Have you ever gone on a diet to lose weight but you ended up cheating a little bit – or perhaps even a lot? Now I want you to be brutally honest with me here … because I’m feeling pretty confident that you would be guilty of this, at some point in time.

Now when you committed this little “misdemeanour” – did you throw in the towel and quit, feeling miserable that you failed yet again on another one of your diets?

Well join the millions of other people around the world.

Because realistically – what’s a good diet without a bit of cheating?

And just to make you feel a little bit better – MOST people cheat whenever they start any new diet or eating program. Why? Because whenever you go on any new ‘diet’ – psychologically you think that you’re going to have to deprive yourself of food that you’ve grown to know and love.

Essentially you feel like you’re going to have to miss out on something. And to be honest, most people don’t have the willpower to beat temptation.

But the good news is that if you actually incorporate a little bit of “cheating” into your diet plan, it will actually enhance your chances of staying on the diet long term.

Now I can hear you say – “But won’t cheating defeat the purpose of going on a diet?”

Actually no – because being deprived of any of your favourite foods is certainly not an enjoyable experience, and who wants to do something that they don’t enjoy?

I don’t know about you, but if you were to tell me that I was never going to be able to eat another chocolate bar again or even a bowl of my favourite ice cream – then I would have to say – “you can keep your diet … I’m going to eat whatever I like!”

So what’s my little secret weight loss tip?

It’s called cheating in moderation.

Because if you can learn how to cheat in moderation, then you’re more likely to enjoy being on your diet as you can essentially ‘have your cake and eat it too’.

Now when I mean “in moderation” – I mean feeling totally guilt free about having something naughty to eat every now and then. For example, you could make Sundays the day that you allow yourself some dessert after dinner. (After all … dessert is meant to be a treat anyway, not a daily part of our routine).

So just remember, a diet made up entirely of healthy whole foods will certainly enhance your chances of leading a long and healthy life.

But a diet with mostly healthy foods plus a few splurges every now and then – will help ensure you lead a fairly long, healthy and happy life.

And one that includes chocolate chip cookies as well!

I hate to say it but shift work weight gain is extremely common. We’re notorious for eating all of the wrong foods all at the wrong times of the day, so the weight just naturally gravitates to our once svelte figure!

But did you know that it takes just 18-21 days to change a habit? Which means that you are just 21 days away from reducing some of that shift work weight gain.

Pretty exciting isn’t it?

Now as easy as that sounds, you certainly have to stay committed to get the results that you’re looking for otherwise you’re going to end up disappointed. You have to be accountable – either to your friends or family, or by writing in a small journal every single day.

Because the problem is that our brain is wired to do lots of negative, habitual patterns (eating the wrong foods and failing to exercise) – even though we know it’s not right.

So to begin, you need to ask yourself – “Do I have a sedentary lifestyle?” And if the answer is ‘yes’ then it’s time to get moving – literally!

As most shift workers suffer from some form of constant fatigue and tiredness, many people use this as an excuse not to exercise. But the problem is that this sedentary lifestyle makes you feel even more lethargic all of the time.

It’s like whenever you go for a long drive in your car. You didn’t do anything except spend the whole day sitting, but you’re exhausted by the time that you get there. Again, you did nothing – you just sat!

You see our body is designed and built to move. We are supposed to be ‘hunters and gatherers’ where we have to move in order to survive and live.

Fast track to 2010 and it’s completely the opposite – we hardly move at all.

But the good news is that when you start to move again – your endorphins kick in (the body’s feel good hormones) – and you start to feel alive again.

Or more simply put – once you move again, your body will get used to it and will want more!!

But a word of warning. Whenever you embark on any new fitness program, it can certainly be overwhelming because you’re focusing on the end result. You might feel like you’re going to have to climb Mt Everest to get there because it feels so far beyond your reach right now. But if you just take small, incremental steps every single day - you will definitely get there.

So if you’re serious about eliminating some your shift work weight gain, then it’s time to get moving!

Instead of slumping on the couch in front of the TV after work – put on your running shoes and go out for a short walk around the block. You’ll feel so much better when you do – and your running shoes will thank you for it too. (After all, they’re built and designed to move as well!)