Researchers find secret to achieve goals

Researchers have provided new insights into why people often make unrealistic plans that are doomed to fail.

The study analysed the complex relationship between reward and effort in achieving goals and identified 2 critical stages in the decision-making process.

The researchers found that when people first decide what to do they are motivated by rewards. However, once they begin to put plans into action, their focus turns to the difficulty of the effort they need to put in.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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They suggest the key to achievable aims to consider the effort needed when deciding what to do, and then remembering to focus on the rewards once the time comes to out the effort in.

We've found that there isn't a direct relationship between the amount of reward that is at stake and the amount of effort people actually put in, said study lead author.

This is because when we make choices about what effort to put in, we are motivated by the rewards we expect to get back. But at that point at which we come actually do what we had said we would do, we focus on the level of effort we've to actually put in rather than the rewards we hoped we would get, the author added.

To investigate the relationship between effort and reward, the research team designed experiments involving 2 different forms of effort, physical and mental.

Physical effort was measured by the action of squeezing a joystick whilst the ability for participants to solve simple mathematical equations tested mental effort.

Study participants were presented with different options that combined either high or low effort with high or low financial rewards, adn asked to select which one to pursue.

The research found that when selecting options participants were guided by the level of financial reward offered , but on execution of the task their performance was determined by the actual amount of effort they needed to exert.

The team observed that the results were similar for both the physical and mental effort-based experiments.

Common sense suggests the amount of effort we put into a task directly relates to the level of reward we expect in return , the author said.

However, building psychological and economic evidence indicated that often high rewards are not enough to ensure people put in the effort they need to achieve their targets, the author added.

4 reasons why most fad diets fail

Avoid fad diets!

There is no dearth of weight loss diet on the internet. Every day you will come across a new diet trend promising quick and effective weight loss. Unfortunately, not all the diets manage to garner the appreciation of the masses. But do you know why these diets fail to deliver their promises? Well, few things are constant in all these failed diets and here are 4 most common of all.

Unrealistic goals

Some fad diets make big and unrealistic promises, which is difficult to achieve in the given time. Science says that a person can lose 1 kilo in a week by taking 500 fewer calories every day. In a week you will be able to create a calorie deficit of 3000 calories and will eventually lose 1 kilo. If any diet promises you more than this, then it is not healthy and should be avoided.

Eating mostly one food group

Some diets ask you to completely shun one food group, which again is a bad practice. Even if you are on a mission to lose weight, your body needs nutrients to function as deficiency of any vitamin and minerals can be harmful to your health. It is alright to limit the intake of some nutrients like fat or crabs, but completely avoiding them is not a good idea. You may feel constipated if you do not eat some amount of carbs.

Diet makes you feel hungry

You indeed have to limit your food intake and stay away from mindless eating when trying to lose weight, but if you feel hungry while following a particular diet then it is a bad sign. The major task of a diet is to create a calorie deficit by replacing foods containing higher calories with a lower one. If the diet is too restrictive and advises you to eat less, you will feel hungry all the time and will end up indulging in unhealthy food items, which will ruin your weight loss effort. 

If it makes your tired
Some diets are simply too low in calories, which do not provide you with enough energy to do your workout and other daily activity. Such diets make your metabolism slow and you hit a weight loss plateau. To lose weight, a person needs to eat healthy food and perform exercises. A good diet does not only recommend you to have fewer calories but also takes into account other factors that are helpful in losing weight.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
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12 Tips to Lose the Weight for Good

1. Change the way you describe your goals.

 “Call it whatever you want, but don't call what you’re doing a ‘diet,’ ” says David Grotto, RD, author of The Best Things You Can Eat.

“Diets have a beginning and an end -- and that’s the problem.” You will only succeed, Grotto says, when you make a lifelong commitment to a healthier lifestyle.

2. Make your goal meaningful.

Shift your focus from “I want to fit into those jeans” to “I want to feel good and have more energy.”

Internal goals -- like you how feel instead of how you look -- tend to have greater staying power over time. Concentrating on the feel-good benefits you're getting also helps you to stick with something.

3. Break up with things that don't work.

Consider what you’ve done in the past to try to lose weight. What you could do differently this time?

For example, if your downfalls were snacking at work and waiting until the end of the day to exercise, start packing a healthy snack to take with you each day and go for a run first thing in the morning before the day's demands get in the way of your good intentions.

4. Make it easier on yourself.

Set yourself up for success with some small tweaks, starting at home.

Do things that will help, not hinder, your weight loss. If you want to make that early-morning jog happen, lay out your running gear before going to bed. Want to get in the habit of snacking on fruit, not chips? Put a bowl of fresh apples or pears on your kitchen table or counter. If it's convenient, it's more likely to happen.

“Our environments have a major influence on our ability to change our habits,” says John C. Norcross, PhD, psychology professor and author of Changeology: 5 Steps to Realizing Your Goals and Resolutions.

5. Form a fan club.

Tell supportive friends, family members, and co-workers about the changes you’re trying to make, Norcross says.

Let them know what you need and how they can help. Be specific. Don’t leave this up to them to figure out.

For instance, maybe you don’t want them to remind you of what you are or aren’t supposed to eat, but you would like them to give you ongoing encouragement or pep talks when you need them.

6. Be flexible.

Something is bound to pop up that can throw you off track (the grocery store sells out of your favorite salad ingredients, or your favorite Zumba class moves to a new time).

Expect the unexpected. You might have to create a backup plan on a moment’s notice -- like trying a new class at the gym, or buying celery or snap peas to go with your hummus.

The key is to be ready, willing, and able to revise your routine and find ways around obstacles, Norcross says. Don’t let one surprise throw off your whole routine.

7. Be your own BFF.

“When you miss the mark, show yourself some compassion. You’ll avoid letting a slip become a fall,” Norcross says. His research on New Year’s resolutions found that most people who succeed at keeping them say their first slipup strengthened their resolve.

So give yourself a pep talk, just as you would a close friend. Then dust yourself off, learn from the lapse, and pick up where you left off.

8. Tune into your hunger.

To prevent overeating, rate your hunger on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being extremely hungry. Eat when you’re in the middle of the scale, psychologist Leslie Becker-Phelps, PhD, says.

If you know you won’t be able to eat later, have a snack or small meal when your hunger is low. This helps you avoid getting overly hungry, which can set you up for overeating later on.

9. Make yourself accountable.

Keep a food and exercise diary on paper, online, or with an app on your phone.

Consistently recording your eating and exercise habits, along with weighing yourself regularly, gives you some advantages. Seeing the results you want motivates you to keep going. If the results aren't so great, you can make changes to fix that.

You can monitor your progress any way you want to. Experiment and pick the method works best for you and that you are most likely to do.

10. Know your emotional triggers.

Using food to handle boredom, frustration, stress, anger, or sadness can sabotage your efforts, Becker-Phelps says.

Feel your emotions, but don't let them get the best of you. Figure out what helps you relax and feel positive. Try listening to music, chatting with a friend, or going for a walk.

11. Make sleep a priority.

Studies show that not getting enough sleep triggers hormonal changes that can lead to feeling hungrier.

There’s no underestimating the importance of a good night’s rest. The recommended amount for adults is 7 to 9 hours of shut-eye per night.

12. Practice mindful eating.

Chew your food thoroughly, and put your fork down between bites. Eating more slowly will help you appreciate your food more and “give your stomach a chance to notify your brain that you’ve had enough,” Grotto says.

Once you get that signal, “put down your fork and ask yourself, ‘Can I stop eating now and walk away from this table satisfied?’ ” Grotto says.

If the answer is no, eat some more. If the answer is yes, push your plate aside and focus on the conversation or something other than the food.
THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.








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11 Diet Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

  Relying on Crash DietsDetermined to lose 10 pounds fast, you turn to a crash diet. Perhaps your plan calls for nothing but grapefruit or cabbage soup each day. You slash your daily calories to fewer than 1,000, and sure enough, the pounds melt away. But when you eat so few calories, you train your metabolism to slow down. Once the diet is over, you have a body that burns calories more slowly, and you usually regain the weight.

 Skipping Breakfast
Skipping breakfast seems like a simple way to cut calories, but it can make you hungry the rest of the day. This may lead to unplanned snacking at work and eating a super-sized portion at lunch, making calorie counts soar. But breakfasts that are high in protein and fiber can curb hunger throughout the day. In fact, studies show people who eat breakfast every morning are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.

 Losing Track of Your Snacks
Maybe you count calories at every meal, but what about all those nibbles in between? There's the bag of pretzels at your desk, the little slice of cake at a party, the taste of your son's ice cream cone. All of this mindless munching adds up and could sabotage an otherwise well-planned diet. If you're serious about counting calories, you may want to use your smartphone or a notebook to keep track of each bite.
 

Not Snacking at All

While mindless snacking can pad your waistline, thoughtful snacking may do just the opposite. People who eat several small meals and snacks a day are more likely to control hunger and lose weight. Snacking helps keep your metabolism in high gear, especially if the snacks are protein-rich. Having a few nuts is a good, high-protein choice, and research suggests people who snack on nuts tend to be slimmer than those who don't.
 

Loading Up on Low-Fat

Low-fat products can play an important role in your diet. Just remember that low-fat isn't the same as low-calorie, and it's not a license to take second and third helpings. If you pile your plate with low-fat cake, you may end up eating more calories than if you had a smaller slice of regular cake. The best way to know how much fat, sugar, and calories you're getting is to check the nutritional label.
 

Sipping Too Many Calories

When counting calories, many of us tend to overlook what's in our drinks. This is a big mistake when you consider that some fancy coffees and alcoholic beverages have more than 500 calories. Even the calories in fruit juice and soda can add up quickly. What's worse is that liquid calories don't curb hunger. You're not going to eat any less after a high-calorie drink.
 

Drinking Too Little Water

This is one of the simplest diet blunders to fix. Water is essential for burning calories. If you let yourself get dehydrated, your metabolism drags, and that means slower weight loss. Research suggests adults who drink eight or more glasses of water per day burn more calories than those who drink less. So try adding a glass of water to every meal and snack.
 

Ditching

Dairy-full-fatmilk, cheese, and ice cream are taboo for many dieters, but ditching dairy foods may be counterproductive. Some research suggests the body burns more fat when it gets enough calcium and produces more fat when it's calcium-deprived. Calcium supplements do not appear to yield the same benefits, so dairy may have other things going for it, too. Stick to nonfat or low-fat dairy 

Taking the Drive-Thru Bait

The drive-thru is convenient after a hectic day, and you can always order the salad or other healthier option. But once you're there, can you resist that milkshake or other treat? And if you allow yourself the ease of fast food once, it could become a habit. According to one long-term study, people who ate fast food more than twice a week gained 10 more pounds than those who had it less than once a week.

 Weighing Yourself Every Day
Weighing yourself daily is a recipe for frustration and doesn't yield useful information. It's more important to look for a long-term trend with weekly weigh-ins. If your goal is to lose 1 or 2 pounds a week, you'll be satisfied to see those full-pound drops when you step on the scale. The result is more motivating than the confusing swings that may accompany daily weigh-ins.
 

Setting Unrealistic Goals

Telling yourself you'll lose 20 pounds your first week is probably setting yourself up for failure. If you know you won't be able to do it, you may never start your diet in the first place. If you diet and lose 5 pounds in a week, instead of celebrating, you may feel discouraged that you didn't reach your goal. A realistic goal is vital to successful dieting. If you're not sure what your goal should be, talk to a dietitian.

 

PS- THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.

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