A healthy eating plan you can live with

A healthy eating plan you can live with

The problem with most diets is that they leave us feeling deprived. We always think about what wecan't haveand what we miss. It doesn't serve us to diet this way. We end up obsessing over food and getting tempted to cheat, which can throw off our healthy eating plan and cause us to gain weight instead of losing extra weight. What we need is a healthy eating plan that makes us satisfied and happy. Here are some dos and don’ts to help you live with a healthy plan.

Don't skip meals

Don't skip meals unless you have a healthy eating plan that replaces a meal's calories with a shake or snack bar. Fasting and starving yourself is physically and mentally difficult. If anything, you want to eat more (of the right foods), not less. Eat foods that are filling in small amounts throughout the day and turn these foods into fuel for your daily activities. Your healthy eating plan allows you to eat until you are full.

Plan meals

Your healthy eating plan allows for a wide variety of flavors, aromas and textures. Plan your meals in advance and add structure and consistency to your healthy plan. We're less likely to cheat when we have structured meals and don't have to "grab" anything on the go. When you're away from home, take a healthy snack with you to curb your appetite until you can eat your regular healthy meals.

Don't buy on impulse

When you go to the grocery store, pick up your list and stick to it. Your healthy eating plan allows you to get creative and cook fabulous meals that are healthy and good for you. Don't screw it up by reaching for something that looks good at the store. Chances are you'll regret it later. Also, do not go to the market hungry, as this can escalate cravings and the desire to buy on impulse.

Don't try to do it alone

Sticking to a healthy eating plan is difficult; But if you try to do everything on your own, you can set yourself up for failure before you even start. Enlist the help of a friend, spouse or partner, or work colleague. This support system will help keep you honest and give you someone to confide in. If your person is also trying to follow through on the healthy plan, this can be a great way to support each other. Plan menus, shop, eat and train together. A little friendly competition doesn't hurt either.

Don't weigh every day

It can be very discouraging to see the scale stay at the same number day after day. Healthy weight loss with a healthy eating plan will result in you losing around 1-2 pounds weekly. So give yourself a break and weigh yourself once a week or every two weeks. Celebrate the successes of your healthy eating plan and reward yourself by sticking with it for another week.