40 No-Fail Diet Tips to Keep Your Resolutions on Track
By Gina Colonette
Experts share how to create -- and stick with -- a New Year's diet plan that works!
No-Fail Tip #1: Start Small
"I'm not a fan of "resolutions" because, too often, people try to tackle too many changes at once and after two or three weeks, feel overwhelmed and decide it's too difficult. So, identify one or two issues and deal with those first -- i.e., eat two bean-based dinners a week or have oatmeal with almond butter for breakfast instead of sugary cereal, Monday to Friday."
-- Andy Bellatti, MS, RD, Seattle-based dietitian
No-Fail Tip #2: Get Your Head in the Game
"Losing weight is 50 percent attitude, so you have to really want it. The sad truth is it's not really worth making a weight loss resolution if you're not fully committed."
"Do some serious soul-searching and identify a significant and enduring source of personal motivation for shedding the extra weight -- maybe it's to better manage health conditions, be around for your kids and grandkids, finally feel more comfortable in your own skin or boost your energy level. The bottom line is that this motivation has to come from within YOU."
-- Joy Bauer, TODAY Show Health Expert
No-Fail Tip #3: Be Specific
"Incorporate SMART changes: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time sensitive. It's not enough to say 'I want to eat more healthfully,' it needs to be something like 'I will eat a serving of high fiber cereal, three days a week, starting next week.' It has to be specific, and attainable. One person might be able to only do two days per week; another might be able to do four days per week. After about three weeks, this new goal becomes a habit; at that point, they can layer another goal."
-- Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS
No-Fail Tip #4 : Don't Kill Yourself
"Does your friend do lots of squats, lunges, and explosive ab work in her program? That may be fine for her but remember that in order for an exercise program to be safe and effective it must be progressive. That means you start at a level that challenges you but that you can manage. Progress over time to the next level. Don't try to take on too much too soon. Not only will you feel overwhelmed, discouraged, sore and want to give up, but you could also get injured."
-- Jini Cicero, CSCS, FMS
No-Fail Tip #5: Watch Where You Eat
"When you eat, sit down at the table. Never eat standing up…nor at your desk, nor in a car. Make your eating environment a relaxing place."
-- Mary Brighton, MS, RD
No-Fail Tip #6: Change Up Your Meal Plan
"Eat 5 to 6 small meals all day and make sure each one includes protein and high-fiber carbohydrates. This will keep you full all day and help stop cravings that can lead to binging. Eating small meals more frequently helps stabilize blood sugar levels. It is best to choose foods low on the glycemic index, and high in fiber and protein. Eat more of your complex carbs earlier in the day and taper off at night."
-- Jari Love, Personal Fitness Trainer
No-Fail Tip #7: Rethink Your Gym Routine
"Maybe you found an exercise you like and you are sticking to it. I applaud you for finding an exercise you enjoy, but if you want to see real change, you have to surprise your body now and then. Your body is great at adapting to a form of exercise it does repeatedly. Each day shouldn't look like the day before. Try a new form of exercise or ramp up the intensity or duration on your current method of exercise. Better yet, do both! Ask yourself some of these questions: Am I working out at an intensity that requires a little heavy breathing? Am I sweating? Am I really focusing to make the most of my workouts or am I skating through? Mix up that routine and ramp it up."
-- Chris Freytag, Personal Trainer
No-Fail Tip #8: Schedule Your Workouts
"This appointment is for you; for your health, it's your "me time," and the success of your fitness program depends on it. By scheduling it as you would any other appointment, it becomes a high priority in your life."
-- Jini Cicero, CSCS, FMS
No-Fail Tip #9: Don't Skip Meals
"Skipping meals promotes weight gain, not weight loss. That's right. Some people think that skipping meals, starting with breakfast is a great way to lose weight. That's simply not the case. Breakfast-skipping actually has the opposite effect. Holding off until noon for that first meal usually results in uber-hunger. This leads to an out-of-control appetite when you do eat because you're so famished. That can result in both eating too fast and consuming too many calories. It also contributes to distorted hunger signals (e.g. you can't tell when you're full). And researchers now believe that eating breakfast may reduce hunger later in the day too. It may also be responsible for the tendency to choose less-dense, lower calorie, foods at later meals."
-- Allison J. Stowell, MS, RD, CDN
No-Fail Tip #10: Think About the Positives to Being Fit
"I think the most important thing women should keep in mind when their goal is to become fitter is to think about how wonderful it feels to be fit -- and how easy it can be to fit in fitness with friends and family members including their kids. If you're fit, you sleep better and have more energy to multitask and get things done. When you're fit, it also lifts your mood and makes you feel better not only about your body (and fitting into your clothes), but it helps keep your mood lifted especially important in the winter when days are shorter and there's less sunlight. Being fit is a process; it's not really a destination. It's a journey that can make you feel great both inside and out, and there are so many activities you can try that are so enjoyable."
-- Elisa Zied, MS, RD, CDN, registered dietitian and author of Nutrition At Your Fingertips
Click here for 30 more no-fail diet tips!
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