhorse then you can eat more food. If youre going to do energy depleting activities then you want to eat more carbs. If you dont, you won't have the energy to maintain your exercises, and your body will start breaking down your muscle protein to -make- carbs. Not good.

Don't be so focused on losing weight that your hurt yourself. Take it slow and you'll be able to maintain it.

Answer 4

I KNOW exactly what you are talking about. It is your mind playing games with your appetite and your commitment to any program. So..what i do is tell myself..Look, girl..you need to drop off those extra pounds so you can fit back into those great cargo pants or not look like a cow in that special t-shirt. I give myself a month..I watch the scale go down..and I reward myself with something other than food. Once you are seeing the progress you want..it is like a comp[letely different addiction..your pride in the effort zooms way up and you can stay more comfortably with a diet and then stay true to a maintenance program. Just take over your own mind and those binges with a specific goal in mind and you will be successful in due time! Trust me on this and good luck!

Answer 5

I had a shake this morning for that very reason (I always have two of my favorite flavors: chocolate & strawberry). Have shakes available, so you take that instead to satisfy your hunger. If you know that just a bite of something will make you want to eat more of it- then don't take even one bite of it. I have two kids... and for them I always prepare food. It takes so much will power to tell myself, " Nope! I aint tastin' that..." I exercise 30 minutes every day now instead of two hours (then no exercise at all for a long time). The reason why I shortened the length of my exercise is because I get so hungry afterwards. Thirty minutes is good enough. No more excuses for me. I want to look 30 at 40... right now people think I'm 25.... but I'm 36. It can only get better from here. Good luck to you. Have fun!!!

Answer 6

you need activities that will keep you away from eating and thinking about food that you crave for. For example, u can decorate your room, do some house work or whatever you like. I'm now in college and I have so many homeworks to do that I don't think about it anymore. So I only eat when I have to and exercise regularly. I dropped 2 jeans sizes in a month.

Answer 7

are you in the UK? if so, go join slimming world. its like weight watchers, but rather than counting points, you can eat however much of certain foods, whilst having less of others.

there are green days and original days. on green days you can eat unlimited pasta, potatoes, veg, fruit, low fat yogurts and loadsa other things. you choose certain protein / carb / calcium extras, such as bread, milk, cheese meat, and have a certain number of "syns" which you can use on anything else you want. original days are similar, but rather than unlimited pasta and potatoes and limited meat, you have unlimited meat and monitor the pasta / potatoes that you eat.

basically, you cant go hungry on this diet. you can eat as much as you want as long as it fits within the plan. i've been doing it for four weeks and have lost 10 pounds. i love it cos no one need know that you are on a diet, the foods you eat are so normal. you dont need to go hungry, and it works! i know it sounds wrong, being able to eat all day and still lose weight, but there is a science behind it and it makes sense.

i know how frustrating it is when you're trying to lose weight, so i'd like to wish you lots of luck here - i know how it feels. if you're not in the uk, check out their website anyway. slimming-world.co.uk - i know they do it online, so perhaps you can still find out about this diet anyway.

Answer 8

If you felt deprived on Weight Watchers then you were not following the plan, they have two plans and one you don't count on and the other has more than enough food. you have to be creative and make the most of your points. to control it is mind over matter, if you want the weight loss bad enough you will do it. Only you can control it no one forces food in your mouth.