Making drastic changes in your lifestyle in order to lose weight is a recipe for failure. You have lived in a certain way for decades. You wish to make a change for the better but it is difficult to sustain sudden, significant changes in your diet, movement and sleep habits. So that you don’t abandon healthy habits it’s best to opt for a gradual change. If you feel that you’re depriving yourself or sacrificing too much to lose weight, you might give up the idea altogether. However, if it means making one tiny change at a time, you will not resent it and, in fact, make space for it in your day. With gradual changes, there is no suffering. Instead, when you make successful changes, there is a feeling of satisfaction and confidence. So, if you’re used to full-cream desserts and dairy, don’t do away with cream immediately. While the low-fat variety may seem less creamy initially, it will not leave you deprived. Allow your taste buds time to adjust. If you’re too used to sleeping at midnight, and binging on wrong foods as you stay busy on phone, allow yourself to sleep just 15 minutes before your usual bedtime. Gradually increase this till you get to a reasonable sleep time. The keyword here is ‘gradually’. If exercising seems like a big chore, get yourself a partner to work out with. You could also find a new activity every day to get in a few minutes of movement. Increase the exercise time, gradually!
