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Following a specific diet is tough, but it’s not impossible. It may take a bit of practice and trial and error, but you can do it with a little help.

The first thing you need to do is choose the diet that’s easy for you to follow. Put some thought into why you are going on a diet. Think of it as long term, rather than a quick fix. Are you trying to lose weight? Do you have a special occasion you want to look your best for? Do you want to look good in a bikini? Maybe you have a health condition that requires you to avoid certain foods.

Set Your Plan

Your goals are important to you, yet to be successful, you need to be realistic about how to set them. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to make huge changes overnight. If it took you ten years to gain 50 pounds, don’t think that you can lose 50 pounds in two months.

Switch from Junk Foods to Nutritious Foods

If you eat a big bowl of ice cream and chocolate syrup every night after dinner, it might be tough to give that up completely and forever. Start by replacing that ice cream with a bowl of fresh berries two or three times per week. Then swap out your afternoon candy bar for an apple. Keep your goals reasonable and you can have the fun of reaching them quickly and setting new ones.

Keep Track

Very few people can follow a healthy diet without keeping track of the foods they eat. Just like you need to keep track of your bills and the money in your bank account, you need to keep track of the calories, carb grams, fat grams, or fiber grams that you take in each day.

To keep track of the foods you eat, you need to write them all down in a food diary  or use an app like MyFitnessPal. Keeping track of your diet will help keep you accountable and motivated.

Find a Friend or Join a Community

Sometimes it seems like everyone else around you is eating what they want and tempting you to go off your diet too. This can be the hardest part if you are doing this alone!

Dieting can be tough when you do it alone. Find someone to go on a diet with you. Having a spouse, family member, co-worker or friend who has similar dietary goals will help keep you both on track. Another option is to join an online community like my Facebook Fitness Support Group.

Give Yourself a Little Nudge Now and Then

Remember those reasons you have for going on a healthy diet? Write them down on a small note card and tuck that card into your purse or wallet. You may not see it every day, but you will find it often enough to remind you why you are watching your diet. If you are very visual like me, create your own motivation wall. Everyday you will be reminded of why you are making these changes. Another option is to find a weight loss quote you like and use it as a screensaver on your computer.

Make Your Go-To-Foods Healthier

Sometimes your mood can have a significant impact on your diet. Think of comfort food. What do you eat when you’re having a bad day? A banana split? Big greasy burger and fries? A pile of fried chicken or a whole pan of brownies? All of these are real diet killers because the calories can pile up fast while you’re feeding your bad mood.

Find Some New Comfort Foods

Make sure they’re high in fiber, and you’ll fill up before you eat too many calories. Did you love PB&J’s as a kid? Make a healthier peanut butter and jelly sandwich with whole-grain bread. Instead of that banana split, try some banana chunks, strawberries, and blueberries, with whipped topping and nuts. It’s just as sweet but much better for you.

Be Kind to Yourself

We all slip up now and then. That’s OK. If you fall off your diet, don’t beat yourself up over it. Tell yourself you’ll do a better job with your next meal, and when that next meal rolls around, choose something healthy like baked chicken or fish with lots of green vegetables. Congratulate yourself for eating a healthy meal, and know that you’ll do it again next time you eat.

Exercise

Working out will help you watch your weight, get those feel good endorphins and keep your heart healthy. Maintaining an active lifestyle will help keep you motivated to eat right. Whether you’re going to opt to take the stairs instead of that elevator, start a Zumba class or try that crazy at-home workout, you are going to be so glad you made the decision to change your lifestyle and eating habits.

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 Til’ Later~Xoxo

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