Sticking to a Diet
Dieting is by far one of the most difficult parts of being healthy and achieving a desired look. Taking on a new diet and sticking to it can be very intimidating, especially to people who haven’t tracked their nutrition before. These are by far the easiest ways to stick to a diet and never go off track:
Not cutting out all foods
Finding healthy food that you actually enjoy
Understanding what is and isn’t healthy
Finding great food at your usual favorite place
Not Cutting Out All Foods
One of the biggest mistakes that I’ve made in the past when trying to cut is eliminating all of the foods I love. One of my favorites, for example, was and still is pizza. The problem wasn’t the pizza itself but rather the amount of pizza I consumed. When I first started, I told myself absolutely 0 pizza whatsoever. That was a mistake. If you aren’t enjoying what you are eating you won’t want to stick to your diet. Eventually, I caved and had to eat pizza. When I broke my streak, I thought I would just throw the diet out the whole window. The detox destroyed my diet. On my most recent cut, I haven’t cut out all of my favorite foods. Not eating a salad once or twice a week won’t affect your progress in the slightest. On your next diet, don’t delete your favorites. Instead, implement them in a smart way. You could say, “Saturday nights I’ll eat some pizza”. That way, not only do you have a cheat meal planned so you won’t be tempted throughout the week, but you also aren’t eliminating your favorite food.
Finding Healthy Food You Enjoy
4 months ago, if you would’ve suggested cava for a meal, I might have laughed in your face. Nowadays, it’s a staple in my diet. I love Cava because it has such a diverse menu and you can find something healthy and different every day. My cut would have been very difficult if I didn’t like Cava as much as I do. At first, I hated everything on the menu. But when I changed the preferences I found something I really vibed with. That single bowl turned into 3-5 different bowls I have in my rotation, depending on time of day and activity level. I’m not saying you need to eat Cava, but I think it’s great to try new things, especially when looking for healthier options. You might surprise yourself and find something you really enjoy. Due to my enjoyment of this food, my cut hardly feels like a diet.
Understanding What is and isn’t Healthy
The secret to staying to a diet is knowing what you need to put in your body. The best example I can come up with is being down on protein. If you need some extra protein one day, go for that steak. You’d be surprised how many of your usual foods can be used strategically in a diet when searching for nutrients. Bread is a superpower. Carbs are essential to dieting. They help keep you full and energized. Being tired is the main downfall of diets. The key is to eat it right. Skip out of large amounts of butter and oil. Garlic knots simply just don’t work. These little modifications to some of your favorites are the secret to incorporating foods you actually like. Heavy sauces add unnecessary fats. If you have a food, where the sauce is absolutely essential, go light on it. You can still taste the same things with a healthier mindset.
Finding Great Food at Your Usual Favorite Place
Imagine a situation where your favorite place to eat is Chipotle. You cannot live without it. Cutting Chipotle out of your diet because some kid on the internet told you to would be ludicrous. The best option for you to do is to find something you enjoy from Chipotle that is better for you. One place to start could be replacing your steak with grilled chicken. If steak is essential, cut half the rice for lettuce. If you won’t do that, go light on or skip the sauce. I could go on forever. The amount of ways to make most places healthy is near endless. What you don’t want to do is miss out on your favorite meals because you’re cutting.
