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As with any project, having the right tool is essential.  Dieting is no different. Diet support tools may not prevent a dieter from eating chocolate cake, but they will help the dieter get a handle on how much chocolate cake he/she can have without blowing the diet (that would be a slither of cake).

These should all be obvious to everyone but still the tools aren’t the message it is instead the lifestyle choices that are the message and once you get those straight you should be able to always stay on track

Dieting Tools Everyone Should Own

Really there are three parts of your life that I think these fall into for you. Food portion control, attitude, and exercise. And realistically these dieting tools are all about tracking.

Kitchen ScaleA kitchen diet scale is a must. Every reputable diet plan recommends measuring food in order to get a handle on portion control. Scales are about awareness.  Kitchen scales can range from a small plastic cup on a base to expensive, programmable digital scales that provide full nutritional information.

Prices go from $10 to $40, $100 or more. When buying a scale, select one that can be operated simply, has numbers that can be read easily, and is large enough to measure the portion of food you’re planning on eating. Note: When measuring foods such as meats, you want to get the measure after cooking, not while raw.

Measuring Cups/Spoons

They may be old fashioned but they work. Guessing at a half cup portion (especially if you’re hungry) is a lot riskier than measuring a half cup.

Dieters need to embrace portion control and only scales and measuring cups/spoons can provide an accurate view of food quantities. The more you measure your food, the more you are in control of your diet.

The dieter who believes he or she knows what a half-cup or three ounces looks like is the dieter who can’t seem to lose weight.  Dieters who always measure and weigh their food eventually get a sense of portion control.

That doesn’t mean they should give up measuring and weighing; however, if they are in a social situation in which they do not have their scale with them, they may be able to gauge their quantities.

Diet and weight loss journals

Dieters must record what they eat in order to get a handle on what they’re doing right and wrong. Not only does a journal provide an alert against over eating, but also, surprisingly, it prevents the risk of under eating (i.e., perhaps those two cookies were not so bad!)

There are many online programs that will allow a dieter to records food intake and provide nutrition conversions. Some online program keep track of not only foods, but goals, exercise, weight and even sleep.

Calorie Counter

Often diet program provide their clients with handy calorie counters. For those who don’t have a calorie counter, they can be found in stores or on line. Guessing on calories is a foolish way to diet; know for sure how many calories are in that apple versus the apple pie.

A Pedometer

Every dieter should wear a pedometer and set a goal to achieve a certain number of steps daily. (Experts recommend a goal of 10,000 steps a day.) Like other diet tools, pedometers come in all sizes and shapes and technologies. Many record your steps on your computer. They are a great motivational tool to keep moving.

 The gym

A gym’s not a tool per se. But to diet successfully, going to a gym can make a big difference.

Good walking shoes

Burning calories requires comfortable feet. Invest in a good pair of walking or running shoes and replace them every six months. Quality walking shoes are an important investment.

Body Weight Scale

Some diet plans advise against daily weigh ins. However, most dieters find it helpful to get on the scale at least once a week to track how they are doing.

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A kitchen stocked with ice cream, potato chips and chocolate cakes can be challenging for a dieter.  It’s a no brainer: to support a diet, eliminate the high calories temptations – right away!

However, there are other – more subtle ways – to make your kitchen more diet friendly.

Making Your Kitchen Diet Friendly

Get rid of the platter-sized dinner plates

We are a society of bigger is better. Not so for dieters when it comes to their dinner plates.

Large plates mean large servings. Decrease your dinner plate size (use a salad plate for the main course) and you’ll find it easier to decrease your waistline.

Avoid family-style bowls of food

Sure it’s nice to have a bountiful spread, but overloaded serving bowls of food can become overloaded eaters as they mindlessly pick at the extra food at the table.

If you serve from the stove, you control portions. Of course diners can always have seconds (from the stove),

Clear your freezer and pantry of bad foods

Do you really need those stale crackers or the old ice cream with the ice crystals? And what about those left over holiday chocolates that you thought you might use “some day” for a recipe? Get rid of them.

Clear out any bad foods that might call to you when you are in a binge mood. Then go grocery shopping and restock with foods that help a diet. If you have a family that expects chips and cookies on the shelf – move their food to one section of the cabinet and make the rest diet friendly.

Put fruit in plain sight

You’re heading to the kitchen and you’re hungry. Your choice is heat up your kid’s pizza rolls. Or- what’s this? A nice bowl of apples and grapes on the counter. The fruit is in front of you; you’re more likely to go for it.

Eat at the table

Never eat standing up. Even eating in front of the television can be debatable. By sitting down and focusing on your food, you avoid mindless eating. Not to mention you enjoy the food more!

 Shut down the kitchen by 7:30 PM

This is a tough one for many dieters. By shutting down your kitchen (i.e., stopping eating) by 7:30 you avoid slipping into the “I’m bored, I’m hungry” binging mode.

Put the food away

Many families operate on the theory that if it’s on the counter, it’s up for grabs at any time. That half an apple pie, dinner rolls, the box of cookies should be put away. Remember: Out of sight and out of mind equals out of sight and not on your waist.

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Plateaus are a major factor in diet failures. A successful and motivated dieter can go for months watching the scale drop and then hit the diet plateau brick wall.

There is nothing more discouraging than faithfully sticking to a diet plan, then have the scale get stuck for several weeks or even a month.

What Is A Weight Loss Plateau?

A weight-loss plateau eventually happens to everyone who is trying to lose weight. Plateaus occur because metabolism — the process of burning calories for energy — slows as the dieter loses muscle.

A weight loss effort can result in a new equilibrium with slower metabolism. At this new equilibrium, calories eaten equals calories expended.

Long-time dieters can hit several plateaus before achieving their desired weight goal. Sadly, a plateau can be so discouraging; many once committed dieter will give up.

Not giving up when on a plateau is one of the greatest challenges of dieting.

If you hit a plateau,

Know it happens

Don’t give up

Stay the course (with a few of the above modifications)

A plateau sends a message to the dieter. Time to shake it up! To break the plateau, you need to increase activity or decrease calories intake. Sticking with your current weight loss approach will maintain your weight loss, but it won’t lead to more weight loss.

Note: Many dieters will announce, “I’ve hit a weight loss plateau,” while they attack the breadbasket. Their “plateau” is false and they are not being honest with themselves. Be sure you’re truly on a plateau – and not kidding yourself!

Here are some steps to break that plateau:

• Take a hard look at your diet and whether you are still honoring it. The longer we diet, the easier it is to add in non-diet treats and to pass on exercise. Before blaming a plateau or other reasons for the scale not budging, give careful consideration to your own culpability.
• Cut calories; even 200 fewer calories a day can make a difference (but don’t go below your diet plans recommended calorie count).
• If you haven’t been measuring your food, get back to it. Use portion control
• Shake up your exercise and cardio routine. Try weight training. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you will burn. Exercise burns calories; Ramp it up.
• Eat six small meals a day. Have protein with each meal (even the snacks).
• Give up the bad carbs (bread and pasta) and switch to non-starchy veggies.
• Drink lots of water (avoid caffeine and alcohol), drink green tea (some experts say it raises metabolism), switch to decaffeinated beverages
• Increase your overall activity: From taking the stairs to parking at the far end of a parking lot.
• Settled in for the evening in front of the television? Get up and do something: clean a closet, take a walk, and wash a floor. Move it.

Please remember. If you hit a weight loss plateau there is a good chance that you don’t have to cut calories and increase exercise, often you are doing a lot of things right but your body has just gotten very used to the schedule you have set.

Shake it up! Eat different, exercise different, schedule your day different. The difference is what will send your body back into the caloric deficit and restart the weight loss.

You can beat the weight loss plateau – and it is so worth it. Remember that in all areas of fitness, health improvement and weight loss there will be several plateaus that we hit, all of these are an opportunity to see how we are doing something not quite right, and a chance to change things up.