“Cheat days”. If you have ever been on a diet before, you know what these are.
Diets that fail (or “don’t work”) are usually riddled with just a few – or, okay, a frikkin’ LOT – of these dreaded cheat days that just start adding up and up and up. (Along with the numbers on the scale!)
I have only dieted a couple of times in my life, and of the times I dieted, I noticed that the cheat days I indulged in and the diets that tapered off with less than thrilling weight loss results ALWAYS got blamed on my busy schedule.
Well, with three kids under 5, a wedding photography business and a husband set to deploy soon, my days aren’t getting any less busy! So I knew I had to get serious about sticking to a diet if it was going to succeed. Lucky for me, the South Beach Diet is a REALLY easy diet to stick to, and never feeling hungry goes a long way towards success.
And while I am far from calling my diet a “success” (I still have 58 pounds to lose to reach my goal weight!) I HAVE lost 14 pounds since I started this diet at the beginning of the year, and have had ZERO cheat days (with the ONE exception of a tiny bowl of jambalaya for Mardi Gras!.. and even that was Phase 2ish!)
Overall I have found that with a little planning, it’s easy to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Here are 10 ways to stick to the South Beach Diet, no matter how busy you are!
-
Plan meals for the entire week.
Before the start of your week, sit down and plan what you will have for all of your meals that week. Make sure you make a detailed grocery list and ONLY buy what is on the list. If you are part of the South Beach Diet meal delivery plan (CLICK HERE to check it out) this takes out a lot of thinking, planning and prepping time, in addition to providing you with variety in your meals.
If you don’t plan your meals ahead of time, you’re much more likely to order unhealthy takeout or be so hungry that you binge eat a whole box of cereal.
-
Prepare meals in advance.
Dedicate one or two hours every weekend to preparing as many ready to eat meals or sides as you will need for your schedule. Pre-chop veggies and / or make double batches of meals and freeze for ready to heat and eat breakfasts, lunches, or dinners.
If you have pre-made entrees delivered as part of the South Beach Diet program, prep side salads and dressings for healthy side dishes. This is a big step toward a healthy week of eating!
-
Plan ahead for busy days and on-the-go eating.
Look at your schedule a week in advance and make detailed plans for on the go eating. Packing a lunch to take on the go also saves money and helps prevent the “I can’t find anything healthy to eat and I’m starving” dilemma while staring at a fast food menu. It’s only a hassle to do this for the first week, because you’re starting a new routine. After that, it will become second nature. If you are heading out anywhere, especially with kids, take a healthy, portable meal or some healthy snacks.
-
Plan ahead for social events where food will be a temptation.
If you know you will be at an event where unhealthy food is going to be a temptation, PLAN YOUR STRATEGY WAAAAY AHEAD OF TIME!! Trust me: I know from experience that you will always be grateful that you did! Don’t arrive hungry, fill up on lots of fresh veggies and healthy whole foods. And decide ahead of time if you want to sample, taste and allow a controlled mini-cheat (like my bowl of jambalaya last week), or if you want to stay on the straight and narrow. One thing to note.. if you DO opt to have zero cheats at a party or social event, the self-esteem boost is SO rewarding it actually feels better than the cheap cupcake you passed up!
-
Have a smoothie for breakfast.
Mixing up a breakfast smoothie doesn’t take long at all, and if you purchase a protein packed one, they can be surprisingly filling. The South Beach Diet has an assortment of smoothies that make for great snacks and breakfasts. Starting off the day feeling full and satisfied is a great way to ward off a cheat free day!
-
Move throughout the day.
Maybe it’s just me, but if I put in the extra effort to schedule in fitness throughout the day, it makes me far less likely to cheat, since I am investing energy into shaping my best self. You don’t have to go to the gym or drastically alter your day to day routine to sneak in fitness either.. Park far away from the grocery store entrance and walk the length of the parking lot. Take the stairs instead of the elevator and walk to talk to colleagues if you can rather than emailing or calling. I work from home, so I had a Fitbit that reminds me to move at least 250 steps per hour, and get up from my desk to walk around. It’s so crazy easy, and you WILL feel the difference in your body and energy levels in no time!
7. Drink LOTS of water!
(I totally forgot to add tip #7 in the earlier version of this blog post.. MY BAD! Here it is.. and it’s a good’un too!!) DRINK ENOUGH WATER. Like, all day! Not only does water help keep you feel “full” all day and curb hunger and cravings, but it also helps your waste systems eliminate ickies in your body… meaning you detox and lose weight FASTER! This is such a massive step toward weight loss and it is inexpensive too!
-
Schedule your workouts in advance.
Schedule your workout and make them as nonnegotiable as possible. I say, “as possible” because, as a mother of 3, I know how crazy life can get. So give yourself some grace and don’t feel ldiscouraged when life gets in the way. Just keep on moving forward, even if you only have time for a short workout – 10 minutes of some HIIT, a walk at lunchtime, 15 minutes of yoga, etc. If done daily, you will still end up feeling and looking amazing! When you are putting in the effort to work on your body, cheats seem far less attractive!
-
Stay realistic about what’s doable and don’t get discouraged if you stumble now and then.
When you’re incredibly busy, it’s probably not the best idea to set yourself a bazilliondy goals and resolutions.. kind of like what I did at the beginning of the year. *nervous chuckle* Keep your diet and your fitness in the foreground and don’t let the background health goals overwhelm you. Trying to keep tabs on the thousand and one things you want to do “right” takes lots of mental and physical energy; and will take time away from friends and family and possibly sabotage your diet goals while adding stress to your life. I got a little overwhelmed with my New Years list these past few weeks, and have opted for a “slow and steady” approach. I am still aiming to stick to my resolutions, but giving myself lots of grace when I forget to, for instance, drink enough water for one day. I just brush myself off, and try again in the morning! Keep moving forward!
-
Have a network of support.
If you’re busy and find it difficult to be as healthy and fit as you want to be, incorporate a network of support into your day to day routine. This could be a buddy who is also trying to lose weight, a personal trainer, or even anonymous people you meet via weight loss apps and forums! The South Beach Diet is such a strong believer in the power of support, that they even offer personal one on one training / support via their weight loss system and meal delivery plans. Having answers to questions, a shoulder to cry on, and a personal cheerleader all in one goes a LONG WAY to keep you on the straight and narrow!
[Disclaimer: I am an independent product reviewer and the product in this post was provided for review. I only review products I am truly interested in and I do not accept payment for reviews. All of my reviews are unbiased regardless of how the item was obtained.]
One thing I would add to your list. Don’t beat yourself up if you fall off the wagon. As you said just keep going forward
So true!! I am one of those personality types that gets discouraged when I stumble, so I just stumble some more!
Great post, dear!
Thanks sweetie! <3
Planning sure is key. You quickly learn that EVERYTHING revolves around food when you can eat things due to diet or allergy.
Yeah, it’s like setting yourself outside of a sphere of culture sometimes.. but it is a great learning and growth experience!
love it, awesome content as always!
xx
Hadasah
http://www.styletolove.com
Thanks! <3
Your tip number 9 is the most important. I’ve never had to diet but I am at the age where I need to watch what I eat. Well done on your achievements.
Thank you dear! I also really appreciate all my bloggy friends who help keep me accountable!
Great tips my dear, have a nice weekend 🙂
You too! <3
Luckily, since I’m active and don’t crave too many sweet things, I haven’t had to go on a diet in ages. When there is a day when I eat loads, I’ll just try to make sure I balance it again the next day, and that works well for me!
Have a great day,
-Kati
That’s the best way once you are a healthy weight! Just make it a lifestyle!!
I remember when you got all the South Beach Diet product, I’m so excited to see its working so well. I’m not a good dieter because I cheat!!! Cheating is my favorite thing to do. Preparing meals in advance is always a great way to keep me on track. I need to do it more often.
Yeah, the scale keeps going down and down and down… so frikkin’ excited, you have nooooo idea!
Glad to hear it’s working well for you. Great tips.
Thanks Mary!! <3
very interesting tips as always dear
have a nice weekend
You too my friend! <3
Congrats on the weight loss, and these tips are fantastic. I need to do much more advance planning with my lifestyle and even my blog, so I thank you so much. I’ve been in the USAF, and my Air Force husband was gone a lot overseas, so I know it gets so busy. I don’t know how in the world you get it all done! Hugs…RO
I get it all done with manic episodes of over planning, coupled with chaotic weeks of mayhem and zero order… haha! 😉 Thanks for your kind works on the weight loss, I am sooo excited to keep this momentum up!
Yay for the weight loss and zero cheat days! You’re well on your way to your goal. These are fantastic tips. I find meal planning to be so important no matter what type of diet one is on.
Yeah, this is something I am adopting as a lifestyle for sure!!
Congrats on the 14 pounds, you are doing so well. All great tips for sure. The social outings are my weakness.
Mine too I am discovering.. but I am being strong so far!
Congrats on the weight loss! Planning meals for the entire week is great advice and I can see why planning ahead for busy days as well would be helpful to stop extra snacking! 🙂
aglassofice.com
x
The one I am struggling the most with is drinking water.. why is that so hard to do?!?!?!
Great tips there that work for many diet and lifestyle changes – thanks!
<3 <3 <3
drinking enough water/tea is so important!!! i definitely confuse thirst with hunger and end up eating enough though i’m pretty sure i’m just thirsty. i have 5 kinds of tea of tea in my cupboard to help keep me interested in drinking liquid (; and i can’t even deal with temptation lol, so i’ve been telling friends i can go out to lunch/dinner if we get salads/poke/acai/healthy things!
I am actually wanting to buy a smart water bottle, that glows when you need to drink, haha!!.. ANYTHING to be accountable and drink enough water!!