New Year, new me: 6 easy tips to stick to your diet plans this year

Snacking on fruits instead of biscuits is a great idea. Source: remusse/Flickr

The year has turned and we’ve all made vows to eat healthy, give up junk, cut down on calories and prevent our waistlines from expanding. But we run out of steam, usually within the first two weeks in January. This happens mostly because these changes are made upruptly. What has become a habit will be difficult to give up in a day or two. Slowly reducing your dependance is the key to sticking it out. A gradual change will allow your body to adapt easily to the changes and will supress the urge to fall back to old ways to a great extent. We’ve chalked out six ways to keep temptation at bay, and for once, hold on to our resolutions.
Giving up on processed food entirely may prove difficult, try substitution, wherever you can. The next time you’re in the mood for some burger, pick a place that offers whole wheat buns. Same goes for wraps and rolls made using all-purpose flour – ask the server for whole wheat options, most restaurants usually have wheat options.

If you’re the kind to enjoy a bite with your tea, skip the biscuits and have puffed rice bhel or wheat and nachni khakras instead.

Try to avoid snacking between meals. If, however, you must snack, pack seasonal fruits instead. Pears, oranges, guavas are high-fibre foods and a single serving will keep you sated for long.

If you’re looking to cut down on rice and switch to a salad lunch, begin by introducing a smaller portion of salad and then slowly increasing it, while reducing your rice. Set one day where you can gorge on your favourite rice-based dish – that way you won’t be tempted to ditch your diet plans.
Watch how to make a delicious Greek salad:

For meat eaters, giving up on your choice of proteins can be difficult. Cut down on red meats like buff, lamb or mutton and reserve them for special occasions. Stick to lean meats like chicken and definitely incorporate seafood in your diet.

Cutting out sugar from your tea or coffee will be difficult, especially if you do it at one go. Reduce the quantity gradually, over a few days. If the idea of sugarless tea or coffee is abhorrent, bring down the amount to an absolute minimum and stick to the measure. For black tea drinkers, honey makes an excellent substitue. Jaggery can be used to sweeten desserts.