Picture your diet program as a road or a path.
You can define the boundaries of your diet road based on the number of calories, points, or other factors you choose to follow.
Sometimes you might choose to make the road a little wider, such as on holidays or vacations. But most of the time, you keep the road narrow because that’s what bring the best results.
During times the path is wider, you always stay on the road in some way instead of going “off” your plan completely.
Today’s assignment (my answers are in blue)
1. Think about how you could define your narrow diet road as compared to your wider diet road. Be as specific as you can.
My narrow road includes tightly monitoring my intake, recording it so I know that I’m accurate. On days when I’m on my wider road, I probably won’t record everything, but will still follow a very healthy meal plan.
2. Create two program categories- one for your narrow road, and one for your wider road. Make a list of your program goals for each of the two roads. You might include types of foods, amounts, and locations for eating them. Also, write down your exercise plans for both road.
My narrow road- Total calories of 1200 to 1500, minimal starchy foods such as bread or potatoes, no alcohol or dessert, follow my written plan closely, no exceptions.
My wider road- Total calories of 1400 to 1800, OK to have either one glass of wine OR dessert (but not both.)
3. Decide on ways you can be flexible with each of these boundaries without losing sight of the healthy road you want to follow. Add a few notes below.
On my wider road, I can allow exceptions once a month until I reach my goal, then twice a month, but not every week. (It was the daily exceptions that caused my weight to go up.)
Excerpted from Day 4 in the book, 100 Days of Weight Loss