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2 - You got the wrong diet!

Posted August 29th, 2006 by delilah
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Reason 2: You didn't choose the best weight loss regimen for you.

There are hundreds of diets and exercise programs. Some of those won't work for you, some will. It boils down to your personality and lifestyle. For example, some women are bored to death by yoga, but get a kick (literally!) out of tae-bo. And many busy working women who barely have time to do their laundry will default on a strict diet simply because it's easier to grab a burger than weigh meat and vegetable portions.

To quote Shakespeare, "To thine own self be true." Start with what you like. Are you an outdoors girl? Take up a sport-biking, hiking, badminton. Love music? Then take jazz aerobics, belly dancing, street dancing. There is no sense in making things harder by forcing yourself to go through an exercise program you hate.

Same thing goes with diets. Alas, nobody has managed to develop a diet that encourages you to eat massive amounts of chocolate cake-some sacrifice is necessary. But at least be realistic. Can you really stay on the South Beach Diet? If the thought of giving up carbs sends cold shivers running down your spine, shop around. There are some programs that center more on controlling portions rather than cutting out food groups, which will be less traumatic for you and give you higher chances of success.

 

What you can do:

  • List what activities you like-things you can see yourself doing happily and wholeheartedly. Choose an exercise activity that fits that description.
  • List your non-negotiables. "I can't live without meat" or "I can give up cake, but I still want fruit."
  • Look at your schedule. How much time do you have for exercise, and when will you be able to squeeze it in? Do you need a flexible regimen that adopts to your erratic work life, or do you want a set class that you can pencil in three times a week during your lunch break?
  • Look at your cooking capabilities. Do you prepare your own meals, or are you at the mercy of whatever's being served in your house or cafeteria? If you don't cook, how do you plan to stick to the requirements of your diet? What restaurants serve that type of food, what are simple recipes you can do at home?
  • Look at your personality. Do you respond better to flexible or strict rules? Some people will inherently rebel at something that's too dictatorial, others need structure to make things work. To figure out which category you fall under, look at the situations where you felt most productive and fulfilled. Was someone calling out the shots, giving you clear instructions, or were you given options and allowed to define some rules of the game?
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