Why not just go ahead and do it, you say. Don't put it off any longer. Get the dreaded thing started already. You'll feel better, you'll look better, you'll be prouder of yourself, you won't feel as guilty. There are lots of reasons for starting your weight loss diet plan ASAP.

However, there is one good reason why you shouldn't go right on your diet: Planning.

Planning makes you feel better prepared and it will lead to you being much more successful on your weight loss diet plan. Among other advantages, planning lets you test out alternatives. Should I do this versus should I do that? What if I feel like this? Can I do that then? Is there something other than overeating that I can do when I've suffered a slight hurt or rejection? If so, what is it, and how can I put it into practice so I won't eat over my feelings?

Weight loss diet plans work best when they're as specific as possible. They have to be specific if they are to properly prepare you for various contingencies.

Weight loss diet plans are different than weight loss goals. A goal is something we strive for. Finding out how you can implement your goals is what is meant by a plan. You can state a plan in an if/then format. If this happens, then I will do that.

Having a plan and being prepared requires much less mental energy while you are dieting. For example, you don't have to struggle when you run up against a rough situation where your old eating habit wants to show up again. Struggling to not be out of control requires lots of mental energy. As you probably know from past run-ins with your willpower, people have only so much mental energy. Mental energy in the form of willpower and self-control breaks down, sometimes in an instant when you're faced with temptation and the coercive force of old habits.

If you've planned for those rough situations, you will find the going a lot smoother. You won't have to struggle to exert self control. You will already have formulated the alternatives, maybe even tried them out and practiced them as well. This gives you the mental edge over temptation and old automatic patterns.

Therefore, if you are feeling the pressure to get started on a weight loss diet plan, get started on making your plans. Feeling guilty about not starting a diet right away is another self-defeating habit that you probably have to plan to change. The rush to diet without good plans in place will inevitably derail your diet.

The best way to get ready to diet is plan, plan, plan.

© 2007 Maria's Last Diet