Creating New Eating Habits

Do not get discouraged if change does not happen as fast as you would like. Change takes time and effort. Here are some ideas to help you create and stick with new eating habits.

• Start today: When it comes to weight loss, tomorrow never comes and neither does Monday. If you want to lose weight, or get in shape, start now.
  
  
• Keep a food log: Writing down what you eat will help prevent "unconscious eating," and will make you accountable (at least to yourself) for your food intake, and make you more conscious about what you are eating. A food log should be written at the time you eat, rather than later or at the end of the day.
  
  
• Clean house: Go through your kitchen and replace things like mayonnaise, salad dressing, butter and any and all "binge foods" with low-fat or non-fat items. It isn't that you can't eat these foods every once in awhile, just don't have them in the house ready to be eaten for emotional reasons.
  
  
• Avoid deprivation: If there is a particular food that you absolutely crave, make room in your food plan for it. If you are just dying for an ice cream cone, have one. Better yet, get in the car (or walk) to the ice cream store and buy one. How many servings do you think you would have if you had a gallon in the freezer? Allow yourself to have what you want, but don't make it too easy to get. Another thing to remember is that deprivation leads to bingeing. Remember, you are striving for permanent change.
  
  
• Exercise: Exercise not only burns calories, tones muscles, and increases your metabolism, but it can also help to relieve depression and even suppress your appetite. Walk, jog, roller skate, lift weights, swim or take an aerobics class. Exercise for at least 30 minutes at least 3 times a week. What is the best exercise? The one you enjoy and will do on a regular basis.
  
  
• Cheating: If you "go off" your eating plan, go back to it now. One of the things that keep people from losing weight permanently is that they tend to quit their food plan just because they had a bad day. Again, when it comes to weight loss, tomorrow never comes, neither does Monday. Start today.
  
  
• Stay motivated: Say daily affirmations, read inspirational books, visualize yourself the way you want to be every day, join a weight loss group or keep a journal. Do everything you can to keep a positive attitude and don't give up!