How to Create Your Own Diet and Exercise Plan

Almost any weight loss plan will work if you keep up with it. The problem with sticking to a plan designed by a complete stranger is that it is not feasible for you. Some plans require more exercising then dieting, and you might not have much time during the day for that. Other plans tell you to eat less calories, when you have an insatiable hunger! The best way to fight extra pounds is to create your own diet plan then stick to it. After all, you know you better then anyone else. You can be as honest with yourself, and you are more likely to pin-point your own pit-falls to dieting and to remedy them.

Step 1 Determine Your Personal Problem

Be honest with yourself as to why you are overweight. Figure out what you are doing wrong, why you are doing it. The truth is that the majority of people who are overweight do not have some medical condition that causes them to be overweight. Also, genetics can play a role in making someone more apt to gain some weight, but only to a certain extent. You may not be binging on ice cream and dough nuts, but something is causing your weight problems. Do you eat at fast food places more then once a week? Do you eat nothing all day, then overeat the moment you come home from work? Everyone with weight issues has a different reason for the extra weight, despite the stereotypical way television portrays overweight people.

Step 2 Create Your Own Diet

After you've figured out what you are doing wrong and why, find your own remedy. For example, I eat nothing all day and gorge at night. I do this because I feel too busy during the day to eat, and at night I like to relax and enjoy myself. I consider eating to be an enjoyable task, and I lavish it. I also find that I want to prolong the satisfaction of eating, so I will often go back for seconds or thirds of my favorite dish. To remedy that, I ensure I eat throughout the day, and for dinner, I ensure I eat something healthy and enjoyable. I refrain from constantly partaking in "comfort foods" in the evening to ensure I don't have a huge daily dose of fatty, salty foods.

You'll want to focus more on eating healthy then on taking things away. Search for your favorite healthy foods, and figure out what you can live without and live with. For example, if one of your problems is that you drink a 6 pack of cola a day , which, by the way, is chock full of sugary carbs at a whopping 1000 extra calories, you might figure out if you can switch to water, or to a less caloric beverage. If you focus on what you do need versus what you should avoid, you might find yourself automatically making healthier choices. For example, if you rarely drink water, by forcing yourself to drink eight cups of water a day, you are more likely to decrease those soda pops and other sugary beverages. Do you lack in the fruit and veggie department? Force yourself to eat more. You don't have to get specific. Your plan can also start at small. Tell yourself, "Drink 5 glasses of water a day, eat a fruit for breakfast and one for dessert, and eat a veggie for lunch and one more for dinner." By delineating what you need to do, you'll be on your way!

Step 3 Develop Your Own Physical Fitness Routine

Figure out your exercise plan. Based on your lifestyle, you'll need to figure out how you can burn a few extra calories a day (being very sure not to compensate by eating more after exercising), and increase some muscle mass, and improve your health overall. If you're a working mom or dad, you might find you need to do some intermittent workouts. Five minutes in the morning, five minutes during lunch break and 10 minutes right before bed gives you an extra 20 minutes a day of exercise! Jog in place, do leg squats, push-ups, sit-ups, or a section of a workout video. Do what you like to do and feel great knowing you're doing it your way and that you are in deed getting a work-out in. Some workout videos have different sections broken down into five or ten minute segments. You can create your own designer work-out plan based on picking and choosing which section you want to adhere to. If you have a bigger time section during the day, set that time aside for a nice good workout. Alternate, if you chose, on different days between weight training and aerobics. Add Yoga or stretching as an actual workout routine.

Step 4 Become an Internet Celebrity (or Just Log Your Progress)

Own your plan. Write it down and stick to it. The best way to make this work might seem a bit unconventional, but it just may give you the incentive you need to stick with it. Keep a video log or a photo log of your weight. Write your own plan out as if you were going to sell it for a million dollars. You never know, if you video yourself starting at 50 lbs or more overweight, and explain what your plan is, you might end up being an Internet celebrity. Or, you might find yourself on Oprah. Alright, so perhaps I'm exaggerating. It's not impossible for you to gain notoriety for your home-brewed weight-loss plan, though it's not likely. If you do keep track though, you'll see your progress, and you may even inspire a few friends and family members along the way. When that happens, you'll definitely have more reasons to keep up with your plan.