How to Lose Weight

So you have made the decision. It is time to lose weight. You have set your target, you know how much weight you want to lose and how long it will take.

Now you must prepare yourself for the diet. Some people dive right in but generally, you are more likely to succeed if you think about it first.

Timing

You need to decide when to start your diet. If your diet is only going to take a month then you can try to time it for a period when you will face the least temptation. There is not much point in starting your diet the week before Christmas. Why diet over your birthday or before the big party that you have been looking forward to all month? Of course, if you are going on a six-month diet then there is no avoiding the fact it will clash with your social life.

Remove Temptation

If you start your diet while that big cheesecake is still sitting in the fridge, you are just placing temptation in your way. You should clear your kitchen of fattening foods before you start your diet. If you are itching to get started then throw those fattening foods in the bin. If you can wait a few days then eat up all your fattening food before you get started.

Weigh Yourself

Before you start, you need to take note of your starting weight. You need access to a good set of weighing scales. If you don't have any then go out and buy some. It does not matter if the scales are not 100% accurate as long as they are consistent. The important thing is to be able to make accurate comparisons over the course of your diet so you know how quickly you are losing weight. You will want access to the same scales throughout the course of your diet, preferably at the same time of day.

Measure Yourself

You should not only monitor your weight but also your vital measurements. Get a measuring tape and measure your chest, waist and bottom. Losing weight is a slow process and sometimes looking in the mirror is frustrating as you will not see any difference. You will need all the psychological boosts you can get and seeing the inches slowly come off your measurements will help.

Publicise Your Diet

Do not keep your diet a secret. Tell your friends and family what is happening. They may rib you a little but they will also give you moral support. If you don't tell them what is happening they will wonder why your eating habits have changed. Making your diet public will give you extra mental strength to keep going. It is much easier to give up in secret than publicly.

Do you have an internet blog? Then declare your intent to diet on it for all the world to know. You can show your progress by including your weight and measurements every week.

Next: Monitoring Your Weight