4 More Helpful Solutions For a Failing Diet

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One blog I enjoy reading Diet Blog. One post caught my attention recently, entitled “4 Useful Solutions For a Failing Diet.” Writer, Ali Hale, shared four tips for holding up your failing diet. Her tips include:

• Don’t bring snack money with you to school or work (so you won’t be tempted to make unhealthy snacking choices).
• Divide your dinner leftovers into plastic containers before you sit down to eat (so you won’t be tempted with seconds).
• Say no to alcohol.
• Eat fruit before lunch and dinner and for a snack.

I enjoyed reading through Ali’s tips and agree with everything she suggests. I thought I would add some of my own tips to accentuate her list.

4 More Ways to Save Your Diet

#1: Drink a glass of water 30 minutes before a meal. You can cut a lot of calories by doing this one tiny thing. Most people are dehydrated and don’t even know it. Even if you drink plenty of water throughout the day, grab a glass of iced water and guzzle it before you eat. You’ll feel fuller when you sit down to the table and you’ll be more likely to take smaller portions.

#2: Go sugar-free and fat-free. Look, I know fat-free foods aren’t always as yummy as the “other” ones. But sometimes you have to make sacrifices. If you simply won’t go for fat-free substitutes, at least try sugar-free ones instead (which are usually better than fat-free).

#3: Use a small plate instead of a regular one. When you eat off a regular plate, you are more likely to take larger portions. I have found that when I eat on a small saucer instead I eat a normal portion and am still full when I finish eating.

#4: Don’t trust your judgement. Measure, measure, MEASURE. When you make the decision to get healthy, it’s hard. You have to adjust to a whole new way of living. You can’t eat everything you want to eat, and you can’t have the same amounts of food, either. The only way to ensure you are consuming healthy, normal portions of everything you eat is to measure it.

I know this seems so time-consuming and you’d rather just fix a plate and eat. You probably also think you can eyeball it and don’t need a measuring cup or scale. You’re wrong! And if your diet is failing, then you know I’m right about this. Start measuring everything. Don’t put it in your mouth if you don’t know for sure it’s an exact measurement. If you’re only supposed to have a 4 oz. grilled chicken breast, put it on a kitchen scale and make sure it’s exactly 4 oz.

What are your tips for a failing diet?