| o We Start Diets on a Monday | | | | Without it, you'll continue having hunger pangs |
| We've grown up counting off the days, weeks | | | | despite having just eaten. Until you get some real |
| and years like worry beads. Birthdays mark one | | | | nutrition you can expect to continue feeling |
| year older and wiser, New Year's Eve marks a | | | | hungry. The nutrition I was eating was poor and |
| new beginning; the first day of the month, the | | | | my body reflected that, plus I had stopped |
| first day of the week; all mark a new beginning. | | | | exercising completely. |
| There is no reason you can't simply decide to | | | | How to Lose 10 Pounds Without Really Trying |
| start getting healthier right here, right now. You | | | | I turned it around by returning to regular, |
| can decide to start at any time. You don't need | | | | consistent exercise (No. 1 best way to lose |
| to wait until Monday. "But, I always start a new | | | | weight and keep it off is to exercise consistently), |
| diet on Monday!" Ah, but this isn't a diet, this is a | | | | and I switched from pre-sweetened cereal to |
| lifestyle change. A lifestyle change isn't about being | | | | Grape Nuts cereal, oatmeal or other whole grain |
| ON or OFF a program, you are just living, and this | | | | cereals. I still like cereal and eat it most mornings. |
| is about taking that first step. Whether today is | | | | I started to snack on fruits and vegetables |
| Tuesday or Saturday doesn't matter. | | | | instead of store bought cookies, and I started to |
| Lifestyle Changes Work Best For Long-term | | | | eat quality protein with vegetables and salads for |
| Weight Loss | | | | dinner. |
| It may take longer to lose weight by changing | | | | I still eat dessert most every night but now it's |
| your regular habits, but it doesn't really. Think | | | | one-third the quantity it was when I had let my |
| about all the diets you've been on, all the days, | | | | weight creep up. Small changes, but basically I'm |
| weeks, months you've wasted dieting, that have | | | | still eating and living the same lifestyle. My choices |
| added up to a big fat nothing, except maybe | | | | are slightly different but that doesn't mean I |
| more weight. That seems to me to be taking a | | | | wouldn't ever eat pre-sweetened cereal again. It |
| very long time, and in fact chances are you'll | | | | does mean I know if I do eat Corn Pops (one of |
| never truly succeed with any ON again, OFF again | | | | my favorites) I'll likely be hungry for something |
| program. They don't work over the long-haul | | | | sugary sweet by 10 AM and keep that |
| because as soon as you go back to your usual | | | | preference all day. It's also very likely if I eat |
| habits, your usual weight comes right back. How | | | | sugary foods (highly processed like chips, pastries) |
| could it be otherwise? Contrast that with a | | | | for three or four days in a row, then it's going to |
| lifestyle change where it may be a month before | | | | be tougher to switch back to a healthier lifestyle. |
| you notice a difference but once you've lost that | | | | Consequently, I make an effort to not let the |
| 10 pounds, it's gone for good (unless of course | | | | worse eating become a habit by nipping it in the |
| you quit doing what's working and run right back | | | | bud. |
| to your old lifestyle). | | | | I still order a giant double-cheese burger with a |
| Eating Off Plan Is Not a Lapse, It's a Life | | | | family pack fry if I go to Dairy Queen but it's |
| Practice makes perfect. Since there is no way to | | | | about twice a year instead of once a week. I |
| be perfect, it's far better to decide you'll do your | | | | tried to order a smaller burger and it didn't satisfy |
| best and then proceed about doing it. Eating | | | | me, but cutting back the frequency was painless. |
| something "off plan" is not a lapse, it's a life, it | | | | Switching from eating at Dairy Queen once a |
| happens. Lots of us have treats at birthdays and | | | | week to twice a year makes a big difference. |
| too much to drink New Year's Eve but we don't | | | | Another change for me was my weekly |
| continue that pattern the next day, so why think | | | | Thursday night Chinese food take-out habit. Eating |
| you must eat perfectly from now on? You set | | | | take-out once a week isn't the problem, but I'd |
| yourself up to fail if you expect perfection. | | | | get enough for three days, so I was eating |
| Choose to Make One Small Change, Then | | | | Chinese far too often. This is store bought, highly |
| Another | | | | sugared Chinese food not clean healthy Chinese |
| Fad weight loss diets work over the short-term | | | | food you might cook yourself or get in a better |
| because you are drastically changing your habits, | | | | quality restaurant. In fact, Chinese food is very |
| but drastic changes rarely stick. Who wants to | | | | healthy if it's not Americanized but I was eating |
| live a life of deprivation? Not me. Instead, decide | | | | breaded and sweetened things like Orange |
| right now to make one small change. Choose | | | | Chicken (you won't find that in any Asian country) |
| something in your lifestyle that could be improved | | | | and deep fried shrimp with red sticky sauce |
| on and improve it. This is an ongoing process. As | | | | (tomato candy). |
| you lose some weight, you'll need to decide again | | | | Examine your usual eating habits and see where |
| and again whether you want to make any | | | | you might make small changes. Keep a notepad |
| additional changes. | | | | handy and jot down everything you eat for one |
| I lost 80 pounds in nine months over 20 years | | | | week. It's not easy to do, but it's so valuable to |
| ago. Over the years since then as my diet and | | | | really discover what you usually eat, and then |
| daily habits shifted so did my weight. A few times | | | | make small changes either in frequency or |
| I noticed I had put back on 10 or 20 pounds. | | | | quantity of those things. If you always eat french |
| That's when I'd begin to notice my clothes don't | | | | fries, then maybe once a week you could instead |
| fit well and I either must buy bigger clothes or | | | | have an orange. Not the same I know, I'm just |
| make some changes. | | | | tossing out ideas. It's up to you to decide what |
| My diet had shifted from a very healthy one to a | | | | you'll have instead. |
| pre-sweetened cereal for breakfast, cookies for | | | | Remember, it's not about simply stopping your |
| lunch and grab what I can find for dinner lifestyle. | | | | usual routine but switching to a new routine. No |
| Slowly the weight came back and despite thinking | | | | matter what you decide, start now. You aren't |
| I wasn't eating that many calories, I actually was | | | | going to be eating perfectly, you're just going to |
| eating far more than I realized, plus the nutrition | | | | work on eating a bit better, so get started. |
| was poor quality. Your body needs quality food. | | | | |