Putting Words Into Action

  • Go back to your food diary and start a list of improvements you need to make.
  • Look at the number of fat grams you normally eat in a day. Chances are, it’s higher than it should be. On your list write down “Cut fat intake to 30 percent.” Figure out what the main sources of fat are in your diet and write these down, too.
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    Make a note to boost your fiber intake. Also write down where you could increase fiber in your diet. Look at the total number of calories you eat on an average day. Is it enough? (check food tables to help you determine this.) Are you eating high mounts of sugary foods? If so, write it down.

    Check you activity level. Are you doing strength training exercise to preserve your lean muscle mass? If not, write it down. Are you performing some sort of aerobic exercise for at least 20 minutes, three times a week? If no, jot that down too.

  • Make a realistic plan for gradually implementing your list of goals. Here’s how:
  • Commit yourself to losing no more than one pound per week. This is thought to be a safe rate for weight loss. Make lifestyle changes slowly. Changes you make gradually are more likely to stick. Start by looking at your list. Break down each needed improvement into small, achievable goals and schedule them for implementation.

    For example: one week, decide to substitute your normal ration of butter on your toast with fruit-only jam. If you normally eat about one-half tablespoon of butter every morning, this small change could add up to a savings of 49 fat grams and 441 calories per week no small potatoes! The next week, you might plan to start walking to the corner store instead of driving, or to switch from whole milk to skim milk.
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    Make sure you allow for indulgences you know you cannot realistically give up. If your goal is to cut down to 40 grams of fat per day, and you know your morning would feel hollow whthout half and half in your coffee, budget that into your fat allowance. Plan to gradually phase in you r changes over a period of six months to a year.

  • Reward your successes.
  • Promise yourself that for every week you take at least three 30 minute walks, you will put $5 in a jar. When you’ve saved up enough money, buy yourself something you’ve wanted for a long time, such as a massage or tickets to a sporting event.

  • Don’t punish yourself for failure.
  • It took you a lifetime to develop your bad habits, and it’s going to take many months to break them. If you accept from the beginning that you cannot execute you new plan perfectly, you may be more likely to get back on the wagon when you fall off. Remember, the more restrictive you are, the more likely you are to rebel and overeat or under exercise. And all you chocoholics out there? It’s not realistic to swear off chocolate forever. If you allow yourself to indulge once in a while, it may be easier to pass it by the rest of the time.

  • Never say “diet”.
  • The word “diet” suggests a temporary eating plan something you follow for weeks or months. You, however, are devising a slow, gradual plan to permanently change your behaviors. This is the reason you can afford to make mistakes. A piece of birthday cake can ruin a diet. Over the course of a lifetime of healthy eating, however, it means very little. If you follow your plan 80 percent of the time, you’ll still be making large strides toward meeting your goals.