Many people have decided it’s time for them to start dieting after all of the christmas and new year festivities. The fun is over and it’s time to start losing all of those Christmas cocktails and chocolates. But there are a few things you should do if you’re on a diet. It isn’t about trying to fill up on lettuce leaves while hating the situation you’ve put yourself in! Here are the things you should do if you’re on a diet:

Stop Calling it a Diet

First off, you have to stop calling it a diet. A diet implies that you’re only doing it for a short amount of time before you go back to the way you were before. Diet also strikes fear in the hearts of so many people. Start calling it a healthy lifestyle instead. It should be a lifestyle after all, and not a quick fix. If what you’re doing isn’t sustainable in the long run, then you’ll never get to where you want to be. You don’t want to rebound and put everything you lost back on. You want to be healthy and make long term changes!

Develop a Better Relationship With Yourself

Instead of hating yourself and punishing yourself, develop a better relationship with yourself. Start loving yourself and treating yourself with care. Start speaking to yourself in your head like a friend. You deserve to eat the freshest, healthiest food.

Learn What’s Good for You and What Isn’t

If you’re a little clueless, then learn what’s good for you and what isn’t. Do some research. Start filling your diet with whole foods like sweet potatoes, vegetables, eggs, seeds, and so on. You’ll stay fuller for longer and experience other health benefits too.

Learn How to Read Nutritional Labels

You won’t eat whole foods all of the time if you’re a regular person, so learn how to read nutritional labels. Buying things like ready made soup is OK as long as you check the label. Stay away from things that contain lots of sugar or saturated fats. Avoid eating an excess of carbs too, especially if you’re not exercising. Your meals should be a nice mix of protein, fat, and carbs.

Allow Treats in Moderation

You should allow treats in moderation, otherwise this wouldn’t be a lifestyle, would it? Have a chocolate bar, or a small pizza once a week. Just don’t turn it into a cheat day/weekend!

Plan Your Meals in Advance

If you don’t plan your meals, you might end up eating something you regret. When you plan your meals and you know exactly what you’re going to be eating, you’ll be more likely to succeed. Have the ingredients. Better yet, prepare them in advance. Take them to work with you!

Be Consistent

Consistency is the key to success. You might fall off the wagon once or twice, but getting straight back on it is what it’s all about. You can’t just give up. Keep going and you’ll start to see results quickly. Be kind to yourself.

You can do this!