better I self-care

Forget the past

C hronic yo-yo d ie te rs te n d to b eg in ea ch n ew

a tte m p t w ith a level o f fru s tra tio n an d

negativity. “If yo u s ta rt a d ie t th a t w ay, y o u p ro b ab ly

w o n ’t h av e su c ce ss,” F re ch m a n says. F rie n d s a n d fam ily

m ay u n co n scio u sly c o n trib u te to th is negativity

b e c a u se th e y ’ve se e n yo u fail before.

To ta ck le th e b ad a ttitu d e , g et an o u tsid e r’s

su p p o rt— a w eig h t lo ss gro u p , a reg istered d ie titian , or

a co-w orker o n th e sa m e m issio n . S ee y o u r n e w d ie t as

a fre sh s ta rt an d only look to th e p a s t a s a w ay to le arn

fro m w h a t d id n ’t w ork.

Find substitutes

F or foods y o u ’re especially b ad w ith (ahem ,

th a t m e a n s y o u w ith th e b ag o f cookies), look

fo r a s u b s titu te food to calm th e craving. F or chip-

lovers, s u b stitu tin g p o p c o rn m ay d o th e trick . I t’s salty

a n d c ru n c h y b u t low er in calories a n d a so u rc e o f

w h o leg rain s a n d fibre. O r if y o u crave a cake, re a c h o u t

fo r a n o n -fro ste d c a rro t cupcake. N o t o nly is th e

serv in g size co n tro lled b u t it is also lo ad ed w ith

fa t-b u stin g fibre.

H ave h ealth y su b stitu te s

p rep p e d (chopped veggies,

fruits, etc.) so w hen a

craving h its, you’re ready!

E

Try non-food dates

W h e n y o u r so cial ca le n d ar is filled w ith

d in n e r d ates, after-w o rk cocktails, an d

S u n d ay b ru n c h e s, follow ing a d ie t is difficult. A ssess ju s t

h o w m u c h of y o u r social life involves food, th e n find

altern ativ es. In v ite y o u r frie n d s to a yoga class o r go fo r a

jo g in th e p ark . You’re still b ein g so cial—ju s t w ith o u t food.

If ea tin g o u t is still in th e card s, sim ply be savvy.

“P eople th in k th e y ca n ’t go o u t if th e y ’re o n a diet, b u t

th a t’s n o t tru e,” F re ch m a n says. O rd er a n a p p e tiz e r as a

m eal, o r a sid e salad a n d so u p , a n d c u t b ac k o n alcohol.

“P eople d o n ’t realize h o w m a n y calories th e re are in

alcohol,” sh e says. “O rd er a d ie t s o d a o r sp ark lin g w a te r

in stead . Or lim it y o u rse lf to o n e alcoholic drink.” ■

PHO TO GRAPH (FAR R IG H T): JO H N G IU ST IN A /G ET T Y I M AGES