CHANGE

A state of mind

2012-01-12T09:10:00.000-08:00

Diet is a state of mind. Once you have the original thought: "I should shed some fat", you'll probably contemplate diet changes from time to time forever.

Time

2012-01-09T10:25:00.000-08:00

It takes a while for the elements of a hopeful diet to manifest themselves as a new daily habit...some take weeks; some years, but eventually the changes become natural.

Count the chips

2012-01-03T11:45:00.001-08:00

Reminder: On an earlier post I suggested counting the potato or other chips desired rather than just digging in the bag and trying to stop when you think you've had enough; example: if 120 calories consist of 12 chips count them out, eat, and you will find that it is more than enough! Otherwise, you may keep reaching in the bag and use your confusion about the total consumed as an excuse to stop trimming altogether.

2 reasons

2012-01-01T13:20:00.000-08:00

The two reasons to diet are health and looks. Logically the objective of better health is safer and longer lasting, and looks are relative to age and circumstance. Improving health will serve you for life!

Diet wins

2011-12-20T11:20:00.000-08:00

Instead of mindlessly eating extra treats, imagine if one did some simple exercises (like a few isometrics) how steady and strong the path to healthy improvements might become!

Choice

2011-12-20T09:25:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wandered around the kitchen asking yourself what you want to eat? When contemplating an effective diet day, it might be a good idea to consider that if you don't know what you want to eat, you're probably not all that hungry.

In time the body will make the most nutritious selection. Remember, it's only the first day that is actually difficult, so take control and start on the path to some simple modifications that will produce continuous results!

Keep the Count

2011-12-15T08:57:00.000-08:00

We believe that almost any diet program can be of assistance, but few if any are the final answer! And when inevitably you discontinue a program even if you have attained your ideal weight it is important to continue to keep a general daily count in your memory.

No matter what diet/fit plan you choose to attempt to get you started or restarted or to speed up the pace or add specific nuances of exercise, unless you keep the count of calories each day in your mind you will soon slip back to where you began or worse. Keep the tally mentally, because in this way your mind tends to sort through what you might desire to consume and makes precise and/or clever selections and brings you to the appropriate total at the end of the day. If you write it down on paper, inevitably you will identify the act of writing it down as the goal and soon you will forget to write something down and say the heck with it. Keeping track of the caloric intake in your brain makes your mind your ally and soon you will be amazed at how locked in you are on correct intake of any type of food in appropriate measure.

The best diet plan is to trust your own brain to lead the way with no end goal predetermined. In other words, the day you commit to count calories, in your head, no matter what or how much or little you eat or drink, your mind will lead you invariably in the correct direction. This is not a diet to lose a specific number of pounds, but an approach to determining without preconception what your appropriate intake should be each day and what type and level of exercise you will need or want as you proceed. I know this sounds like a serious approach to something that is advertised as casual and fun, but it's your life and like a car you need decent fuel to comfortably get where you're going - plus a change of oil every now and then. And, intake will vary from time to time.

Every person who diets or tries to get in better shape has a secondary purpose - even if it is only subconscious. Most of us know that we will not end up movie stars or models, but each can become more healthy and with each improvement perform somewhat better in everything we do simply by feeling a little better physically and being uplifted with a sense of personal accomplishment.

The plan then is to mentally add up the calories each day. Plan to do this for 21 days (the length of time most experts say it takes to form a habit) and you will likely do it forever. Never write anything down or preselect foods. Simply wake up tomorrow, the first day, and ask yourself how many calories you wish to eat and what you want to have first. My mind selected 1200 as a reasonable start, but you may vary up or down depending on your personal circumstance and how you feel. After a month or two most of us will realize that we are shedding fat but not adding sufficient tone or muscle and then the mind will take on the more difficult task of figuring out how to begin to add tone or muscle at a realistic and accessible pace.

This is the only diet plan that will never fail you, because you have enlisted your brain to lead the way and your mind will know the best path. Try it for twenty-one days, and I think you will continue it forever. Please let me know in your comments below what you think! Thanks.

A new approach

2011-12-13T08:21:00.000-08:00

The message of dietwins is that no diet can be successful unless it is the unique creation of each individual. It must involve elements of your customary preferences in order to last and be effective - an easy modification of what you always enjoy!

Diet/fit Survey

2011-12-11T10:43:00.000-08:00

As the years of Posts on Change are remodeled and expanded to encourage visitor comments and suggestions, we invite you to start in the year 2009 with the Posts: The First Day and Daily Memory Count and The First 90 Days! Thank you!

diet to fitness

2011-12-01T07:36:00.001-08:00

After the whittling away of excess fat is completed or habituated (see 2009 posts), the gradual evolution to personalized styles of fitness should mirror the former focus on daily memory count (mentally counting calories...read July 2009 post). Each fit choice should, of course, be contemplative and highly individualized, whether from second to second or several intense sessions per week or day!

unique fitness

2011-11-02T09:45:00.000-07:00

Listen to your body and follow its signals. It will lead you to repair and progress. No formulaic moves can be the total answer.

endless

2011-10-01T17:34:00.000-07:00

Any deadline is a timeline for diet failure. The initiation of diet should be a commitment to endless fitness improvements through nutrition and movement - imperceptible and complex.

the biggest obstacle

2011-07-06T09:37:00.000-07:00

the biggest obstacle to ongoing fitness is the illusion of loss of free choice. one begins to feel as though one is looking over one's shoulder with each trip to the kitchen. what to have and how much can on occasion feel like nagging questions.

Month 29

2011-06-06T07:41:00.000-07:00

Shed 3 or 4 pounds (of the 8 or 9 regained) over the last month, since my wife embraced a diet/fit program and replaced endless desserts with fruits, fiber and a variety of healthy choice meals. Substitution seems to be another key to success!

changes

2011-05-06T12:24:00.000-07:00

choose to win - smaller portions: savor the delicacies...healthier choices: select light and nutritious produce... [see 2009\\keep the count]

Month 27

2011-04-06T13:23:00.000-07:00

As one grows older the concept of diet quest can more aptly be pursued when expressed as health quest. Excess fat increasingly becomes a threat to simple mobility as well as inviting a spectre of unpleasant disease.

Month 26

2011-03-06T11:49:00.000-08:00

The perpetuation of reasonable diet for 26 months requires frequent adjustments. Initial excitement and obsession fade to relative indifference punctuated on occasion by helpful insight.

month 25

2011-02-06T10:46:00.000-08:00

Designated 1 day early in January for low count. It was slightly difficult in the afternoon, because I had been foraging for extra every now and then during Nov and Dec. After that, resumption of appropriate intake was easy and automatic. Lost 2 pounds. Still carrying approximately 6 more fat pounds that seem to create some discomfort. Should whittle off naturally!

2 years

2011-01-06T11:24:00.000-08:00

Xmas and the New Year comprised the 24th month. Went with the festive mood most of the month and gained 1 or 2 pounds. Added to the 3 or 4 pounds that have gradually accumulated since leaving the hard count 14 months ago, I would guesstimate I now carry 6 or 7 pounds over approximate ideal weight. Plan to gradually increase physical activity and see how everything aligns. May also resume the count for a few days over the next several months (see 2009 post: Keep the Count).

Month 23

2010-12-06T12:25:00.000-08:00

Iincreasing strength in a meaningful way will usually be more important than attaining a slim appearance - unless of course you are a model.

Times of weight loss do build confidence in the sense of a positive achievement unless it's overdone. Three types of weight loss:
1) rapid - exciting for the brief time it lasts. 2) slow - good idea; could last forever. 3) intermittent - excellent; provided the diet activity actually occurs sometimes.

Note: all 3 types of weight loss must be accompanied by evolving forms of dexterity.

Month 22

2010-11-06T12:54:00.000-07:00

The diet/fit experience must be tailored to the individual in order to become effective. See 2009 post Keep the Count and discover the nuance.

Month 21

2010-10-06T09:35:00.000-07:00

Suddenly, with the reintroduction of actual count, taste becomes exquisite, the meal a pleasure, and planning for the afternoon and evening interesting and intense. At this stage approximate count can only be maintained for a day or two because nature and life demand the well-rounded over time. As mentioned in the previous post that is why diet should always be considered at best an intermittent activity or modification.

Month 20

2010-09-06T18:53:00.000-07:00

Start with July 2009 post "The First Day"

To continue: Inevitably the course of diet or intake becomes more and more vague as the months pass. It is wise to contemplate precise cal counts for a day or two or several to refocus and summon all good disciplines. In this respect diet may be considered an intermittent aspect of life.

Recount***Recount***Recount

Month 19

2010-08-06T10:31:00.000-07:00

contradistinction: the art of discovery in the normal diet/fit process compared to the free-form pursuit of ordinary consumption and activity

After 18 months the strict regimen of the diet experience merges with the complex menu of life. The self-regulated discipline developed in the early months now becomes intermingled with occasional fast foods, ice cream, cookies and random rich fare. Life has returned to normal with new inclinations chiseled from a more casual past. New days refined with the texture of excellence. One must continue and occasionally renew the intent to improve.

refinement of taste

2010-07-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

Although I had managed to approximate appropriate cal count for several months, and almost convince myself that a meandering munch thorough many snacks was ok, I decided to count precisely for a day. That seemed to slow the process of random intake a bit the first day, and the second day I chose to have one small meal and contemplate future selections more carefully. I believe the refinements from July posts Daily memory count kicked in and strongly steered me toward what may be termed "stage 3," the influence of intelligent menu choice to capitalize on and transition the entire diet experience.