I think we all agree that if we are having fun doing something we want to do more of it. Its just human nature–If something is fun and pleasurable we want to do it more if something is drudgery we want to avoid it.
That is a problem that many people have with diets, dieting and losing weight. They make it drudgery and a chore. They remind themselves that the word “diet” is the just the word “die” with a “t” at the end. That dieting means starvation and pain and drudgery. So is it any wonder that they fail? I mean nobody wants to do something that they hate and dread for too long!
So in order to be a successful weight loss pro, why not make it fun? Get creative and find ways to make it fun.
Rewards can be great–If you stick to your diet all day, reward yourself later with a long bubblebath or a pedicure. If you stick with your diet for a week, take an afternoon and go shopping just for yourself. If you stick with your diet for a month give yourself an even bigger reward. Just remember–Food is NOT a reward–Food is Fuel -period.
Then there are daily things you can do to make a game of it. Make some silly rules that you just have to follow. No food unless it is at the table on a red plate. (Think how little you will eat if you don’t own any red plates! Just kidding!) No food that comes in a package. How many colors can you get on your plate? Colors of food I mean, vegetables, fruits-White only counts on cauliflower. How many purple things can you eat today?
There are lots of purple foods and most are delicious and good for you. I am thinking blueberries, yum!
I am thinking purple onions, purple cabbage, beets (yeah, beets aren’t my favorite either but they are good for you!) And Green–That’s really good one! Most green foods are nutritional powerhouses with hardly any calories–Think spinach–you can eat like 4 cups for about 20 calories and the antioxidants and nutrition that it provides is unmatched! Alot of people I talk to say they don’t mind it raw but they don’t like it cooked. Well if you cook it just long enough so it still has a little crunch but is far from “slimy” it can be delicious –but I absolutely agree that it has to be cooked right! One more caveat on the colors though–The colors have to occur in nature–purple and green m&m’s or skittles do not count for this game!
One great way to use games and incentives for dieting is to see yourself as already having achieved your weight loss goal. Yeah, pretend just like when you were a kid! Go to the store and pick out that fabulous outfit (do not try it on if you are not already there–we want this to be a fun experience not the opposite!) Imagine yourself wearing it and having a great time! Imagine as vividly as you can what it will be like when you have lost all of the weight. Imagine the fun things you can do that you may not be doing now. See yourself as thin, talk to yourself like you already are thin, encourage yourself and you will be much closer to achieving your goal. Do not, under any circumstances, berate or belittle yourself for not being at the weight you want. There is no such thing as constructive criticism, or as a former acquaintance of mine claimed “instructive” criticism. There is no such thing. Nobody does better if they are continuously having their “faults” pointed out to them. Don’t do it to yourself! Be gentle with yourself and treat yourself kindly! You will be much more likely to find success at dieting or at anything else if you do!
Get creative and make it fun. You will be that much closer to success if you do!
