How to Stick to Your 2015 Diet Resolutions

ticking to your 2015 diet resolutions is easier said than done, and as the year progresses you might find that you are starting to fall off a little. If that's the case you shouldn't get discouraged because there are plenty of ways to get right back on track really easily. Motivation can be a difficult thing when it comes to weight loss, but there is a lot that you can do to make it easier on yourself and lose the weight that you've been trying to lose. It can be difficult to exercise self-restraint when you've developed habits sometimes over decades that can make it difficult for you to lose weight. A lot of making permanent resolutions involves changing your brain and body's chemistry, and although there is no replacement for genuine effort, you can be more consistent with the following strategies.

Try a structured diet

A lot of people benefit from the structure of a diet like the HCG diet because it almost forces you to stick to your meal plan and it is great motivation as well. With the HCG diet you are given a specific list of foods and daily calorie requirements as well as a few other requirements, and this makes dieting a lot easier because you know exactly what you should be eating and what you should be avoiding. The hormone also makes dieting much easier by suppressing your appetite and resetting your body's metabolism, and you will find that following a diet where the requirements are laid out for you is a lot simpler than trying to go it alone. If you haven't had much luck in the past with trying out diets on your own, you may want to give the HCG diet a try as it will very likely work for you as it has for hundreds of thousands of people already.

Don't try to change too much at once

If you aren't on a structured diet, it can be difficult to make a bunch of changes in your lifestyle all at once. Diets like the HCG diet can be a great stepping stone into a healthier lifestyle, but once the diet is finished you need to gradually make changes to your lifestyle to keep the weight off. This might mean avoiding drinks with sugar, or reducing your grain intake, or adding a few new vegetables into your regular diet. It is helpful to keep a log of what you eat even when you're not dieting, and although you definitely will need to be careful about what you eat when you are on a structured diet, it is just as important to stay vigilant when you come off the diet and start gradually adding foods back in that you know won't cause weight gain.

 Avoid stress and anything that brings you down

Many studies have shown that there is a correlation between stress and weight gain, and the more stress that you have in your life the more likely that you are to gain weight through poor eating habits and lifestyle habits. One way to ensure that you don't become reliant on food as an emotional crutch is to focus more on managing stress in your life. Stress can raise cortisol levels which can increase hunger along with slowing your metabolism down, and many studies have shown that chronically high cortisol levels can be associated with obesity. Essentially, you should try as many different practices as you can to control stress whether it is yoga, exercise, meditation or just watching a funny movie or show; really anything that can improve your mood, take your mind off of negativity, and keep you focused on being healthy is a great way to control stress.

Keep a food diary to stick to your diet resolutions

A food diary can be one of your greatest assets when you are trying to stick to your diet resolutions. With a food diary you can pinpoint the specific foods that are causing you difficulties with weight gain. You don't even necessarily need to watch your calories, just make a log of the foods that you eat and your serving size, and then look up the calories later on all at once, once you've had a good accumulation of data, perhaps for 7 days or so. With this information you can see the biggest sources of calories, and most importantly if you are finding that you are eating a lot of grains and sugar you can pinpoint the specific times that you are eating these foods and replace them with healthier options.

Only keep healthy fresh food in your home

One way to control your weight is to control your environment. By keeping only healthy fresh organic foods in your home you are eliminating the chance of putting on weight from eating junk food or processed foods. There are some people who are great with portion control and who can seemingly get away with eating junk foods because they simply limit their intake, but a lot of people don't have that self-control and having just one source of junk food can end up being a major source of weight gain and extra calories. If you have nothing but healthy food options available you'll simply have no choice but to eat healthy, and doing this will help to guarantee that you see success with your weight loss efforts and won't slip up. Basically avoid any processed foods, junk foods, grains and sugar and stick to mostly legumes, protein, nuts, vegetables, organic dairy and fruit.

Walk whenever you can

Walking is a great habit to get into and can definitely help you keep the calories off, especially when you do it consistently and at a brisk pace. Walking after a meal can aid with digestive process, and avoiding a sedentary lifestyle (being seated for most of the day) is essential for longevity and to avoid chronic illness. Any time that you have the opportunity you should walk, whether it is walking to the store instead of driving, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or walking around the block just to relax and get some fresh air. Consistent walking will burn any extra calories that you may get from messing up with your food choices, and you'll find that it is much easier to lose weight and stay lean when you are as active as you can possibly me. Make any excuse that you can to go for a walk or hike, and try to make it a consistent habit.

Work with medical professionals

The nutritionists and medical providers at Nu Image Medical work primarily with the HCG diet, but we have other options available to you even if you don't want to try the diet. It's always better to work with medical professionals whenever possible, especially those with experience with weight loss methods, because there may be unique aspects of your metabolism or other factors that can be making it difficult for you to lose weight that you may not be aware of. A medical provider at Nu Image Medical can help you find the specific causes for your weight gain or the lifestyle factors that may be making it difficult for you to lose weight, and with their help you can more effectively and efficiently fight weight gain.