Create Your Own Personalised Weight Loss Plan
“Most FAD diets, don’t cater for our likes and dislikes, our habits or our lifestyle at all, but they like to give the illusion they do”
There are so many different diets and approaches to weight loss, and if you are like most seasoned dieters, you have tried them all. When I ask patients, who have been referred to me, what diets they have tried, they usually tell me “all of them”, followed by the comment; “they all worked” – if they stuck to them.
So, I wonder, is it really, a successful diet, if you can’t stick with it? Or once you have finished the diet, the weight creeps back on? Surely a successful diet is the one that gets you to lose weight and allows you to keep it off. Yet we continue down the same path trying to find the right diet, even though we know it does not cater for our likes and dislikes, our habits or our lifestyle. In fact, most diets, don’t cater for you at all, but they like to give the illusion they do.
I certainly give credit to those who keep working at weight loss. Even despite the emotional roller coaster ride with their weight, they are always willing to try the latest fad diet. Even if it is a gruelling routine of food restrictions, complicated ingredients and lack of variety.
However, with all these repeated attempts, the one thing you can learn from serial dieting, is that maybe a personalised diet tailored for you is your best approach.
Making a Personalized Diet that Works for You
The reason most of us, avoid personalised eating plans, is because we have no idea where to start. The process seems overwhelming, the nutritional advice is conflicting and more importantly, what if I fail. So, we default to the diet market, despite its unrealistic expectations and knowing it’s doomed for failure.
Let me show you how to get started creating your own personalised weight loss plan. The more you can understand what influences your daily eating habits, the better you will be at managing your own weight and keeping it off.
Five Important Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Eating Habits
1. When do you get up and when do you go to bed?
Knowing this will allow you to figure out the best meal and snack times. If you are a late riser then you probably do not need a mid-morning snack but rather plan to have a snack after dinner. If you are an early riser then you may need two mid-morning snacks before lunch. Distributing your meals across the day, reduces the chances of binge eating.
2. Who cooks at home, you or someone else?
If you prepare most of the meals, then you have a lot of control over what goes on the plate. This works to your advantage as you decide what you’ll you eat, how much and how it is prepared. If you are relying on someone else, work with them to help design an eating plan that works for you.
3. How often do you eat out?
If you are eating out more than 3 times a week, than it can be more challenging to keep track of your calorie intake as you do not have control over portion sizes and how food is prepared. Many restaurants have their calorie intake displayed on the menu or on their website. Check out the information before you go and use it to plan your meals.
4. Are you an emotional eater?
Eating in response to stress, anxiety, sadness or other emotions may lift your mood momentarily, but the feeling generally doesn’t last for long. By keeping a food diary, you can monitor your reasons. Eventually a pattern will emerge that will help you to identify your triggers. One way to counteract stress eating is to engage in a non-food activity, which can be an instant mood lifter.
5. Do you know the portion sizes of your foods?
With unlimited foods items to choose from, knowing how much to eat can be confusing. Many use fullness as a gauge to determine how much to eat, which may result in eating a huge meal, thinking you will eat less throughout the day. What’s more likely to happen, however, is that you are simply training yourself to feel satisfied only after you’ve eaten a big meal. Teaching yourself to be satisfied with less food at each meal, will go a long way keeping your weight off.
These steps will go a long way in starting your own personalised weight loss plan. As dietitians, we can help you further a long the journey and make the process effortless and enjoyable. But most importantly, create a successful diet, tailored to you.
By Julie Gilbert
Tell us about your dieting experience in the comments, or book an appointment with us today and let's discuss your goals!
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