STEP TWO: LOSING WEIGHT AND KEEPING IT OFF.

STEP TWO

A PROMISE, AND A LIST

STEP ONE WAS TO BEGIN A WEIGHT RECORD. FACE IT AND DO IT.

YOU SHOULD KEEP TRACK OF YOUR WEIGHT FOR ONE WEEK BEFORE STARTING STEP TWO.

WE WILL DO EVERYTHING SLOWLY, BECAUSE WE ARE CHANGING YOUR LIFESTYLE STEP BY STEP.

YOUR FAITHFULNESS IN STEP ONE WILL PROVE TO YOURSELF THAT YOU ARE SINCERE IN YOUR DESIRE TO LOSE WEIGHT AND KEEP IT OFF. IF YOU DIDN'T KEEP THE WEIGHT CHART FOR ONE WEEK, START OVER.

WHEN YOU SUCCEED WITH THE WEIGHT CHART, YOU'RE READY FOR STEP TWO.

WHEN SUCCESSFUL IN ESTABLISHING YOUR WEIGHT CHART FOR ONE WEEK, YOU'RE READY FOR STEP TWO.

STEP TWO IS VERY SIMPLE:

YOU CAN ONLY EAT FORBIDDEN THINGS WHEN YOU ARE OUTSIDE YOUR HOME, IN THE PRESENCE OF OTHERS, NEVER ALONE. YOU CANNOT BRING HOME ANY FORBIDDEN THINGS.

NOT ONE POTATO CHIP.

NOT ONE COOKIE.

NOT ONE BOTTLED BEVERAGE.

GOT IT?

==========YOUR LIST OF FORDIDDEN FOODS====================

MAKE A LIST OF YOUR FAVORITE "THINGS TO EAT" --- THE ONES YOU KNOW YOU SHOULD NOT BE EATING:

DEFINITION OF FOOD:

THAT WHICH IS NEEDED TO GIVE STRENGTH AND ENERGY FOR A HEALTHY BODY LIVING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. MANY THINGS YOU EAT ARE NOT REALLY 'FOOD.' THEY ARE ENERGY SOURCES --AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT THING.


OKAY, IT'S TIME FOR STEP TWO TO BEGIN:

MAKE A LIST OF THE FAVORITE THINGS YOU LIKE TO EAT.

TYPICALLY, POTATO CHIPS, CHEESE DOODLES, FRENCH FRIES, MACARONI AND CHEESE, RAVIOLI, ICE CREAM, PIZZA, COOKIES, CHOCOLATE BARS, PUDDING, BROWNIES, CAKES, DOUGHNUTS, PASTRIES, CHEESEBURGERS, MILKSHAKES, CANDY, PIES, FRIED PIES, FRIED CHEESE STICKS, FRIED CHICKEN, BUTTERED POPCORN, HOTDOGS, SAUSAGES, CREAM PUFFS, JAMS AND JELLIES, WHIPPED CREAM, BREAD, MASHED POTATOES, AND SOFT DRINKS (INCL. LOW OR NO CAL BEVERAGES) ARE ON THIS LIST.

BE HONEST AND PUT DOWN ALL THE THINGS YOU EAT THAT YOU KNOW MAKE YOU GAIN WEIGHT.

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY ARE!

THESE ITEMS ARE NOT REALLY FOOD.

THEY ARE CREATED TO MAKE YOU WANT TO BUY MORE OF THEM AND EAT MORE OF THEM. THEY RELY ON THE SALT-SWEET-BUTTER MIXTURES THAT ARE IN PROCESSED FOODS.

ONE IMPORTANT RULE: IT'S CALLED THE 'WHITE RULE.'

IF IT'S WHITE, YOU CANNOT EAT IT --- UNLESS IT'S AN ONION, OR A WHITE CHEESE!

NOTHING MADE WITH WHITE FLOUR.

NOTHING MADE WITH WHITE SUGAR.

NOTHING MADE WITH WHITE FATS.

NO RICE.

NO POTATOES.

NO WHITE BEANS.

/////NO WHITE PASTA/MACARONI////

THIS IS WHAT YOU MUST DO AT HOME.

NOTE: YOU CAN HAVE SOME BROWN THINGS, SUCH AS POTATO SKINS,A HIGH FIBER BROWN BREAD, BLACK BEANS, ETC.

NOW, YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THAT KNOWLEDGE IS NOT ENOUGH TO STOP EATING THESE FOOD SUBSTITUTES AND THESE WHITE CALORIE-FILLED 'FOODS.'.

THEY ARE SO MUCH TASTIER THAN SALADS, FOR EXAMPLE.

SO YOU NEED SOME WAY TO STOP YOU FROM CHEATING,RIGHT?

HERE'S A 'WAY OUT' FOR YOU!

AFTER YOU HAVE MADE YOUR LIST OF 'FAVORITES,' YOU KNOW YOU MUST STAY AWAY FROM THEM....NOW, KEEP THIS LIST WITH YOU. LOOK AT IT EVERY DAY. CARRY THE LIST WITH YOU!

NOW, YOU'RE HALFWAY TROUGH STEP TWO: YOUR SOCIAL LIFE HERE CAN BE A BIG HURDLE TO JUMP.

NO MATTER HOW YOUR KIDS COMPLAIN OR YOUR WIFE OR HUSBAND OR PARTNER OR MOM COMPLAINS, YOU WILL NOT BRING THESE ITEMS INTO YOUR DWELLING.

YOU WILL NOT BUY THEM.


IF NECESSARY, YOU WILL HAVE TO DO THE COOKING AT HOME FOR EVERYONE. AND THE GROCERY SHOPPING.


REMEMBER---YOU DO HAVE AN 'OUT'!

YOU ARE ALLOWED TO EAT ANY ONE OF THESE FORBIDDEN ITEMS, AND HOWEVER MUCH YOU WANT OF IT, IN THE PRESENCE OF SOMEBODY, NEVER ALONE, AT A RESTAURANT OR INSIDE A FAST FOOD PLACE, EVERY DAY.

THE CATCH: YOU CANNOT GO THROUGH ANY "DRIVE-THROUGHS"--NEVER, EVER!

BUT YOU CAN GO INSIDE, IF YOU ARE NOT ALONE, AND YOU CAN HAVE AS MUCH AS YOU WANT OF ANY O-N-E FORBIDDEN ITEM.

YOU CAN HAVE TEN HAMBURGERS, IF YOU LIKE.

BUT NO COKE WITH IT, NO MILKSHAKE, NO FRIES.

YOU HAVE TO BREAK THE 'HABIT.'

YOU'LL HAVE TO DRINK WATER, OR DRINK REAL ORANGE JUICE (REAL JUICE, NOT ORANGE 'DRINK')

OR YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE ICE CREAM YOU WANT......

OR ALL THE PIZZA YOU WANT.....

THE CATCH: YOU CANNOT BRING IT INTO YOUR HOME.

NOT EVER.

IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY HELPING YOU TO STAY FAT, ASK THEM IF THEY LOVE YOU AND IF THEY WILL COOPERATE WITH YOU IN THIS MATTER.

AT HOME, YOU HAVE TO EAT REAL FOOD. EVERYBODY ELSE WILL HAVE TO EAT REAL FOOD, TOO, IDEALLY.


YOU CAN EAT WHATEVER YOU LIKE THAT IS NOT ON THE 'FAVORITES' LIST OF 'THINGS' YOU LOVE TO EAT THAT MAKE YOU GAIN WEIGHT.

SO HERE YOU ARE, AT STEP TWO:

1) KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR WEIGHT

2) ONLY REAL FOOD IN YOUR HOME

3) BUT YOU'RE EATING OUT, EVERY DAY IF YOU FEEL YOU MUST, EATING ANY ONE FORBIDDEN THING (UNLIMITED AMOUNTS)--- BUT NEVER ALONE -- AND NEVER IN A DRIVE-THROUGH.

===CAN YOU DO THIS?

IT'S ALL ABOUT BREAKING A BAD HABIT.

DO YOU REALIZE THAT MOST OVEREATING SITUATIONS BEGAN WHEN YOU WERE EATING AT A PARTY OR FEAST WITH FAMILY AND/OR FRIENDS? THAT BIRTHDAY CAKE, THAT ICE CREAM, THE CHRISTMAS COOKIES, THE ANNIVERSARY DINNER, THAT SPECIAL 'DATE' ---ALL ASSOCIATED WITH FOOD AND COMFORT AND HAPPINESS!

YOU LEARN TO ASSOCIATE BEING HAPPY WITH OTHERS WITH OVEREATING....THEN, WHEN YOU FEEL BLUE, OR STRESSED, OR LONELY, OR NEED 'COMFORT'--YOU'RE LIKELY TO OVEREAT ALL ALONE, AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, YOU ARE EATING A LOT OF FOOD "WITHOUT THINKING" -- ALL BY YOURSELF.

COME ON, I'VE BEEN A COUNSELOR FOR THE HOMELESS AND FOR ABUSED CHILDREN AND FOR SINGLE PARENTS---IT'S VERY COMMON AND NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF. AND YOU CAN STOP IT!

IT'S A HABIT THAT NEEDS TO BE BROKEN.


WHAT WE'RE DOING IS MOVING BACKWARDS---WE ARE STOPPING THE 'EAT-BY-YOURSELF OVEREATING PART.


IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO OVER-EAT AT HOME, DRINK A GLASS OF WATER. BE SURE TO CHANGE YOUR HABITS: IF YOU WERE EATING DINNER WHILE WATCHING TV, CHANGE THE HABIT IF IT MEANS YOU EAT TOO MUCH WHEN YOU DO THAT. EAT AT THE TABLE. TAKE SMALL BITES. TAKE YOUR TIME. IT'S YOUR ONLY BODY. DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR YOURSELF.

IF YOU HAVE PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS, REMEMBER, ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR, AND CONSIDER VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS. (I'LL GIVE YOU A LIST, LATER)

WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS TO BACK OUT OF THE OLD ROUTINE.

NO MORE EATING FORBIDDEN THINGS BY YOURSELF.


DOES THIS MEAN YOU'LL BE PERFECT, AND NOT SLIP UP?

COME ON! YOU'RE EATING FORBIDDEN THINGS! BUT IT'S TIME TO CHANGE. YOU KNOW IT IS. DO IT.

ALL WE CAN GUARANTEE AT THIS STAGE IS THAT YOU WILL BE BREAKING A BAD HABIT--EATING FORBIDDEN THINGS BY YOURSELF, AND EATING FORBIDDEN THINGS AT HOME.

THAT'S A VERY BIG STEP.

WHEN YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL FOR A WEEK WITH STEPS ONE AND TWO, YOU'LL BE READY FOR STEP THREE.


HINT: IF YOU FEEL REALLY HUNGRY AND WATER DOESN'T WORK, CHEW GUM. PREFERABLY ONE GOOD FOR YOUR TEETH!


THE NEXT POST WILL SHOW YOU WHAT TO DO AFTER YOU HAVE CONQUERED THIS CHALLENGE.