diets

Why don’t diets work?
I think the reason for this is because of the mindset a diet gives people. The first thing that comes to mind is “what am I not able to eat.” We feel like we are confined and it makes the food we are “not allowed” to eat that much more desirable. We get on this high in the beginning and want to follow the diet to a T but as the weeks (and for some people days) go by the other foods grab our attention and it starts with one acception, then the whole diet is “ruined.”
Instead of a diet we need to concentrate on portion size. We throw away the mindset of cutting things out and focus more on how much am I eating of everything. I suggest buying plates that are portioned out. Do not keep the extras on the table and put some of it away for leftovers before you even dish out the servings, if you make more servings than the amount of people eating. Eat foods that are high in fiber because they keep you full longer.
Another thing you can do to keep yourself from over eating is finding activities for your hands to do. A lot of us start snacking while we watch TV and before we know it the whole bag of chips are gone. Keep a project near the TV that you want to work on whether it is a nail file, a paper and pen, sewing materials, crocheting needle and yarn.
I recently purchased the Wii fit plus and it is AMAZING! It keeps you accountable and helps you know if you are in the right range for your weight based on your height and you can even work out on it while you watch TV. I like doing step aerobics while I watch shows. It has tons of great activities that help you with your posture and balance along with yoga for flexibility and strength training to tone your muscles. It also has an area that you can input other activities you did throughout the day to see how many calories you are burning. I have gone on almost every day because it is a fun way to exercise in your own home. I made my own workout routine that has helped so much with my balance and coordination. You can set a reasonable goal for your weight on the Wii. It tells you how much a safe weight to gain or lose is for you for the time you set to achieve you target weight.
Those are some alternatives to diets. It is about a lifestyle change not a goal to achieve. If you do not reset your way of thinking about food you will most likely keep falling back into the same habits over and over again. Food is not an enemy and it is not a companion when you are depressed or lonely. It is not a hobby so try to stay away from it when you are bored.
Thank you and if you have any suggestions feel free to post them.