I would suggest that you not consider "going on a diet" but rather changing
the way you eat permanently. You have to do it forever though not perhaps
as strict as at first. There are certain things I just don't eat, I think
of them as poison to me. Sugar in all its forms, flour-which encompasses a
whole lot of things, potatoes, rice. You have to connect them in your mind
with "not food".

Harold Groot wrote:
| I've decided that starting a diet in January is probably poor timing.
| The holidays often leaves those with lots friends/family exhausted,
| and those without lots of friends/family often feel lonely or
| depressed. A lot of people also put on 5 or so pounds late in the year
| - so they may be depressed about that as well.
|
| So instead of waiting for New Years Resolutions and such, I'm starting
| now. I'd like to hit the New Year with the diet already well under
| way, and hopefully feeling good about having LOST some weight when
| many times before I've GAINED weight at this time of year.
|
| I've actually been ramping up to this for the past few weeks. I
| haven't started lowcarb yet, but I'm aiming for it to begin soon. I
| will PROBABLY start Atkins the day after Thanksgiving, though I'm
| going to take a look at some of the other lowcarb plans before making
| the final jump. But right now I'm in a prep phase.
|
| Part one is nutritional supplements. Atkins (DANDR) mentions that many
| people start out with nutritional deficits deep enough that it takes a
| couple of weeks of supplementation before they get back to where they
| should be. OK, I started taking the supplements several weeks ago. By
| the time I actually begin the formal lowcarb diet I should not have
| ANY nutritional deficits to hold me back - and I'll also be accustomed
| to taking all those pills, so that won't be "One of the changes you
| make when you start the lowcarb diet".
|
| Part two is clearing the shelves. I really, really hate to throw out
| food. So I've been clearing out the open containers of things with
| carbs at a rate designed to be pretty much rid of them by the time I
| start lowcarb. Those things that are UNOPENED, meanwhile, can get
| donated to the local foodbanks. So instead of feeling bad about
| throwing them out and just wasting them, I can feel good about having
| them feed others who are hungry around the holidays.
|
| Part three is exercise. Again, it's already underway. Sure, I'm
| starting small and working my way up (today was walking for 30
| minutes). It's not Earth-shattering, but it's a heck of a lot better
| than nothing. And again, with the exercise already started it won't
| be "One of the changes you make when you start the lowcarb diet."
|
| Part four is mental prep. I've mentioned recently that I can generally
| keep lowcarbing for a few months, but then go back to carbs. I'm
| trying to get mentally ready. If it was martial arts it would be
| "Building up my chi". There are always low spots when I do this, I
| plan to be able to push through them better this time.
|
| Part five has been lowering calories on the highcarb diet. It hasn't
| been anything drastic, just some cutting down on portions and snacks.
| So far I've lost 3 pounds in 3 weeks. Normally when I've started
| Atkins it's been compared to my unrestricted "Maintain my extra
| weight" way of eating. Perhaps if it directly follows a few weeks of
| "Slowly lose weight the lowcal way" it will be more appealing.
|
| Part six (now) is looking for a bit of Group Support. Maybe some will
| want to lose weight with me. Maybe some will have successfully lost
| weight and be on maintenance, but will still give support. Maybe
| having made a public declaration that I'm starting, I'll feel less
| willing to back out. This group hasn't been very active of late, but
| it's certainly worth a try.
|
| As I said, the current plan is to start lowcarb the day after
| Thanksgiving. I want to be able to eat all the traditional family
| dishes of that holiday. I hope to be able to keep portions under
| control, but I don't want to feel deprived by saying that I can't have
| any of this dish or that dish. Maybe I'll have lost another pound by
| Thursday and feel I can afford to put that one pound back on. And any
| "Take home the leftovers" will be limited to turkey.
|
| I'm putting a lot more effort this time into making the transition
| easy. I'll have a good excuse to turn down holiday cookies and
| chocolates and pies and such, doing so when my motivation should be at
| its highest. And January should be "Keep Up The Good Work" month
| rather than "Let's make a whole mess of changes" month.
|
| Anyone care to join me?