How to Stick to a Diet

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I don’t like the word diet, but it’s what most people call “it” — it being their newest weight loss attempt to lose those extra 25, 50, or 100 pounds.

So, how do you stick to it?  How do you keep your eye on the prize while trying to lose weight, even though the prize may not even be in your sight?

Follow Jerry Seinfield’s productivity secret:

“He said for each day that I do my task of writing, I get to put a big red X over that day. “After a few days you’ll have a chain. Just keep at it and the chain will grow longer every day. You’ll like seeing that chain, especially when you get a few weeks under your belt. Your only job next is to not break the chain.”

Instead of writing, of course, substitute whatever you’re having difficulty accomplishing. You’ll stand a better chance sticking to your “diet” and new set of healthy lifestyle choices by making them part of your daily routine, much like taking a shower or going to work. Accomplishing amazing feats like losing 100 pounds (and keeping it off) isn’t done on a drag strip, but on an oval course.

“Sticking to a diet” is something that is never finished.  You don’t need to go to the gym for three hours or eat salads all day, every day, because that’s not sustainable for the next ten years. Instead, commit to making small choices on a daily basis.

It all adds up.  It’s how you stick to a diet.

Obsessing and going gun-ho about your new weight loss attempt may seem productive, but it actually hurts your chances of having long-term success.  Commit to making a small change today — eat 300 less calories, go for a walk, watch 30 minutes less television — and mark it off on your calendar when it’s done.

Eventually, it’ll become part of your routine and who you are.