I was watching a coaching video online yesterday and heard something that I really liked. Every time you try and fail, you are closer to figuring out what WILL work for you. You are also finding out what doesn't work for you (thus the failure!). I never thought of it that way. You have to think about why something didn't work and change it to something that does work for you and your life. It's like dating and breaking up....every time you break up, it's because that relationship didn't work! Diets don't work, so break up with that mentality. To me, "diet" screams that it can't be followed long term. You are setting yourself up for failure. Re-invent your goals and strategies and find a plan that can be life-long and successful.
What are the craziest diets you've tried? Cabbage soup or grapefruit diet? Eat-so-little-starvation-diet? Pills, liquids, powders, no-real-food-allowed diet? Break up with these, they are no good. If you've tried any of these, what happens when you stop them? Do you gain your weight back? Perhaps even a little more weight? Have you stopped to think about why they didn't work for you? You were hungry, that's why! You have to eat for nourishment and fuel. Just the right stuff.
Think about one or two things that you can take away from what you've tried in the past. Write it down. It helps to visually see what works and doesn't work. Form a list of things that fit into your lifestyle and your family's schedule. Ex: When is a good time to fit a workout into your day? How long do you have? What are your family's favorite recipes and how can you make them healthier?
The point here is to keep trying. Try until you figure out what works for you. And stop doing the things that don't work! Once you experience success, there's no going back. Failure won't even be in your vocabulary anymore. Just keep trying!
