12 Do's and Don'ts for Dieters

Overview

Trying to lose weight could be a very simple process for many people. You know what to do and you do it. For others, it could be the hardest thing you ever tried to do. You try your darnedest but the scale won’t budge. Makes you want to scream, doesn’t it? 

Well, hold your breath. Let’s take a look at some things that you can do to boost weight loss and some of the things that you shouldn't do if you want to succeed. 

12 Do’s

1. Do eat a healthy breakfast everyday.

2. Do drink plenty of water.

3. Do snack on fruits, crunchy vegetables and nuts between meals.

4. Do enjoy healthy meals that include a good source of protein.

5. Do eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

6. Do drink 2 to 3 cups of milk or get your calcium from other sources daily.

7. Do eat fish and other foods rich in omega-3 fats several times a week.

8. Do eat more whole grain breads and cereals and less refined products.

9. Do eat dried beans and peas, nuts and seeds more often.

10. Do control your food portions.

11. Do get a few minutes of sunshine daily and eat vitamin D fortified foods.

12. Do get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily.


12 Don’ts

1. Don't skip breakfast.

2. Don't start the day off with sodas and other sugary drinks.

3. Don't eat too much cakes, cookies, candies or other high-calorie foods. 

4. Don't eat foods made with trans fat.

5. Don't eat foods that are high in saturated fat.

6. Don't eat or drink foods that are high in sugar.

7. Don't eat or drink foods made with artificial sweeteners.

8. Don't eat fast food too often.

9. Don't eat foods made with refined/white flour.

10. Don't eat foods with a lot of salt/sodium.

11. Don't eat processed meats too often.

12. Don't let the stresses of the day cause you to overeat.

If this seems like a lot of do's and don'ts, here's another one: Don’t worry. Choose one thing to do at a time and before you know it, you will be doing all the “Do’s” and controlling all the “Don’ts.” Take the first step right now.

12 Basic Rules for Dieters

Rules are often established to maintain order and assure that goals are met. Basically, they serve as a blueprint for how to get where you're going. Put another way, rules can help you to achieve your desired goal effectively and efficiently. But for that to happen, obviously you have to follow the rules. This is where dieters fall short.

If you are like most dieters, you want to get results fast, but when it comes to following the rules that would help you to do so, well, you probably stray from the rules a little too often.

To get the results you want, you need to be persistent. Don't let temptation get in the way and prevent you from losing the weight you want to lose. If you are ready to give dieting another try, here are 12 Simple Rules to help you succeed. Just remember, don't give in to temptation and don't give up.

Rule 1. Plan ahead. Having a plan will help you stay focused and in control.

Rule 2. Be flexible. Being on a diet doesn't mean you have to be on a rigid, highly restricted regimen. You just have to know how to compensate when you go off course.

Rule 3. Include foods you like. Make sure that your diet includes foods you like, just a healthier version.

Rule 4. Eat lots of high-fiber foods. High-fiber fruits and vegetables should be at the core of every dieter's meal plan. These foods are loaded with so much health-promoting nutrients, it is hard to imagine succeeding without them.

Rule 5. Drink plenty of water. Water is important because it is the one beverage you can drink to your heart's content without worrying about calories. Additionally, it can help to curb your appetite by leaving you feeling full so that you eat less high-calorie foods.

Rule 6. Limit your intake of junk food. Junk food is the spoiler for most dieters. Keep these out of your diet and you will find that losing weight is not so difficult after all.

Rule 7. Avoid foods that are loaded with fat. Fat is a calorie-dense foods. Therefore, anything with added fat means added calories. Avoid things like fried foods, commercial chips, large amounts of butter, mayonnaise, salad dressing and other foods, like pastries, cakes and cookies and you could easily eliminate hundreds of calories from your diet.

Rule 8. Read food labels. Unless you are cooking everything you eat from scratch, you had better read the label on the foods you buy. And, of course, use the information to buy the foods that are compatible with your diet plan.

Rule 9. Prepare your own food at home and eat out less. Preparing your own food will give you control over what goes into the food, how much you eat and how many calories you consume. When you eat out you pretty much put those choices in the hands of someone else.

Rule 10. Keep portion sizes to a minimum. The more you eat, the more calories you will be taking in. Conversely, the less you eat, particularly of high-calorie foods, the fewer calories you will consume. So keep an eye on those portions.

Rule 11. Get the exercise you need to burn fat. Exercise is essential if you want to lose weight effectively and efficiently. It is the one way to burn off excess calories and make losing weight a breeze.

Rule 12. Be true to yourself. Only you can decide if you are willing to make the commitment and stick to it when it comes to losing weight. Either you will do it or you won't. Either you succeed or you don't. It all depends on you.