Starting a dietplan and sticking to it while waiting patiently for results to start showing and waiting even longer for people around you to start noticing the changes requires a lot of willpower.
Here are the top 10 tips to improve your self-control and boost your will power from Dr Frank Ryan, a clinical psychologist and author of Willpower for Dummies and how you can use it to stick to your dietary goals.
- Reward the effort
Resisting crisps or chocolates at work all week demands a lot of willpower leading to a lot of frustration if you do not lose any weight. Feel proud of your effort – remember that it has strengthened your willpower and reward yourself with a cheat meal/snack once a week. - Believe in yourself
If you believe that you can stick to your diet plan and can imagine how good you will look in those skinny jeans after losing some weight, you are less likely to give up. Self-confidence is key. - Clarify your goals
Know what you want to achieve and have a plan how you are going to get there. Have specific goals to monitor your progress, but do not be unrealistic about your expectations. Planning in advance can help you to keep focused and there are plenty of ways to help monitor your progress – from apps on your telephone to weekly weigh-in sessions. - Develop a routine
Adopting a new diet plan means changing a few bad habits. If you are busy, establish a routine (write it in your dairy or set reminders on your cell phone) to ensure that you make time for stocking up on healthy meals and snacks, packing a lunch box to prevent you from buying unhealthy take aways, and what days/time you are going to do exercise. - Build up slowly
Overdoing it erodes willpower and sets you up for failure, think of the story how the tortoise won the hare. Making small gradual changes to your diet and lifestyle will increase your chances for success in the end. - Choose the right time
Willpower is a limited resource, so if you are trying to quit smoking or you are busy helping kids to study for exams, you might be setting yourself up for failure. It can be easier to change habits when you’re out of your old routine; start a new diet after quitting smoking, or at the start of a new school term. - Be kind to yourself
It is likely you’ll have one or two bad days where you fall back onto old eating habits before your succeed, but don’t go crazy blaming yourself for failure, rather learn from the situation to help you avoid failure in the future. - Treat yourself
It is hard to imagine your perfect summer body at the end of the year in the middle of winter while wearing multiple layers of clothing, because it’s so far away. Small awards (anything non-food that you enjoy) along the way (for example after every successful month) may help to motivate you to stick to your diet plan for the bigger picture. - Get support
Friends, family, or joining an healthy eating dietary club can mean the difference between failure and success. Just saying your goals out load or writing them down to stick on your fridge/mirror can help. - Avoid temptation
If, like Oscar Wilde, you “can resist anything except temptation”, the best tactic is to stay away from it. If you love eating a big packet of crisps the moment you get home from work, avoid buying crisps until you’ve beaten the habit.
Visit a registered dietitian close to you (go to www.adsa.org for a list of dietitians in your area) or join a healthy balanced dietary club (go to www.eatforlife.co.za to find a franchise near you) and make a lasting change to your diet and health.
