When to start a diet?

[lis1]

I just read an article rating 3 popular diets in the new Oxygen magazine. One of them was about the Weight Watchers Points plan. I already own the book/info so I thought I'd try it. Then I thought, well, maybe I should start next Monday since today (monday), I've haven't eaten well at all.

How do I get out of this mindset?? I keep thinking in order to start fresh, it has to be at the start of a new week. It's always "next Monday!"

 

[honeybunch]

"Today is the first day of the rest of your life."

Why not today? Let's face it, is there ever a "best" day?

 

[Bobbi]

I agree with Honeybunch. I never think in terms of "dieting" because the term has such negative connotations. I prefer to think of my diet, whether it's ultra clean or a little lax as part of my healthy lifestyle and that makes it easier to stay on the straight and narrow when I need to!


Bobbi http://www.plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif Chick's Rule!

 

[kweller]

why not start right now. I mean this second. You have the rest of your life to thank yourself for your healthy choices and to reap the rewards of healthier eating and to *stop* feeling guilty and start feeling the rewards that come from the act of being accountable. Not to say that you aren't accountable, I don't know you or your history, but you sound like you feel guilty to yourself about your diet. Life's too short to feel guilty and bad. Feel good and treat yourself good. Not bad.

Kathy

 

[caricampbellcool]

If you think of eating better as a lifestyle change versus a diet, I believe your chances of success will be much better.
And yes, start right away with your lifestyle change. Make it gradual if you need to. I always have a cheat day to spare my sanity. But clean eating is a 100% part of my life now, although it took years of learning about healthy eating to get to that point. I started by gradually increasing fruits, vegetables, and fiber, then later cut out the white stuff.
So how does starting slow, but starting now, sound to you?
Good luck!
Cari

 

[jgoycoolea]

I know what you mean about this mindset. I sometimes suffer from this too. And I have learned that if I really think about it, that I can manipulate almost any day to be a good day to start a diet or resolve to eat better. That is, most days can have *some* sort of significance.

For instance, Saturday is the start of the weekend. Sunday is officially the start of the week. Monday is the first weekday. Friday is the last day of the week and you have the whole weekend to continue to really kick it into gear. The days in the middle can be a little tricky. But maybe one of those days will be the same day your birthday falls on (like the 23rd for instance.) Or the 15th is the exact middle of the month. Aug 26th? Hmmm... well if I just start watching today, by Sept.1 I will have a really good start.

Of course this is just the strategy if you can't follow the more rational suggestions listed by others!

(Have I just revealed what a kook I can be??) Jeanne

 

[khuynh]

My humble opinion is that Cari has made the adjustment with the most success possible.

I've been prefecting my method of eating and my own education on individual foods for three years now and I'm still not done yet. There still is a bunch of foods out there that I haven't tried or haven't even discovered yet.

It's funny, the most common mistake that people make when they begin to change their eating habits is that they will go out and find a diet. Then one day wake up and change their eating patterns. Now, we are designed for change, but we really don't like it all that much. And if you think about it ... rarely does drastic change ever stick unless it is drastic change that we cannot control. Like an accident, an illness, the loss of a loved one, a job loss, money loss, etc.

Eating, unfortunately is a habit. How many times have you eaten because it was time to eat and not necessarily because you were hungry or getting hungry? How many people change their eating habits to eat 5 or 6 times a day because it’s been communicate that that is the right way to fuel your body? The fact of the matter is … some people are natural grazers. Some people only eat twice or three times a day. Some bodies function very well with either method, but try to force one or the other to eat the opposite and it is met with failure.

That’s why it is so important that you take it slow and change your eating habits slowly. If you really want it to last for a long time, it’s going to take some time for it to stick. You’ve got the time, it’s not out of your control and neither is your success.

Start changing your eating habits today. But I would suggest that you make two small changes every two weeks. For example one small change can be eating at Subway instead of a McDonalds type of a place. Or when making spaghetti, throw in a can of red kidney beans that has been rinsed and drained for extra fiber and to make the sauce a bit meatier. Just two small changes every two weeks. Trying not to forsake the changes you had made the week before.

Do I eat clean 100% of the time … HECK NO! I have PMS, I have my love for chocolate, I eat Pizza now and again, I have my bad days and sometimes my emotional times where my choices aren’t the best in the world … but the point is … that’s ok to have those times.

Give it a try and take it slow … you’ll be on a clean healthy eating plan that is right for you in no time flat with a bit of patience and education.

Just my thoughts.

Keta.

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[kweller]

Yes, Yes, Yes, Keta!!!

I absolutely agree with the small changes slowly method. That is the only way I have ever successfully changed my diet. Also the lifestyle vs. 'diet' - well, that is exactly what it is, a lifestyle. Not a lightswitch. As for the small changes, I went from fruit-flavored (sugary) yogurt to plain low-fat. Then when I had a handle on the plain yogurt, I switched to non-fat plain yogurt. (I add my own fresh fruit instead of having the yogurt people add it for me). That took awhile because I did it as slowly as I needed to (of course in the case of yogurt some people prefer low-fat and that's okay, too). The point is to make the progress and to keep it real. This is a lifetime change. Cheating is only cheating yourself. Bonus: when I stopped eating junk, eventually I stopped craving it too.
Kathy