Anyone who has been on a diet knows that the first few days can be exhilarating. You’re excited about the potential results you’ll get, it’s something new to your mundane routine, and you have a sense of self-empowerment actively taking control of your body. You think this is going to be great! And I can’t wait to get back in that summer dress. I’m going to look so good!

Then at some point the diet becomes a burden. Usually this happens halfway through your new diet program. This is an experience we have all had at some point. Small setbacks or disappointment in expected results can become a big source of worry and we get discouraged and depressed about our weight loss. Then we begin to question ourselves. I am doing it right? What is wrong with me? Why haven’t I lost more weight? Either you tend to blame yourself or blame the diet or maybe both.

This is a normal response to any diet regimen. It’s an emotional roller coaster. What you need to remember is that this is a process that has natural ups and downs and your body will react to your new regimen differently for each day of your diet program. This is absolutely normal and you should not give up or blame yourself at all. You are taking an important step towards greater health and your body and mind have to adapt to these changes that you are employing. Nobody really likes change and neither does your body. You might even experience a rebellion of your own internal system.

But take heart, your body will catch up and follow the program after you surrender to the new way of being. Sugar, salt, and fat cravings are likely to be the most difficult to manage from one moment to the next during the day. The body will crave and go through withdrawal from these things which can cause mood swings, depression and even headaches.

This is where you can get stuck on your new diet regimen.

One of the favorite tricks to combat cravings is to stop and take a look at what your body is really craving. For example, if you have sugar cravings, it means your body’s natural sugar levels may be a bit low. Instead of grabbing a decadent chocolate bar, opt for natural sugars like the sweet fruits of apples, oranges, pears. The craving for salt can indicate a withdrawal from essential minerals sodium and water. Sometimes salt cravings are your body’s way of telling you that you’re getting dehydrated. Having a pitcher of water with a couple of grains of organic salt crystals and lemon juice nearby will do the trick. You can even keep this in a bottle near your desk at work, so there’s no excuse. There are many ways to trick the mind and satisfy what the body needs at the same time.

It’s hard to beat the mid-ride challenge when you’re working so hard to achieve your goals. The largest and most vital organ in any diet regimen is your brain. Gaining control over negative thinking, self-criticism, and self-destructive sabotage can be the culprit in crashing any good diet. Sometimes our expectations are too high. It’s natural to want to make big gains with little effort, but our expectations can be changed to reflect a more moderate approach to our dietary goals. Create realistic expectations and remember that this is a process, not a race. Every day can bring big gains and increase confidence and empowerment. Too often, people just don’t celebrate themselves enough. If you only lost half a pound instead of the 2 pounds you expected, you are not a failure. Celebrate half a pound weight loss. It’s quite a feat and better than gaining 10 pounds, so pat yourself on the back, literally jump for joy, look in the mirror and smile with the pride of kings and queens. You will feel much better.

Another way to get unstuck is to start a diet journal. You can pour your private thoughts and favorite pet peeves into the diary. You may have some great strides in discovering why you continue a certain eating habit or even slip into some wonderful self-discoveries and insights that could supercharge your diet program. These are just a few ways to get unstuck and take control of your diet program for great success.