Dieting: The ratchet starts to take effect
Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 12:57 In my post about dieting just over a week ago I described how I was going to introduce a new idea called the “Rachet Effect”. So how have I got on with it?
The answer is that my target weight has gone down 1.5 lbs since last week - half a pound more than it would have under the previous system of an unvarying rate of decrease. But (and it’s a big but) this all happened towards the end of the week. Here’s how it panned out :
Sunday: over target weight, 1 rule
Monday: over target, 2 rules
Tuesday: over target, 3 rules
Wednesday: over target, 4 rules
Thursday: on target, 4 rules
Friday: target drops by 0.5 lbs, 3 rules
Saturday: over the new target, 4 rules
Sunday: target drops by 1 lb, 3 rules
So I seem to have reached a stage where having three or four rules is producing a weight loss. These rules are No Second Helpings, No Snacking, Nothing Sweet and finally (on alternate days) Small Portions.
Remember this is just how it has worked out over the last week - it may not stay that way. In fact the diet as it is now constituted should continue to respond to how my metabolism is working at the time.
Reader Comments (2)
Gill
Good question!
The basic way of getting rid of temptation (other than giving in to it of course) is simply to let the thought go. So if you think "I'd really like a snack right now", don't struggle against it. Just let the thought go, and every time it reappears let it go again. It should gradually diminish in intensity.
Or you could try the trick of saying "Ok, I'm going to have a snack" and then don't. Your mind is "fooled" by saying this and switches off the desire.
Another point is that "no snacking" is Rule 2 on the list. So while you are on no rules or Rule 1 only you can snack as much as you like. Keeping to the rules, provides its own reward because as your weight decreases you can take rules off.
Mark