Those who have been on a diet know how easy it is to fall off the wagon. It is so easy to be temped by the mac & cheese at Noodles & Company or that piece of chocolate cake at the banquet. It's okay to indulge every once in a while, but it's easy to fall into the trap of overeating.
I must confess... I recently messed up my diet.
I just had spring break. I am a weakling when I go home. It is easy to avoid food on campus because it doesn't taste all that great. At home, it's a different story... My dad is a great cook and always makes my favorite foods when I come home. I generally do my best to eat smaller portions, but I'm only human. I gained about two pounds on spring break. This isn't necessarily that bad, but I got myself stuck in a rut.
I know. Great role model right?
The good thing is you can always get back on the wagon. As of today, I am officially back on track. Today's post is about how I get back on track when I mess up.
Just some background: My diet isn't horribly strict. I allow myself to eat what I want (trying to switch out a few unhealthy foods for better options now and then), but I keep my calorie intake under 1,200. I have lost about 10 pounds using this method, and I am still aloud to eat foods that I like. I got off track this spring break by constantly going over my calorie goals.
Here's how I reigned it in.
1. Make a decision to get back on track and commit to it
Losing weight is all about attitude. If you're not fully into your goals, you are not going to achieve them. The first thing I had to do to get back on track is tell myself that I am not allowed to go over 1,200 calories no matter what. It sometimes helps to give yourself a fake punishment to go along with it. For example: the world will end if I go over 1,200! Think of the children! How you do it is all up to you, as long as you set your mind to it!
2. Choose healthy choices
If you are on a diet like mine, this can be particularly helpful. I don't count salads and fruits in my calorie intake because you burn most or all of it off during digestion. I find it easier to get on track when I eat an apple every time I am hungry and bigger healthier choices for my main meals. This keeps your calories in check.
3. Start cutting back
Once you have your calories in check you can start cutting back your snacking a little. I am not saying that you should go under your calorie goal, because that can become dangerous. Also, cutting back on fruits and veggies is not a good idea because they benefit you greatly. What I'm talking about is that bad habit you developed of eating a couple Oreos after you get your homework done. Basically, cut back eating during times that you didn't need to eat before, but formed a habit of eating during.
4. Religiously document your eating
I use the MyFitnessPal app to document my calorie intake. Instead of skipping out on documenting a few snacks, make sure you log everything before you eat it. That way you know exactly how much you are eating and it also gets annoying to eat because you have to work a little harder for it.
If you follow these steps, you should be back on track in no time!
Do you have any more ways that you get back on your diet?
I must confess... I recently messed up my diet.
I just had spring break. I am a weakling when I go home. It is easy to avoid food on campus because it doesn't taste all that great. At home, it's a different story... My dad is a great cook and always makes my favorite foods when I come home. I generally do my best to eat smaller portions, but I'm only human. I gained about two pounds on spring break. This isn't necessarily that bad, but I got myself stuck in a rut.
I know. Great role model right?
The good thing is you can always get back on the wagon. As of today, I am officially back on track. Today's post is about how I get back on track when I mess up.
Just some background: My diet isn't horribly strict. I allow myself to eat what I want (trying to switch out a few unhealthy foods for better options now and then), but I keep my calorie intake under 1,200. I have lost about 10 pounds using this method, and I am still aloud to eat foods that I like. I got off track this spring break by constantly going over my calorie goals.
Here's how I reigned it in.
1. Make a decision to get back on track and commit to it
Losing weight is all about attitude. If you're not fully into your goals, you are not going to achieve them. The first thing I had to do to get back on track is tell myself that I am not allowed to go over 1,200 calories no matter what. It sometimes helps to give yourself a fake punishment to go along with it. For example: the world will end if I go over 1,200! Think of the children! How you do it is all up to you, as long as you set your mind to it!
2. Choose healthy choices
If you are on a diet like mine, this can be particularly helpful. I don't count salads and fruits in my calorie intake because you burn most or all of it off during digestion. I find it easier to get on track when I eat an apple every time I am hungry and bigger healthier choices for my main meals. This keeps your calories in check.
3. Start cutting back
Once you have your calories in check you can start cutting back your snacking a little. I am not saying that you should go under your calorie goal, because that can become dangerous. Also, cutting back on fruits and veggies is not a good idea because they benefit you greatly. What I'm talking about is that bad habit you developed of eating a couple Oreos after you get your homework done. Basically, cut back eating during times that you didn't need to eat before, but formed a habit of eating during.
4. Religiously document your eating
I use the MyFitnessPal app to document my calorie intake. Instead of skipping out on documenting a few snacks, make sure you log everything before you eat it. That way you know exactly how much you are eating and it also gets annoying to eat because you have to work a little harder for it.
If you follow these steps, you should be back on track in no time!
Do you have any more ways that you get back on your diet?