Welcome to my top tips for diet success.

To diet – verb: to follow a set of rules about eating that promise to make you thinner and happier. Results may vary.

The vast majority of people “Diet” for fat reduction or weight loss. For me the word diet is not a verb, it is not something you “do” it simply means what you eat. I accept that for most people dieting means following a set of food rules laid out in a book. The diet industry has boomed because people want these rules spelled out in black and white. But, whichever diet you have chosen to follow, I implore you to use my top how to diet tips in order to maximise your chances of success.

It doesn’t matter how much you spend on that diet book, or how lofty the promises the author makes, the book cannot do it for you. This is why there is more than an ounce of truth in the statistic that 90% of diets end in failure.

Photo Credit: Taylor-Grimley

In my book Eat and Move I set out some key principles to guide you towards a healthy lifestyle. I do this through a carefully researched plan that inspires you to eat and move the right way to achieve your goals. But, as I said, the book can’t do it all for you. Here are my top tips for diet success.

Read the diet book from start to finish.

Resist starting your diet journey until you have read the instructions. Most mistakes are made early on and you don’t want to get the wrong end of the stick and go charging off in the wrong direction.

Write notes in the book.

It’s your book, so sharpen your pencil and write all over it. Underline things that you find new or useful. Put a mark in the margin and look up anything that you don’t understand.

Plan your meals and make a shopping list.

Planning is absolutely key to your success. There is nothing worse than finishing a busy day to find there is no good food in the house. This almost always leads to bad food choices and can derail even the most determined “dieter.” Pick a day in the week where you can sit down, possibly with your family or partner and write down each meal for each day of the week. Write a shopping list to ensure you have all the ingredients and decide how to get the food shopping done. This not only goes a very long way to ensuring your diet success, it also saves on food waste and reduces your shopping bill after only a couple of goes.

Tell your friends and family.

Support from friends and family is a very powerful tool for your diet success. Telling those close to you lets them know that you are on a mission so that they can help and encourage you. Once you have told someone that you on your mission, the accountability can be a positive motivator to keep you focussed. Some people may joke or goad you into straying from your diet goal. Anyone who persists in trying to make you stray or give up is not a good friend. Distance yourself from them and surround yourself with supportive people.

Re-read the book in full every few weeks.

You can understand and take in three new pieces of information at one time. This means that most of what you read will largely be forgotten. So, periodically return to the book to make sure you have understood it and to keep you on track.

Use affirmative language.

You can alway tell when a person is on the road to success because they speak positively and affirmatively. “I am doing the Eat & Move diet” or “I am eating healthily” rather than “I am trying the Eat & Move diet” or “I am going to try to eat a bit more healthily.” They sound the same, but the uncertain words suggest that you think you might fail. Simply using positive words and hearing yourself saying them gives you a boost and pushes you towards success.

Stick to the programme.

You have invested in this diet plan, so resist the temptation to cut corners or change things or to “do it your way.” The moment you decide to go off-book you have already accepted that this diet is not right for you. Either stick to it or throw it away.

Photo Credit: Taylor-Grimley

My top tips for diet success

Read the whole book

Write notes

Plan your meals

Make a shopping list

Tell people

Use positive language

Read it again

Stick to the plan

There are a million and one diet books out there claiming to be the one that works. For me, the best diet book is the one that teaches you how your diet and your body work together. It explains what to do, how to do it and why it works. The best diet book for you makes you feel informed and confident and ready to get stuck in.

Practise these tips every day and you will have success in your diet and lifestyle goals.

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