Don't Do It

10 Things Not To Do

1. Don't put off starting your diet for another day.
We all love to make excuses. This time its your health we are concerned with. Forget tonight's gorge, tonight ice cream or chocolate. Start right now! Go on!

2. Don't think binge eating just this once is OK, and that you will never do it again.
I've been there, I've eaten a lot and said I will make up for it the next day. But seriously, you cant make up for it in one day. It will probably take a whole week of increased exercise or dieting to make up for a huge pizza or Chinese takeaway, and it really is not worth it. If you have to, really limit your self, or better yet, cook it yourself from fresh.

3.Don't give in to peer pressure.
It doesn't matter how old you are, when you are with friends its hard to resist acting like everyone else. When going out for a meal it probably means having a big main course instead of a light dish or salad. Don't listen to your friends, do what you think is right.

4. Don't go on yo-yo diets
On and off diets are awful for your body. The more times you do this, the less effective diets become as your body gets used to them and will eventually just shrug them off. Remember, a diet is a life style change, not 90 days on 90 days off.

5. Don't believe the fad diet hype.
Fad diets don't tend to work in the long term, even if they make you drop 12 pounds in a week. Which they wont. They are impossible to keep up because invariably they mean ridiculous eating habits such as cabbage soup only.

6. Don't Drink too much alcohol.
All alcohol is calorie laden, even spirits that look like water (vodka). On top of that, our bodies treat alcohol as poison and need food, make you crave food, to get rid of it or help absorb it (well it doesn't literally absorb it but it has the same effect).

7. Don't hide the fact that you are on a diet.
This is very important. Tell everyone you know you are on a diet. They will almost all be supportive. You cannot hide the fact that you are on a diet or your diet will be a failure from the get go. It is not something to be embarrassed about. Losing weight and getting healthy is something to be seriously proud about.

8. Don't set your targets too high.
Short term targets that is. Do not tell your self you are going to lose 3-4 pounds a week because you wont do that each week. You may at the start, depending on your weight and water retention, but you wont all the time. And once you don't hit that target you might feel like giving up. Set a realistic goal, a small goal. 1 - 2 pounds a week should be your usual aim, and if you don't hit it, that's OK - figure out where you went wrong and get back on the bike.

9. Don't give up!
You will lose the weight as long as you stick with it. Things will go wrong, you will break some of these rules, you will snack and gorge and feel bad. But don't give up, get back on track, analyse your mistakes, become stronger. You will get there if you keep going. Its not easy.

10. Don't give up!
There are two good reasons I have repeated this step. One - it is the most important rule. Two - I ran out of rules. OK, there was one good reason. But seriously don't give up and you will get there!



When feeling down look for inspirational stories on the net, or before and after pictures. Talk to friends and family.  If you want to take up exercise find a sport you enjoy, it is the only way you will stick with it. It doesn't have to be the best fat burning activity, just something you take pleasure from.



OK that's it. Good luck everyone!