7 Amazing tips to keep you motivated to stick to your diet

When talking to people about the kinds of success and failures they have had when trying to lose weight, a familiar pattern appears. They’ve gotten rid of junk food in the cupboard and virtuously refused to take the cake at the office party. The fridge is stocked with healthy food and your motivation levels are sky high. Things seem easy and your motivation is sky high.

A few weeks down the line though, and things start to change. What was easy before now seems to require way more will power than it did before, and everything seems harder. Maybe you are already bored of taking vegetable dinner after dinner, or a special dessert tempts you, and you have decided just this one won't hurt. And it won’t, but sometimes that first dessert can kick off a domino effect, something that happens far easier when motivation levels are low.

Figure out why you’re trying to lose weight, and keep a reminder of that close to you | Image Credit: The Canvas Factory

If this is not the first time you’ve attempted to lose weight and failed, then maybe you just haven’t had the right diet motivation. If you would love to know some of the amazing tips to keep you motivated to stick to your diet, read on.

1. Stay Accountable

To help you remain focused on your diet especially when progress is difficult, have an accountability system in place to assist you in staying motivated and moving forward. Keep a food diary and list virtually everything you drink and eat each day. By doing so, you will stay committed and prevent any mindless nibbling. If you prefer, you can use an app to help you keep your diet on track such as Myfitnesspal, Mynetdiary, and Calorie counter.

2. Avoid Extreme Hunger

Letting yourself get really hungry makes it too easy for you to grab just whatever is easiest- and typically, the chances are that will not be carrot sticks or an apple. Try not to treat hunger as an emergency. Eat three well-balanced meals each day.

Eat three well balanced meals a day to keep hunger at bay | Image credit: Examiner.com

3. Motivate Yourself daily

Make a list of the reasons you need to lose weight and how you will feel once you have finally achieved. This will help you to keep your eye on the final prize. Go through this list every day to motivate yourself and even go a little bit further by creating a visual reminder of what you are trying to achieve. It could be a picture of you playing with your kids, or fitting into that dress you haven’t been able to wear for years. Whatever helps keep you motivated is going to help you succeed.

4. Pay Yourself 

Giving yourself a reward after accomplishing some mini goals is a way of reminding yourself that you can do it. Determine achievements you will reward yourself for and then plan on what the incentive will be. You can throw a coin in a jar every time you achieve some goal and then use that money for a massage session or on something you will enjoy.

5. Forget about that all-or-nothing approach

It is not possible to be perfect and follow your diet to the latter, so don’t expect it. If you fall off the plan, and chances are you will- do not think it is a major setback. It is not. If you tell yourself that it is okay to slip off a little, you will be surprised on how easy it will be to fall back. Sometimes it even helps to plan cheats, so you know you can beat the temptation now as you’ll get your reward later on.

6. Find Some Virtual Friends

Associate yourself with people who have a similar goal to yours. Technology is an excellent tool that you can use to meet like-minded people. There are platforms on the internet that discuss diet and nutrition while others discuss purely on how to stay motivated. Join such and you will be amazed at how simple it will be to stay on course. 

7. Plan Ahead

Failing to plan is a sure-fire way to sabotage your diet. Plan your meals and snacks early in advance. Some people do great with a snack after every meal while others after dinner. Only eat when it is time to eat and not when you feel like eating.

Bottom Line

There you have it; your attitude is with no doubt the difference between diet failure and success. Follow the tips above, stay motivated and achieve that magazine look you have always desired.