Motivated to stay on the track to lose weight can be very difficult. Sometimes situations arise that are totally out of your control, such as an unexpected dinner invitation, or going to a party that serves junk food for the entire evening. It’s situations like these that can make us feel that sticking to the diet just isn’t working, or worth it. One bad day isn’t the end of the world; neither is one bad week, and in the grand scheme of things it is really no big deal.
Sometimes having a bad day is good motivation to do the right thing for the next few days or weeks. The bottom line is that you need to keep pushing forward. The foods on the meal plan are probably no different from what you have been eating during the week anyway. Apart from a few minor adjustments here or there, and of course a new and clearer understanding of fat
Getting started is the hardest part, but this can also be an exciting time. If you start this diet with a friend or group of friends then it will be easier for you in the long term. Find a consistent walking or exercising partner who will motivate you to exercise, even when you just don’t feel like it.
Having a personal trainer is a great idea, if you are really struggling for some motivation. If you feel that personal trainers are too expensive, get a group together, and that way the rates are cheaper. Other ideas are to get your own group of friends together, even just two or three, and each morning get up and out and catch up while walking together.
Planning
‘Preparation’. This is the key to successful fat loss and weight reduction. If you are not prepared with your meal planning, then you are planning to fail. When you consider that planning your meals for the week takes around ten minutes, and making your lunch takes about eight minutes, it really isn’t so difficult.
Some people have found that writing out something as simple as a shopping list has been helpful. Another helpful hint is never to go shopping when you are hungry. It is too easy to buy food that isn’t on the menu guide and you would probably also buy too much.
Spending some time in a supermarket, studying the nutritional labels on food packets, may also help you find delicious low-fat alternatives. Before leaving home in the morning make sure that you have enough food for mid-morning, lunch and mid-afternoon. Plan to have good food at home, at work and in your handbag or briefcase, as well as in your car if you drive.
Assessment
If you have been following the diet correctly then you will undoubtedly be losing body fat. Numerical assessment in this case may be difficult unless you have access to a pair of skinfold calipers. These calipers can be used to monitor the change in fat and muscle on your body.
The ultimate in fat reduction, however, will appear on the scales in the long term. Without having any other form of measurements. This is without doubt the best form of measuring the success of your diet. You may lose weight at a different rate, either faster or slower.
Rapid weight loss is not recommended, as most of the time the weight lost is in the form of muscle. Fat loss is more gradual, and can be a more permanent form of weight loss. Remember that somewhere in your journey there may come a sticking point or plateau phase. It may be that your body has stabilized or adapted to or become used to what you are doing. It means that you need to change things around more. For example, you may need to walk faster as you are getting fitter.
You could change things around by cycling for two weeks, and then cycle and walk. You could walk, jog lightly and then cycle just to add some variety to your program. If you are only dieting and not exercising, there will come a time when you are no longer burning large amounts of fat. At that point you will need to boost your program by exercise.
