Battle of the Bulge: Staying Motivated During a Diet

Dieting isn't easy. Trust me, I know. I have been on and off diets for the past 5 years, trying to get my body back to "actress material". When i found out that my weight might be affecting my ability to carry a pregnancy to term, I was desperate to find soemthing that worked. After seeing the NutriSystem ads and reading all of the different reviews about NutriSystem, I decided to give it a try. My husband was so impressed with the food, that he decided to try the program with my. Now my mother is on it, and my sister is even going to start the program soon.

My biggest problem with staying on a diet is the motivation factor. Like so many other dieters out there, my motivation is sometimes overpowered by my hunger. This is the case especially at night, when I want to go to my favorite restaurant for a meal. Moreso, it is when my husband has his days off. Fortunately, his willpower is strong enought to carry us both through the day.

It is a smart idea to have a plan that will keep you motivated throughout your diet and until you reach your weight loss goal. Here are some tips that will keep you on the right track.

Find a Diet Buddy.
So many people want to lose weight, that you probably hear several friends and family members talking about diest they want to start. So, the next time you hear someone say something to the effect of, "I'd really like to start the South Beach Diet," offer to do it with them. Or, if you don't want to wait for someone to mention how they want to lose weight, bring it up yourself. Say something like, "I really need to go on a diet" or "I want to lose some weight." Your friend will most likely say, "Yeah, me too." That opens the door to suggesting that you become diet buddies. People may be offended if you say, "Hey! Want to start a diet with me?" The response will probably be defensive.

If you don't have a friend or family member that wants to start a diet, there are plenty of support groups both online and offline. Check out Weight Watchers, or just do a search on "Diet Support Groups" or "Diet Message Boards". Plenty of people talk about their weight loss online. Just join right in. You don't even have to use your real name, if you don't want to get too personal with people. Online chatters are very understanding about not sharing personal information.

Only Weight Yourself Once a Week.
This is a good rule for any diet. If you weight yourself every day, you aren't going to see the big picture of your progress. However, if you weigh yourself one per week (preferably on the same day every week), you will theoretically see higher numbers, which can motivate you to stay on your diet. This is what they do on television's The Biggest Loser as a way to keep the dieters motivated. it most definitely works.

Keep a Weight Loss Chart.
There are many different ways that you can keep a chart of your weight loss progress. You can create a wall chart and write in your progress every week. You can create an online ticker from websites such as TickerFactory.com. You can find plenty of free online tools to create your weight loss chart in different diet communities. Or, you will get a free chart with most diet programs, such as NutriSystem and Weight Watchers.

Take a Weekly Photo.
While this might not be too motivating in the first couple of weeks of your diet, it will be really motivating once you drop a large amount of weight. It's pretty amazing to compare the "before" and "after" photos of people who have lost a sinificant amount of weight. Create your own before and after story through your own pictures.

Keep a Diet Journal.
It is sometimes difficult to talk about the feelings that you are having while dieting. For example, I was so desperate to go out to dinner last week that i started crying. Talk about embarassing! I couldn't tell anyone about this. It is much easier to get your feelings off of your chest when you write it in a journal that you know no one else is going to read. It may help keep your sanity during your weight loss journey.

Reward Yourself
Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? It isn't. For people like myself, we usually reward ourselves with food. That is quite counterproductive when you are on a diet. Rewarding yourself for losing 5 lbs. in a week with an ice cream sundae just isn't the right thing to do. You worked so hard through the week to lose that weight, and now you're going to add some of it back in one fell swoop? I don't think so. Try different rewards, such as buying yourself an article of clothing or going on a short trip. See a movie or go to the spa. this is something that you can add to your weight loss chart, which will show you how close you are to your reward. For example, under -25 lbs on your chart, pencil in "Day Spa". Make sure you stick to it and reward yourself.

Sticking to a diet isn't easy. Find the best motivational tool or tools that work for you, and stick to them. Motivators will keep you happy. When you are happy, you are less likely to turn to food for comfort or satisfaction.