How to Live Well on a Diet

The beginning of a new year has long symbolized making a fresh start. If you’ve been planning for a diet, now is the time to put that plan into action. Follow the tips below for living well while you’re on a diet, and learn how you can still eat your favorite foods.

How to Live Well on a Diet

Image via Flickr by ilovemypit

Eat High-Fiber Foods

You already know that fiber is good for you, but did you know that it can also help with weight loss? Fiber improves cholesterol levels, keep you feeling full so you’re less likely to overeat and improves your health by helping to promote regular bowel movements. It also helps your body control blood sugar levels and avoid the insulin spikes that can cause food cravings.  If regular bowel movements are an issue for you, it might be that you suffer from irritable bowel disease (IBD), and speaking to the experts at your local infusion center could help. 

High-fiber foods include oatmeal, beans, lentils, fruits, brown rice, and whole-wheat pasta. If you’re on a low-carb diet, you can get fiber from leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower. An especially easy way to include fiber in your diet is by adding chia seeds or flaxseeds to your morning smoothie. Stock up on your favorite healthy foods so that you always have something on hand for those snack attacks. 

Set Reasonable Goals

The average person is more successful in her dieting goals when making only two or three small changes at a time. For example, swapping your afternoon doughnut for a serving of nutritional trail mix would be a good first step toward living well on a diet. 

Try to keep your goals specific, too. Instead of trying to eat healthier, decide how exactly you plan to do that. Maybe you want to eat an extra serving of vegetables every day, or maybe you want to drink water instead of soda. Next, decide how you plan to measure the results. Do you want to lose a certain number of pounds, or do you care more about inches? What’s your time frame for achieving these results? Keep in mind that healthy weight loss for women is 1 to 2 pounds per week.

Include Occasional Treats

When we said you don’t have to deprive yourself, we meant it. Eating your favorite dessert or high-fat food every now and then will prevent you from binging later on. Make your treat day count by choosing something you love and eat it slowly so that you can savor it. 

You’ll need to adjust the rest of your diet to account for the extra calories, of course. For example, if you’re ordering dessert with your dinner, you may want to change your side of fries to a salad and skip that glass of wine. How often you treat yourself depends on how often you’re willing to adjust your other meals.

You can still enjoy your meals when you’re on a diet, such as a low-carb diet. Gradually make small changes, include healthy foods, and indulge every now and then. Most importantly, don’t give up. You may not see results right away, but your efforts will pay off in the long run.

17 Comments

  1. The trick is to get a balanced diet and also have a decent fitness regimen. Another important thing is not to worry too much and let it go once in a while and have your favourite chocolates or dessert.

  2. You are completely right that a high fiber diet is a healthy one. We have colon cancer in our family so getting enough fiber is definitely a priority for all of us.

  3. Keeping things simple is a great way to go. Make the goals achievable and you will hit them more often!

  4. Reasonable goal is a great way. Hubby and I are trying to eat healthier these days and I am introducing him to a lot of veggie eating.

  5. These are really great tips! I agree with the making reasonable goals part 100%!

  6. All very logical and actionable tips. These crazy diets with starving/deprivation without being able to enjoy things are a recipe for disaster! Protein and fiber are key

  7. These are great tips for living well on a diet. It’s so important to set reasonable goals for yourself.

  8. I have never liked the word diet, I get a little hungry just hearing it. I’d love to find a “diet” that actually didn’t feel like a diet, but never have.

  9. It’s all about finding the meal plan that works best for you. I love that you mentioned setting reasonable goals because most people aim for something they really can’t achieve and end up giving up instead.

  10. These are all great tips! I like that you mentioned setting realistic expectations and also for treats. I feel like if anything is too stringent you are setting yourself up for failure. Life happens and that is ok.

  11. I have no will power. I cannot include snacks because I will hop off the wagon and chase that treat for months. However, I do believe it is appropriate for those with will power.

  12. Since diet is simply a way of eating I need to drink more water. I don’t need to cut anything out of my diet. I love water so that is the easy part, it is the getting up a million times a day to use the bathroom is the problem.

  13. Fibre is the key to my diet. Loads of lentils and chickpeas into salads and soups and veggie shepherds pie! And treats too. I have a small bar of dark chocolate everyday. Yes, everyday. This is me actually cutting down on my intake.

  14. Yes, including treats is a big one. I can’t give those up. I rarely diet though. I just try to jog daily and if my pants feel tight, I will drop some of the sweets I enjoy.

  15. Man can’t leave with his treats or woman for that matter. I don’t think about dieting. Just a life style change and eating healthy is just part of the journey.

  16. I’m trying to eat a more balanced diet and eat more foods that are good for me. Having a treat every once in a while is a great tip. I do better when I don’t deprive myself of the occasional treat.

  17. I definitely don’t get enough fiber in my diet. I know it for a fact, but I am working on it. Thanks for the reminder that we need it in our regular diets.

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