10 Tricks to Help You Stick to Your Diet

By Bryan Kittman | February 16, 2019

The age-old problem of starting a new diet only to run out of motivation to stick with it is all too common. If you find yourself with this problem, here are some tricks to help you tough it out and stay disciplined.

Keep junk food out of the house

Sticking to a diet that is meant to help you stay healthy and lose weight can be difficult when there are temptations all throughout your home pantry or cupboards. If you come home from a long day and open your cupboards up to a plethora of junk food, it can be tough to resist the temptation to eat them.

Be mindful of why you’re dieting in the first place

Whatever your diet goal may be, try being constantly mindful of this to help keep you on track. If you find yourself struggling, write down your goals and pin a copy to your refrigerator, desk, mirror, or wherever you’ll be reminded of it often to keep you on track.

Be gradual with your diet

If you’re just beginning on a new diet, there’s no need to dive head first into completely changing what you eat. If you’re trying to cut carbs from your diet, try doing it for 5-6 days to start. This is just one example, but in the end, making gradual changes to your diet can be helpful in keeping you on track for the long haul.

Become a healthy snacker

If you’re a habitual snacker, then a healthy diet may quickly get in the way of your mid-afternoon snacking. While snacking in general isn’t a bad thing, plowing through a box of Cheez-its is. To get around this, try keeping high-protein snacks around. This can include nuts, jerky, string cheese, or Greek yogurt, all of which are nutritious and can quickly satiate your appetite.

Eat before going out

If you are going out for the night, trying eating a healthy meal beforehand. This way, you won’t be as hungry when you’re out and you won’t be tempted to make unhealthy choices.

Have a set plan of snacks and meals

By having a set block of time for your meals and snacks, you can stop yourself from overeating while at the same time helping your body acclimate to a set meal schedule.

Substitute for your cravings

Cravings can be a real kicker when it comes to dieting. To get around them, trying identifying some substitute foods. If you have a sweet tooth, try having some fruit instead of candy or baked goods. Whatever your weakness is, try finding a healthier alternative to it.

Find the foods you love

Dieting often entails eating foods you’d rather not want to consume, which in turn makes dieting difficult, and could lead to ending your diet too soon. Instead, try finding foods foods that are both healthy and enjoyable for you. This may take some trial and error, but it will be well worth it in the end.

Have a cheat meal

It is perfectly fine to reward yourself for sticking to your diet. A cheat meal does not mean an entire day where you’re eating anything and everything, it means that after a long week of staying disciplined with your diet, you can reward yourself with a meal that you’ll enjoy. This will help keep you on track and motivated with your diet, without derailing any progress you’ve made.

Don’t be hard on yourself if you slip up

We are all human, and making mistakes is completely normal, especially when it comes to dieting. If you slip up and splurge a bit on your diet, don’t let it ruin your momentum. Be cognizant of the mistake, and come back with the motivation to get back on track.