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It’s the start of another new year, and many of us will be making a start on our resolutions. 

For some of us, one of our resolutions will be eating healthier, perhaps with a specific diet plan to help us meet our personal health and weight goals. And this is great, as we can have the motivation to eat healthier if we have something to aim for. 

But here’s the things about resolutions. Despite our good intentions at the beginning, we can quickly fall into bad habits again, and in some cases, we can give up on our plans early. “There’s always next year,” we tell ourselves after resigning ourselves to defeat!

Sound familiar? Well, if you have made plans to eat better this year, here are a few tips to help you stick to them.

#1: Don’t let unhealthy foods into your house

While you are allowed treat days, these treats shouldn’t be foods or sweet items that will scupper your diet plans. So, when you’re out shopping, don’t put the wrong things in your basket. Stick to those foods that are part of your diet, and when it comes to treats, try to find something that fits in nicely with your diet. Check out these healthy snacks for weight loss, for example. 

#2: Eat foods that will fill you up

When you’re preparing your meals, try to find those foods that will fill you up. By doing so, you will be less inclined to eat more than you should, and you will be less likely to snack throughout the day. So, choose your ingredients carefully, and include those food items that will fill you up. These could include potatoes, eggs, vegetables, and couscous. Be sure to create recipes that you will enjoy too, such as this delicious couscous recipe at TheMediterraneanDish.com.

#3: Check menus before eating out

You may be able to stick to your diet when you’re at home, but the tricky part is eating the right foods when you’re visiting a local restaurant. To counter this, pick up a menu from the restaurant you intend to visit or check out their website if they have one, as they should have menus for you to look at. Work out what you’re going to eat in advance, as this way, you won’t make the wrong choice when you’re feeling pressured to choose something at the restaurant. 

#4: Track your progress

Tracking your progress can help you stick to your diet plans, as you will have a clearer idea of how well you’re doing. You will then be motivated to keep going if you’re doing well, and you will be able to make changes to your diet if necessary. Online food trackers, diary logs, and weight loss apps are just some of the ways you can track your progress, so use whatever method works best for you. 

#5: Learn from your mistakes

You’re not perfect, so don’t beat yourself up if you fail to stick to your diet plans. However, you don’t need to wait until the following year to begin again, so consider any mistakes you may have made, learn from them, and start again as soon as you can. You can stick to your diet plans, so don’t give up, despite the hurdles that get in your way!