Ten Tips for Maintaining a Low-Cholesterol Diet

Many people are turning to low-cholesterol diets as a way to lose weight and lower cholesterol. If you are following such a low-cholesterol diet, here are some suggestions that might help you maintain your diet for the long run.

Low-Cholesterol Diet Tip #1 - Find Low-Cholesterol Meals You Enjoy
One of the biggest things you can do to help yourself stick to your low-cholesterol diet is to find low-cholesterol meals that you enjoy eating. Keep track of the recipes of dishes that you like, and keep thirty to forty of your favorites on hand. By enjoying the low-cholesterol food you eat, you are less likely to stray from your diet.

Low-Cholesterol Diet Tip #2 - Vary Your Low-Cholesterol Diet
Even if you enjoy the low-cholesterol recipes that you have, make sure that you keep them varied and sometimes trying new things. Don't get into a routine with your diet, or you will become tired of it very quickly. Instead, keep your low-cholesterol dining choices varied and fresh. The internet should be a wealth of information on recipes for low-cholesterol diets.

Low-Cholesterol Diet Tip #3 - Rid Your Home of Temptations
Once you decide to go on a low-cholesterol diet, you need to get rid of the things in your home that don't follow your diet. Otherwise, you will be more likely to eat foods that don't fall into your low-cholesterol diet and end up not losing weight or lowering bad cholesterol. See if you can give these foods to friends or donate them to a local food bank so that they do not go to waste.

Low-Cholesterol Diet Tip #4 - Pair Your Low-Cholesterol Diet With Exercise
An exercise routine is great in combination with a low-cholesterol diet. Exercise can increase your levels of good cholesterol, and you're more likely to see weight loss if you do aerobic exercise in addition to making dietary changes.

Low-Cholesterol Diet Tip #5 - Diet With Someone Else
A reason that many people have difficulty sticking with diets is that they need external motivation and support that they don't receive if dieting alone. Find a friend or family member, such as a spouse or sibling, with whom to share your low-cholesterol diet. Both of you will see health improvements and will be less likely to stray from the diet. See if this person will also exercise with you, in addition to following a similar low-cholesterol diet.

Low-Cholesterol Diet Tip #6 - Set Reasonable Goals
Many people that are trying to lose weight through diet and exercise find motivation through setting goals for themselves. If you decide to set weight loss goals for yourself, make sure that they are reasonable so that you feel accomplished, not frustrated. A goal of 1-2 pounds per week is a good goal.

Low-Cholesterol Diet Tip #7 - Record Your Progress
Don't obsess about weighing yourself daily if you are doing a low-cholesterol diet. It's much better to weigh yourself every four days or so, when you might actually see some legitimate weight loss, rather than fluctuations in water weight. You could use a spreadsheet application such as Excel to track your weight loss as a function of time and chart it. A visual reminder of how much weight you've lost on your program can do a lot to help you stick with your low-cholesterol diet.

Low-Cholesterol Diet Tip #8 - Reward Yourself in Non-Food Ways
If you lose a considerable amount of weight with your low-cholesterol diet, or consistently meet your weight loss goals, reward yourself in a way that doesn't involve food. This might involve a purchase, a day at the spa, or a weekend vacation.

Low-Cholesterol Diet Tip #9 - Don't Completely Eliminate Vices
A low-cholesterol diet can be difficult to maintain, and it's easy to fall off of the proverbial wagon. Allow yourself one small snack item per day that is not part of your diet or one or two meals on a specific day of the week. Don't overdo these. Allowing yourself flexibility will make it less likely that you will go off of your low-cholesterol diet entirely. Likewise, don't keep these items readily available at home so that you aren't tempted to eat two or three times what you intended to.

Low-Cholesterol Diet Tip #10 - Be Easy On Yourself
If you are just starting your low-cholesterol diet, it's likely that you will have some trouble adapting to your lifestyle change. Remember that you will occasionally slip from your low-cholesterol diet, and don't be too hard on yourself for having trouble. Just do your best to get back to your low-cholesterol intentions and don't give up.

If you are following a low-cholesterol diet, hopefully these tips will help you stay on the right track. If you have any other tips on how to maintain a low-cholesterol diet, or have relevant anecdotes about low-cholesterol diets, please feel free to leave your thoughts and experiences in the form of a comment. Thank you for reading!