To succeed, it only takes 21 days

Completely revamping your diet all at once is emotionally difficult, and a shock to your body, which is why most diets fail. Instead, make one small change to your diet, maybe it’s having a fruit smoothie for breakfast instead of coffee with cream paired with a bagel slathered with cream cheese, and a donut or two when you get to the office. Then promise to keep this momentum for three weeks, that’s it. You can do a 3-week diet, right?  

“While research suggests it takes about 21 days to fully form a new habit, and you’ll find cravings will start diminishing after about 7 days” (1). What this means it that after 1 to 3 weeks, you may not want that high carb bagel and sugary donut after all, and if you’re substituting these for a lower calorie item, your belly fat will slowly melt away. Then after the three weeks are up, pick another item to swap out. By the time summer rolls around, you’ll have fewer bad habits and a beach body to flaunt.

 (1). Source: Prevention Magazine, January 2016 issue, article titled, “Beat your soda addiction.” pg. 58.

Photo: Professional boxer Rich Power trying to pose like Arnold at Pacific Beach’s World Gym in San Diego, CA.