Prevent Disease.com - First Two Weeks Can Make or Break Your Diet, Recent Poll Finds<



		First Two Weeks Can Make or Break Your Diet, Recent Poll Finds The start of a new diet is marked by a steely determination to stick with it. But a recent poll conducted by SparkPeople.com, a leading weight loss website, suggests determination may be short-lived. According to the results, the first 14 days make or break even the best intentions. Of more than 300 SparkPeople.com members polled, 65 percent said they lose momentum in the first two weeks with more than half fading after three days. But overcoming these early roadblocks increases success rates. "Dieters expect to see results sooner than is reasonable," Joe Downie, head motivational coach and personal trainer at SparkPeople.com said. "Changing your life isn't as easy as changing the direction in your car -- your body needs time to adjust." There is hope -- SparkPeople.com has a few tips on how to overcome motivational roadblocks: * Morning Blahs? Make fitness worth getting up for -- Run to the coffee shop or get the morning paper. Not enough? Move the alarm clock out of arm's reach. * Vending Machine Addict? Make mini-meals -- Keeping your favorite food close will help you avoid vending machines and fast-food throughout the day. * Frequent the Scale? Track your goals, not your weight -- Scales were not invented to be used daily. Track your healthy choices instead. * Keep Starting Over? Have a crisis plan -- Losing weight is about taking more steps forward than backward. Decide what's going to encourage you after a slip-up like a favorite exercise, journaling or calling a friend then do it. Keep moving ahead by following your game plan. * Lacking a Reason? Keep your eye on the prize -- Reward yourself with something you care about like a vacation to the beach or a weekend get- away then hang a postcard or bathing suit on the wall as a reminder of your destination. "Don't let roadblocks keep you from achieving your goals," Downie added. "Be creative to find the right combination of things that will keep you going." SparkPeople.com is a leading weight loss website with over 100,000 members that teaches frustrated dieters how to stop dieting and live a healthy lifestyle. The SparkPeople.com philosophy, combined with smart motivational strategies and a collection of personalized online tools, has helped thousands of members lose weight and keep it off. For more information contact: Christie Hadley 513-241-6470 christie@sparkpeople.com SOURCE SparkPeople.com Web Site: http://www.sparkpeople.com Reference Source 123 September 21,2004 For more information on how to prevent other diseases, use PreventDisease.com's "Quick Prevention Resources".