For whatever reason, you feel the need to lose weight. And there are thousands of options available. Online alone, there are endless diet and weight loss programs, pills, supplements and theories. How should you go about choosing one that will suit you? Here are some ideas to help you assess each plan or product.
Why you want to lose weight
Do you want to lose just a few pounds - for your wedding or a special event? Or are you looking for long term sustained weight loss to help you overcome a more serious weight problem? While most diets and weight loss programs advertise 'fast' or 'rapid' weight loss, you need to decide how fast you want to lose weight, and look at the potential weight loss and time period of the plan or program. Remember that we're all different, so try to give yourself more time to lose the weight - the 'potential' weight loss is not always easy to achieve!
weight loss plan, loosing weight, doctors diet program,
Your lifestyle
Are you single? Or married with children? Dieting while catering for a family is difficult - especially if you're eating celery while cooking something delicious - and fattening - for everyone else to tuck into! Your lifestyle also dictates how much time you have on hand. A pressurised career, busy social life, or the demands of children could mean you'd prefer a diet plan that does most of the work for you, or one that is more flexible in terms of the types of food you can eat.
Exercise
Most weight loss programs recommend some exercise - or at least they should. Again, the time you have available and your lifestyle will steer you in a certain direction. If you walk the dogs on weekends at the moment, it may be easy to add two more walks mid-week. If you're rushing around from dawn to dusk and flop home exhausted, you may have to get clever with the exercise! The plan you choose needs to be one that you can work with.
Discipline
If self-discipline was in our nature, we'd start talking with 'Please' and 'Thank you' in our vocabulary, and be tidying up after ourselves as soon as we could walk. Our parents had to teach us and then nag us until those behaviours BECAME habits. Going on a diet requires the same self-discipline - and it's tough. Depending on which diet you choose, you may have to radically change your eating habits. A Reward system can be a good motivator - just like mum and dad used! Chart your progress - yep, the good old star chart - and put in place rewards to keep you going. Dieting with a friend helps too - a little friendly competition and moral support will do wonders.
Basically, you need to look at all the areas of your life that dieting and exercise can affect. Assess each program or plan based on how you live your life now, because although the most radical change may provide quick results, it is going to be more difficult to stick to, and a lot more difficult to maintain. If it's an uphill battle to follow the plan, your chances of not achieving your goal will be much higher. Find a plan or program that works WITH you - and you'll achieve your weight loss goals.
0 comments:
Post a Comment