What Should You Do When You Want to Give Up Dieting?

Medically Reviewed on 2/3/2022
what to do when you want to give up your diet
When you feel like giving up on your diet, keep the following points in mind to help you regain confidence and excitement about your weight loss journey.

Weight loss is a difficult endeavor that necessitates not only ongoing motivation but also the ability to regain confidence when you feel like giving up.

When you feel like giving up on weight loss, keep the following points in mind to help you regain confidence and excitement for your journey:

  • Remember why you started:
    • In times of struggle and doubt, remember that strong desire to change that you felt when you first started your diet.
    • Reconnect with the thoughts you had at the start of your journey and what it was about losing weight that excited you.
    • Remember that one thing you want more than anything else is a powerful motivator for causing you to want healthy change.
    • Connecting with this powerful thought when you begin losing weight can eliminate doubtful thoughts, and thinking of it regularly can provide you with a confident mindset that lasts for a long time.
  • Make it through the hard times:
    • When you feel like giving up, you may be going through a difficult period in your life, which can make sticking to your diet even more difficult.
    • However, when transforming, have a powerful realization.
    • If you can stick to your diet during this difficult time, there is no doubt that you will never give up again.
    • Demonstrate to yourself that you can persevere in the face of adversity.
    • Give yourself a small treat for sticking to your diet all this while such as a low-fat yogurt dessert.
  • It will get easier:
    • Making healthy lifestyle changes may be difficult at first, but don't convince yourself that it will always be difficult.
    • Soon, eating healthy and exercising regularly will no longer be a difficult change because the change has already been made. Not only you will get accustomed to your new habits but also they will become a natural and enjoyable part of your life.
    • This can be difficult to believe when you are struggling, but if you do things the healthy way and stick to them, you will find that it becomes easier one day.
  • Amazing things will need effort:
    • When you want to give up, remember that there are substantial rewards on the table.
    • Getting in shape comes with a slew of benefits that have the potential to make you a better person.
    • Don't lose sight of the fact that you're working toward something incredible that will make a significant difference in the way you look and feel for the rest of your life.
    • This means you can look forward to the benefits in the future as a dependable and certain future. Although it may be difficult, you can effect change on your own.
  • You may need to start again:
    • When you're having a bad day or week and want to give up on losing weight, remind yourself that it's something you want in your life.
    • When you connect your mind with this fact, it brings your focus back and you realize that if you give up now, you'll just have to start over all these hard things again later.

All too often, this struggle leads to a sense of hopelessness, a need to restart, or even a complete abandonment of dieting.

You can avoid having to go through these difficult times by practicing a positive mindset and following a healthy system, but the truth is that at some point during your journey, you will come to a difficult point where pushing forward is difficult to handle.

Nobody goes through a significant transformation without having to go through that feeling, so don't let it make you feel alone or hopeless. Not only can you get through it but also there are great rewards and a much easier time waiting on the other side.

Can I maintain my weight after losing it?

According to research, losing weight is difficult enough when you are already overweight or obese. However, once you've reached your goal weight, keeping it off can be even more difficult.

It is estimated that only about 20 percent of people who lose weight keep their new, lower weight. Some steps can be taken to avoid this.

  • Snack healthy and eat smaller meals:
    • Snacks such as low-calorie cheese, yogurt, fruits, and vegetables are excellent choices.
    • In addition, eat three smaller meals a day to maintain a healthier weight than eating three larger meals.
    • These smaller meals, along with two healthy snacks, keep your metabolism going all day.
  • Hydration:
    • Staying hydrated helps you stay healthy. It is recommended that you drink eight glasses of water per day.
    • Water aids in calorie burning by keeping your metabolism going.
    • It's a better choice than diet sodas and sugary drinks. It quenches your thirst more quickly and effectively than anything else.
  • Don’t give up exercising or playing:
    • It is always advised to set aside 30 minutes per day for exercise. The best way to keep your new look is to establish and stick to a routine.
    • The more active you are, the more likely it is that you will maintain your lost weight.
    • Choose games that require a lot of movement. Tag, jump rope, and kickball are all excellent games to lose some calories.
  • Avoid overeating:
    • You can keep your weight off if you only eat until you're full. Even if you have leftovers on your plate, stop eating when you are full.
  • Shop smart:
    • When you're trying to lose weight, going grocery shopping is a big deal. Avoid the sections that will entice you.
    • Opt for lean protein, fruits and vegetables, and low-calorie snacks.
  • Sleep better:
    • Weight loss isn't the only thing that can disrupt your levels of hunger-regulating hormones leptin and ghrelin, causing you to gain weight. Sleep deprivation can hurt the body and overall health. 
    • According to recent studies, most adults should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night.

Maintain a healthy weight by staying active and eating well. The most difficult part was losing weight, so do not ruin your hard work.

SLIDESHOW

The Best Diet Tips: How to Lose Weight the Healthy Way See Slideshow

Is there a best meal plan for losing weight?

There is no one-size-fits-all meal plan or obesity diet plan that is guaranteed to work.

A nutritious diet provides your body with the nutrients it needs daily. It should provide enough calories to keep you healthy but not so many that you gain weight. A healthy diet is low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium (salt), and added sugar.

Some ideas for developing the best plan should include:

  • Dairy products (fat-free or low-fat)
  • Protein-rich foods (lean meat, fish, skinless poultry, beans, and peas)
  • Whole-grain foods (whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, and brown rice, pasta, cereal, bagels, bread, tortillas, couscous, and crackers)
  • Low-sugar fruits
  • Dry fruits
  • Vegetables without salt
  • Olive oil, seeds, nuts, spices, and herbs

To lose weight effectively, most nutritionists recommend preparing your diet plan according to the following guidelines:

  • Calories: ≤1,178
  • Saturated fat: ≤12 grams
  • Proteins: ≤61 grams
  • Cholesterol: ≤256 mg
  • Monounsaturated fat: ≤11 grams
  • Total fat: ≤34 grams
  • Dietary fiber: ≤24 grams
  • Sodium: ≤1,761 mg
  • Total carbohydrate: ≤157 grams
  • Total sugar: ≤58 grams
  • Trans fat: Trace

Although many people can resist high-calorie foods for a short period, it is often difficult to maintain this for the long term. This could be because when a person is losing weight, they get a sense of accomplishment from seeing the pounds fall off, whereas when they are simply maintaining their weight, this sense of accomplishment fades.

Your brain and body are hardwired to regain the weight. This, combined with the abundance of high-calorie foods available today, makes regaining weight all too easy.

However, it is important to remember that staying fit and active is important for overall health and can help you lose excess weight when combined with a balanced diet.

Difficult tasks are worthwhile because they teach us qualities that will benefit us in all aspects of our lives. Doing difficult things makes us stronger people. One of them is achieving a weight loss goal. It could have a positive effect on our life.

Medically Reviewed on 2/3/2022
References
Image Source: iStock Images

What to Do When You Want to Give Up Your Diet: https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/what-to-do-when-you-want-to-give-up-your-diet#1

Some Myths about Nutrition & Physical Activity: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/myths-nutrition-physical-activity

The Best (and Only) Weight Loss Tips You Need to Know: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-7-best-weight-loss-tips/

Do’s and Don’ts for Healthy Weight Loss: https://lafayettefamilyymca.org/healthy-weight-loss/

Maintaining Weight Loss: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/maintaining-weight-loss