3 science-backed tricks to stick to your diet in 2024

With the beginning of the new year, many people start a new diet in an attempt to lose weight. As they return to work and recover from the celebrations, many are looking for ways to shed some weight.

Despite the initial motivation, it can be difficult to commit to a new lifestyle year-round. This gets worse with the temptations of fatty meals, the approaching holidays, such as Carnival, and other ancient customs that are always looming on the horizon.

Fortunately, researchers have discovered three scientifically proven tricks that can help you this year. see below!

1- Think short term

It's better to think about the short-term problems caused by eating unhealthy snacks than the long-term problems if you're trying to avoid them.

For example, if you like soft drinks but want to cut back, you're more likely to combat them if you focus on immediate issues like bloating, reflux, and gas rather than long-term effects.

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The harmful effects of soda on the body

A separate study published in Journal of Consumer Researchanalyzed seven experiments with more than 4,000 people to find out how people weighed consequences before making decisions.

In the research, volunteers ended up being informed about the immediate consequences of consuming an energy drink, such as heart palpitations and anxiety.

After announcing what would happen to the body in the short term, only 46% of study participants did not change their minds and still chose to drink an energy drink.

For comparison purposes, 62% did not stop drinking the drink after seeing its long-term effects, which include diabetes and obesity.

According to experts, motivating people to focus on the direct benefits of healthy habits helps keep them on track.

“Immediate rewards are stronger indicators of continued activity than delayed rewards,” explained Dr. Caitlin Woolley of Cornell University. Conversation.

2- Think about daily rewards

Maintaining a diet can also be made easier by planning rewards for resisting temptations. Research shows that small, regular rewards are better than large rewards for encouraging long-term commitment.

So, you could stipulate that you can watch 30 minutes of broadcast every day that you exercise, or you can eat a small piece of chocolate before training.

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“But there is a difference: rewarding yourself too early can backfire. (…) In other words, making an initial effort without receiving a reward, followed by small, ongoing benefits, is the most effective way to organize rewards,” suggested Dr. Woolley. .

Your article published in Journal of Consumer Research, analyzed a series of studies on short- and long-term rewards. She adds that setting immediate rewards for exercise choices — for example, choosing the most fun exercise over the most beneficial — increases persistence.

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Exercising helps in many aspects of life

When considering a new diet or healthier lifestyle, it's worth remembering these three scientifically proven tricks to help make the process more manageable.

Think about the fun, look at the short-term benefits, and set rewards to maintain motivation and resist temptation.