Dieting has become so prevalent in our daily lives to the point that it can even start taking over it and not in a healthy way.

With all the different diet styles circulating in the media so do actually have benefits to them, but if you're looking for a sustainable solution, each one will fall short somewhere at some point.

Some of them have whole food groups removed from them, some make you count everything that you eat and drink, others even tell you to stop eating altogether for a certain amount of time.

These diet rules may have some merit to them which will give you the weight loss that you’re looking for but at what cost?

One of the significant issues that can come about from dieting is that people tend to use these rules as permanent changes to their lifestyle, the problem with that is in the case of these FAD diets they are supposed to be used temporarily for a few months or so and then return to a more normal everyday menu.

If you did not reach your desired weight goal, then you could always go another few months using your chosen diet rules, after eating a more normal diet for a month or two.

Now how can I say that these diet rules are supposed to be temporary and not a permanent lifestyle choice?

Well because if you tried to follow a specific diets rules over a few years, you might find yourself running into series of ill health effects, which is a visible sign that the diet in question was not meant to be sustained over the long term.

Now I’m not going to get into the details on how these diets work or not work because instead, I’m going to tell you how, with just a couple of simple rules which in this case I like to call habits, can change your life and how you think about dieting.

Okay, now let’s get started.

There is no real order to these, and I treat them all as equally important. As long as you just pick one and practice it for a week or so or until you feel confident enough that you can manage it consistently for most days and meals. Feel free to advance to the next level by adding another skill to practice and so on until you can accomplish most of the skills most of the time.

Double check with yourself to see if you are starving before you start eating.

1. This can help eliminate emotional eating.

2. This can also help you get in touch with your body’s hunger cues.

Chewing your food until it’s a soft mushy paste before swallowing.

1. Slows down eating speed, which can stop you from overeating.

2. Makes it easier for your body to digest and absorb food.

Eating your meal slowly enough that it takes roughly 20 mins to finish.

1. Slows down eating speed.

2. More comfortable for your body to digest and absorb food.

3. Helps you get in touch with your body’s cues of feeling full.

Stop eating your meal when you start to feel around 80% full.

1. This will help stop you from overeating. Which can feel very uncomfortable?

Remove all distractions while eating. i.e. no phone, TV, work, or computer.

1. To allow you to enjoy your meal to the fullest.

2. Eating this way helps you become more conscious of how your body is feeling and also reacting to your meal and the food you chose.

Try to get 7-9 hours of unbroken sleep most nights

1. The amount of sleep you get each night can have a massive effect on your hunger and energy levels.

2. This will help stop you from overeating during the day.