We all know that eating out does little to benefit our waistlines.  Not only do we tend to eat more when at a restaurant, food also often contains more calories and fat when not prepared at home.  So, why not explore other ways to celebrate that are good for you?
Here are a few ideas for alternative to that dinner out.

•    Buy a new outfit.  Each time you wear your new threads you’ll be reminded of your accomplishment and look good.
•    Get a new cookbook filled with healthy recipes.  Sometimes we fall into ruts with our recipes.  A new cook book may give you that spark to get excited about healthy eating again.
•    Subscribe to a cooking or health magazine.  You’ll receive monthly tips and motivators.
•    Get a new kitchen gadget.  There’s nothing like a new gadget to get you excited about cooking in the kitchen.

If you really want to celebrate your accomplishment with others, as an alternative to going out for dinner – host a party.  You can serve healthy snacks and enjoy an evening with friends and family.

How many times have you heard or even said to yourself, “Starting Monday I’m going to start exercising more and eating better.”  This is a recipe for disaster because it implies a drastic change from a current lifestyle.  Too many people set a date to start “cold turkey” and then get frustrated when they don’t see results in a few weeks.

Real weight loss does not occur in a matter of weeks.  It is a long term process that takes months – anything that guarantees faster results is not sustainable.  To make it over the long haul you need to set short term goals.  If you only set long term goals, it’s going to be very hard to meet them.

Setting a small goal each week is a great way to start.  This may seem too slow, but if you drastically change your current lifestyle, say on Monday, then it’s going to be very hard to adjust to your new lifestyle. You are much more likely to stick with it if you slowly and methodically make changes to your current habits.

Not every goal needs to be especially hard.  You could start with, “I will drink 2 liters of water every day this week.”  The next week you could add, “I’m going to be active for 30 minutes 3 days this week.”  Write these goals down and check each day you are successful.  Soon, you will see a pattern of success that will help inspire you to keep working for your goal.  As the months go by, you’ll be able to work toward more difficult goals.  Below are some additional goals you may want to consider.

•    I will replace my afternoon snack with something healthy, such as fruit.

•    I will take 10,000 steps a day (track using a pedometer).

•    I will cut back to one soda a day.

•    I will add an additional 10 minutes to my exercise each day.

•    I will eat breakfast every day.

Focus on these small goals, not just losing weight, and your new habits will help you attain your weight loss goals. Keep in mind – it will take time to lose weight.  But if you lose it slowly, by making these small changes, you are more likely to keep it off.  For every small change you make towards exercising more and eating healthier, you are taking another step to reaching your long term weight loss goal.