As soon as the word diet is mentioned thoughts of failure spring to mind. This is true for men and women all around the world. Why is this? Maybe we have learned by trial and error that diets do not work for us. I hear you saying but isn't this an article about dieting. Well, yes and no. Why not look at it, not as dieting but changing your lifestyle. Doesn't this put different perspective on it. Adjustment to lifestyle may be just the thing needed to bring success in fitness and health goals.

Though we must eat to sustain life, for some eating has become an addiction. Just like any other, things like drugs, smoking, alcohol etc. I come from a family of plump people. Tony Robbins would say be honest not plump but FAT. Nevertheless, maybe it is in our genes. The long, tall, short of it is, that I had an uncle who said of our family, "we live to eat, not eat to live." Isn't this true of so many of us. So, if food is a problem to us then we must find a healthier way to view food!

Unfortunately, this where diets often fail. Diets do little to nothing to our view of food. Diets tend to make us feel deprived or punished i.e. we can eat this but not that. Isn't it that not that foods we enjoy the most, the sweets, the biscuits, the cakes etc etc.? Also of course none of us want to feel deprived or punished

What's worse is that we punish ourselves every time we slip up. Hence, this makes us feel guilty. Anything like me this makes me want to binge more so as ignore the guilt. Nothing worse than wallowing in guilt is there?

So, to have success there must be a lifestyle change. It is thought that his is the only way to shed that unwanted weight. Doing so without experiencing guilt that could force us to fail. Be SMART set goals on the weight you want to lose any new fitness programme and of course eating new healthy foods. Maybe one of those goals is on portion size.

Make subtle changes in the way you eat and in how you view food. This will help to make amazing changes in your attitudes towards your health and fitness. As you lose the weight and gain more energy this may help you to stay motivated.

Take each day as it comes. Consistency is important when making lifestyle changes. So, if you fall, pick yourself up and start again. The trick is staying the course.

Whilst making positive changes there is no way to fail. So, long as you keep going. It may take weeks or months to reach your goal, but that doesn't matter. Be positive and remember while you are making these changes you are doing many great things for your health and well-being.