When it comes to weight loss, we all try to lose weight according to someone else’s plans. Sure, they are the so-called experts but only you know where your weight loss strengths and weaknesses lie, right? So while you should listen to them when they say you should eat less and exercise more, there are times when you have to insert your own rules.

{A well balanced diet will help you reach your weight loss goal.}

This doesn’t mean that you can decide to eat brownies and pop everyday, as long as you don’t exceed 1,600 calories however. What it means is that you have to factor in your past problems with weight loss, if they exist, and figure out how to overcome them.

Keep reading to find out how to create your own weight loss program.

Don’t Forget The Basics 

Before you create your own weight loss program you must have a keen grasp of the basics of successful weight loss. Those basics include, creating a calorie deficit so that you can actually lose weight. Create your diet so that you can eliminate an average of 500 calories per day from your diet through a combination of reducing calories and physical activity. A 2009 study published by The Endocrine Society reveals that exercise is the best method for weight loss.

Without the calorie deficit you are just creating a program, not a weight loss program. The point is to find a way to incorporate the basics into your life without making huge sweeping changes that will only be short-lived.

The other weight loss basic you mustn’t forget is a well balanced diet. For most of us, this is where the difficulty with weight loss programs occurs. You need a diet that includes a wide variety of fruits and vegetables—the more the better—along with low fat dairy, lean proteins and whole grains. It is up to you to find a way to use these components to create delicious meals that you want to eat.

Keep One Thing

As you go through your kitchen cabinets ridding them of all the things you love from candies to cookies to soda and chips, take a step back and find one thing that you want to keep. If you can’t live without pop, find a healthy way to keep it in your diet without drinking your weight in Pepsi every single day.

It is important to your weight loss program that you don’t feel as though you’re being punished. After all when you were bad as a kid, you went to bed without dessert and we don’t want a repeat of that. Because it is important to eliminate some things from your diet, it is equally important that you find one thing that you can keep.

Make a decision about what one thing you want to keep as part of your weight loss program, just be careful that you don’t over indulge. The one thing you decide to keep must still be consumed in limited portions so you can reach your weight loss goals.

Experiment

One of the biggest obstacles I hear from dieters is how bland salad tastes or how all the good foods are “gross”. While I find that unbelievable personally, it is important that you learn to love healthy foods or find a way to make them loveable without sacrificing the nutritional value.

If you don’t like boiled broccoli or potatoes, grab some olive oil, salt and grated garlic and roast them in the oven. The flavor will be transformed without adding calories and fat and you’ll get plenty of low calorie vegetables that taste delicious! Experiment with different cooking methods, as well as herbs & spices to give your new diet a flavor you enjoy.

{Adding different spices can transform any dish.}

Experiment with your physical activity as well. Don’t just hop on a treadmill or elliptical in front of the television, although that is a great way to catch up on primetime TV without just sitting around! Don’t just go through the same boring weight lifting program every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Instead find different ways to get physically active to curb your boredom.

Go hiking or rock climbing if you’re feeling adventurous, or travel to a local farm and burn some calories by picking your own fruits and vegetables. When you create your own weight loss program you have to find a way to keep it fresh that you can stick with it even when you don’t want to.

Challenge Yourself

When you find that the weight isn’t coming off as quickly as it did during the early days of your weight loss program, find ways to challenge yourself. Make small bets with yourself and reward yourself accordingly to keep it challenging. Add more time to your cardio routine, say 15 minutes, and when you achieve that reward yourself with something you want but found a dozen reasons not to get it or do it for yourself.

It’s important that you don’t use food to reward yourself, but its okay to burn 300 additional calories so you can have a glass of wine with dinner. But look for other ways to reward yourself; a new book, a pair of expensive jeans or shoes or even a long weekend away.

Recruit A Pal

When you set about creating your own weight loss program, keep in mind a buddy you might want or need to recruit when times get tough. When you need a little kick in the pants to keep up your weight loss plan, ask your buddy for help. For me, when I just can’t find the motivation I recruit my bodybuilder friend who gives me such a grueling workout that it’s weeks before I lose motivation again.

{Choose a workout buddy who will make you work harder!}

Find someone who is going to push you, not someone who is going to allow you to cheat on your exercise regimen.

Substitutions Are Your Friend

Eating healthy should be a top priority when you create your own weight loss program, because healthy eating is going to help you reduce your calories without starving yourself. One of the best ways to adopt a healthy eating plan is to find healthy substitutions so you can still create some of your favorite meals.

If nothing whets your appetite like a juicy hamburger, then use ground turkey or chicken for a low calorie version. If you have crazy carb cravings, use whole wheat pasta or brown rice instead of refined white pasta or rice to satisfy your appetite in fewer calories. Most importantly find different herbs and spices to season your food instead of salt. Salt can have a seriously negative impact on your weight loss efforts, so when you create your own weight loss program be sure to include herbs & spices on your grocery list.

If you need help getting started on your weight loss program, use intermittent fasting to help you cut calories. Find out more about intermittent fasting for weight loss when you read our in-depth review of Eat Stop Eat.