During your diet or weight loss program, if you slip, you don't have to fall!

Diets and weight loss programs can be especially hard to stick with, especially if you aren't seeing results immediately.  One of the most important things that I have learned is that when you slip, you don't have to fall completely.  What I mean is, if you have a day that you don't workout because you don't have the time or you eat something you shouldn't have, this slip does not mean that you have to give up completely and fall off the program or diet.  Just get right back to it the next day.

Resting or cheating with food for one day can be beneficial to your program.  I know from experience that resting for a day can allow your body to recuperate from the exercise that you have been doing, and for me, it helps me to feel even better the next day when I do exercise again.  In addition, cheating with food, which can include eating larger portions than you should, or eating something, like cake or candy, that is extremely high in calories.  When you eat like this, it does not mean that the diet is over or that you have completely failed with your program.  It just means that you need to get back on the grind the next day.

I cheat with meals and snacks at least one day a week, which is normally Sunday.  This has personally helped me lose more weight because I do not feel deprived from the foods that I love.  When I do cheat with high calorie foods, I do try to limit the portion size of the food that I eat.  In addition, I have heard that cheating can help trick your body, to help you lose more weight.  Also, if you want to cheat, measure the amount of calories that you are cheating by, and schedule extra exercises for the next week to burn those extra calories off.

When you do start a diet or weight loss program, you need to schedule your exercise time as if it is an appointment.  Many people show up early to their appointments & stick with them once they are scheduled.  This means that you write the time you want to exercise into your date book, calendar, set an alarm in your phone, or whatever you do when you create a schedule for yourself, and stick with it.  The indiviudals who schedule their exercise are more likely to stick with that schedule.

In addition, find a partner.  If you have an exercise buddy, you are more likely to stick with an exercise regimen, than if you are working out alone.  The exercise buddy can give you the motivation you need to keep going when you want to quit, and they can also help hold you accountable on days you are scheduled to workout.

The main goal is to create a workout plan, and don't give up!  If you need to change it up because your plan isn't working, that is fine.  Just get moving!