How To Bounce Back When Your Diet Fails
How often have you embarked on a new diet program only to end up abandoning it after just a few days or weeks because you couldn’t resist giving in to the temptation for your favorite treats?
After making that mistake you can feel that you haven’t only failed your diet, but you have failed yourself as well. but that is not the case.
Although this is a common feeling that anybody might experience, it’s certainly not a reason to quit your diet altogether. There’s the old saying – “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” And this holds true for your diet as well.
Small setbacks in your diet are to be expected. And there’s a big difference between a small setback and completely giving in to all temptations that come your way. Unfortunately, quite a few people have let any kind of failure become a reflection of who they actually are. But you really can bounce back from this way of thinking when your diet fails you the next time.
Help and support
It’s not easy, but if you’re passionate about reaching your weight loss goal then you can do it. Should you find yourself giving in to tasty treats anytime try to keep a sense of perspective – it’s not the end of the world. Analyze the circumstances that lead to your little detour and decide what you can do to prevent it from happening again.
There will always be times that you don’t meet your own dietary guidelines, so instead of using that as an excuse to blow off your diet completely, just give yourself a break. Remember, you can gain some support from those around you if you ask for it. Friends are usually more than willing to come to your rescue if temptation just becomes overwhelming for you. Good friends can also be that shoulder to cry on when your will was weak and you succumbed to a temptation. You are only human!
Working with a partner can help you to share your slip-ups as well as your successes because you can have someone who you must be accountable to. This also provides someone to bounce new diet ideas around with. You can swap recipes, trade meal ideas, and help each other to enjoy the process of dieting instead of permanently dreading it.
Look at the bigger picture
One of the problems with dieting is that many people tend to look at it as a prison sentence. It may help to reframe your idea of what you’re really trying to do, because in the final analysis what you want is a healthier lifestyle. This is the best way to true, long-lasting health.
Carefully analyze the diet program you’re currently on. Maybe this particular one just isn’t right for you. Be sure to check out other options, and if they appeal then try them out to see if maybe they’ll work better for you. Perhaps you don’t need an official diet at all – just a dose of healthy eating education so that you can make smarter choices in the future. And whatever you do, don’t fall for these common dieting myths.
Seek inspiration
Role models can be helpful, especially when you’ve fallen off the wagon. Read the success stories of people who have dieted and succeeded in gaining their weight loss goal. Maybe all you need is a little inspiration and supporting evidence that it really can actually work for you if you just keep moving forward with the diet.
The internet is chock full of such stories if you do a few searches on the appropriate forums – just beware of bogus websites full of fictitious people claiming impossible results. You can usually spot this type of website since they are always selling something. Forums tend to be much more impartial and a better source of inspiration.
Set realistic goals
Be aware that diet failures happen all the time – for everyone. You’re not the first person it’s happened to, and you certainly won’t be the last person either. Always write down your dietary goal and place it somewhere prominently where you can see it at all times. Refer to this goal often to reinforce your resolve to achieve your desired weight and improved health.
Setting small goals will help you to monitor your progress and keep yourself motivated. For example, set a goal to drink all of your water every day or eat all your fruits and vegetables. Then when you complete those goals, you can reward yourself with a little treat – provided this is a treat you don’t eat!
You need to make your diet work in such a way that you can stick to it. If you’re too restrictive and never allow yourself to have any of the things you enjoy, you likely won’t be able to keep it up. Most people only set weight-related goals, and when they find the reading on the scales doesn’t meet their expectations, they quit. So set goals that encompass better health and wellbeing, rather than just a number on your scales.
Finally, be kind to yourself and make sure you recognize the achievement of being a better eater as you continually work toward the goal of improving your health as you reduce your weight. It’s extremely important to celebrate the small successes rather than focusing on a few insignificant setbacks.
Copyright © Quinessence Aromatherapy Ltd 2021. Written by Geoff Lyth
