To diet or not to diet? That is the question!

Should we diet? Should we plan a 12 week diet? That's a good question but I HATE that word! Diet? I would die before I diet! Diet is a temporary solution to losing weight. If we had to lose weight, it's better to change a lifestyle than to diet. We need to be eating right for the rest of our lives.

If a person goes on a diet, that person will be looking forward to the end of the diet. Ah, back to the normal life! The normal daily routine. The normal food - junk food, that is. Once we lose weight and reach our goal(s), we shouldn't stop there and return back to our old ways. That's why over 97% of diets fail! We're done with our diets, we get back to normal and we gain the weight back. That's no diet! That's no lifestyle! The dictionary ought to elminate the word, diet. Diet should die!

You want to lose weight? Change your eating habit. Change your lifestyle. Forget about a short-term solution. This is for the rest of your lives. Throw away junk food. Stop going to fast food restaurants. Stop ordering chinese or pizza so often. Stop eating chips. Stop drinking sodas. Learn to eat right and you're on your way to losing weight.

It's true, many people don't stop entirely. Successful people limit it to 1 day a week to eat whatever they want ONLY if they eat right and exercise 6 days a week. They can treat themselves to their favorite food on a "free day." Some people do eliminate junk, unhealthy food for good. Whatever works for you. Play with your eating plans and see what works for you.

We should eat 6 small meals a day. Obviously, that means no BIG dinners. If you consume 1500 calories a day, even that out into 6 meals. Don't consume 1000 calories for dinner and only 500 for the other 5 meals. That won't help you lose weight.

What do I do? I'm trying with my best to adapt to eating right for 6 days. Maybe 6 and half. I try for one meal and one snack of my favorite junk food on a Sunday. Or it'll be all day Sunday to eat whatever I want. I've lost 2 and half inches off my waist in the past 4 weeks. (Earlier in 2008)

Next time you eat, keep in mind that you want to eat right forever and not just for 12 weeks on that 'd' word! Throw away all those sodas, potato chips, and cookies!!

Paul Johnson, CPT