This may be repetitious, but this was another message I sent out:

What an adventure you are in for!!! You will need to forget about the restaurant foods, because they do not work with this program. That's not to say you cannot eat out. I do it all the time, but I ALWAYS take the same thing: Salad with lettuce and tomato only. In my purse are my grilled chicken portion, the pieces of baked potato, the balsamic vinaigrette I make and if it is a meal where I can have fruit, I just substitute strawberries for the potato pieces. You will have to cook. I had not done that in years. My late hubby and I ate out almost every night. When I started this and realized we are not to have the added salt, oil, sugars, dairy or breads, I was a bit overwhelmed, but I threw myself into it, to avoid the surgery my dr. was suggesting. It took me 3 weeks to acclimate to the change in taste, and now I HATE those other (the old) foods. I picked a day to do all my cooking for the week, and at first, because I was so tired and overweight, it took me all day Sat. and part of Friday night. Not that I was cooking all that time.....I just had to rest in between dishes. Now, I never sit down to rest while I'm cooking, and generally I'm through with the entire week in about 4 hours. Now I do cook breakfasts each day, but even those can be cooked, bagged and ready for grab and go. This is a great time to be teaching your children how to eat in a healthy manner. This is not a diet that you stay on till you reach your goal. This is a way to eat for the rest of your life, with a few added perks after you reach your goal. I have tons of recipes, which I've posted elsewhere on this BLOG. This program is a God-send for me, and is most definitely a life saver. The best news of all was when my dr. told me last week that I am no longer considered to be a diabetic!!!!! That is priceless.

Veggies are measured, not weighed, so you just have to do the best you can with fitting them into a measuring cup. Actually, as long as you don't go overboard, you can have them unlimited, so I just wouldn't obsess over them. All foods are measured after they are cooked, so the starchy things are usually 1/4-1/2 cup depending on what it is, what your body type is, and what time of the day it is, and since they are usually soft, they're fairly easy to measure. You do NOT want to have more than is allowed on your carbs. Proteins are weighed after they are cooked. Remember that oatmeal and rice are cooked first and then measured, but by using Old Fashioned Oats (recommended because of the fiber), then to cook 1 serving in the microwave, you'd just put in 1/4 cup with 1/2 cup of water, which will cook up to 1/2 cup.

This is not a diet. It is a change in the way you eat FOR LIFE.

Anyone who goes into this with the attitude that it is a temporary fix will not be successful. After all, eating all those other foods is what got you where you are at the moment. If you sabotage your success from the beginning, you won't make it.

I had to change my thinking that way, too. Always before when I "dieted" I would have as my goal to be able to eat the foods I wanted. All celebrations involved FOOD, of all things. What I have learned is that it is not the food that is important....it IS the people. I just take what I need to have for a meal (after warning the hostess first), and nothing is ever said about it. I do not go, hoping there will be something I can eat that won't have salt, sugar, fats, wheat, corn or dairy added. Think again. It won't happen. However, if you go armed with your little insulated lunch bag, your plate can look better than theirs. Recently I attended an all-day retreat with a group from our church. They were instructed to bring something to share for lunch. Well, you know what it looked like.....chips, dips, lunch meats, mayonnaise, sweets, sweets, sweets, potato salad dripping in mayo, coleslaw, dripping in dressing, etc. You get the picture. Not one healthy item in the bunch. I, on the other hand, had taken my divided microwave plate filled with brown rice, smothered in my mock stroganoff, with steamed baby carrots sprinkled with a tiny bit of Sweet and Low Brown Sugar, and steamed broccoli. Almost every person there, said, "Oh, I wish I had what you are eating!! It looks so good." I assured them that it was.

Instead of planning to go out to eat to celebrate your weight loss, or choosing to have a piece of candy, which is only temporarily gratifying and which usually spends years on your hips, set your weignt loss goals now, with a reward when you get there. I had so much to lose that I did mine in 25 lb. increments, but you might want to do yours in 5 or 10 lb. segments. I have rewarded myself with short trips, perfume, a watch, a REAL birthstone ring, new shoes (my shoe size has gone from and 8-1/2 WW to an 8 Med), etc. etc., etc. Just don't choose food or eating out as your reward!!

So, long story short. Adjust the attitude. Get prepared. Be in control. When I reach my goal, I plan to stay POP (perfectly on program) except for 2-3 meals a week. That will keep me from losing, and also from gaining. At the same time, I'll be practicing portion control. I've now learned what a serving of meat should be....not those 12 oz. steaks at the steak houses, but 3 oz., not those 2 lb. potatoes slathered in butter, but a portion about the size of a tennis ball....taking the rest home for 3-4 more meals.

We can do this. I am cheering all the way for each of you reading this and look forward to the day when you are living lean. I'm still looking forward to that day myself, but the end of the tunnel is in sight for me, and for you as well. Just look at this as an incredible life-saving adventure!!! It is truly exciting. (First published 5/3/05)