Thinking of trying a diet?
Instead, make a few small changes.
When the 1st of the month rolls around, it means it’s time to find that old list of diet resolutions you made last year (or last year?) and vow to tackle them again.
We often struggle because our to-do list is too long.
We are creatures of habit and it just takes time to learn new habits.
Intending to try a diet?
Here’s a suggestion for you – don’t try to make all the changes at once.
In fact, try to focus on three small changes per month until the end of the year.
If you work on building just three new habits a month, you won’t be overwhelmed by trying to focus on too many things at once. By the end of the month, the three new habits will be part of your routine!
Think about what you want to work on first. Let’s say you want to cut back on sugar. Your diet resolutions for January could be:
- I will eat fruit for dessert instead of cookies (or chocolate);
- I will cut my soda intake in half;
- I’m going to switch from sweetened yogurt to plain yogurt.
Maybe eating too much fat is your problem. In that case, your diet resolutions this month could be:
- Instead of fries (or chips) with my lunch, I’ll have a salad;
- I will switch from regular salad dressing to low fat;
- I will drink my coffees made with skim milk instead of whole milk.
If portion control is what you need to work on, your resolutions for the month might look like this:
- I will use smaller plates when eating at home to control my portions;
- When I go out to eat, I will ask the waiter to put half the food in takeout boxes and serve me the rest;
- I will weigh and measure my food portions several times a week to make sure I stay on track.
This month is the time to take a different approach to your diet decisions.
Make these few changes, give them a month to settle in, and then build on those changes, month after month.
