Gail's Diet Log, Part 2!
Click here to see PART ONE of my diet log!If you have any comments, suggestions, struggles, or words of inspiration for the rest of us, please click here to contact me! NEW from Easy Weight Loss Tips!
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I have decided that my NEW strategy is to stay on my 5-4-3-2-1 diet for two months! For those of you unfamiliar with that diet, I created it a few years ago, when I was on vacation in Jamaica with some friends. My friend, Lisa, had just had gastric bypass surgery and I was fascinated with her new eating habits. It occurred to me at some point over umbrella drinks and trips to the buffet, that I didn't need surgery to eat that way. The diet evolved from that experience. When I returned from Jamaica, I went on the diet for a month, to see if it was practical. I can't say it's easy, (and most diets aren't if you're a volume eater like I am), but it was a very effective diet!
In a nutshell, the 5-4-3-2-1 Diet is as follows:
Each of three meals per day should consist of:
5 bites of protein.
4 bites of vegetables.
3 bites of carbs, preferably whole grains.
2 bites of sweets.
1 minute between bites.
Add: One mid-morning snack, one mid-afternoon snack (yogurt or other dairy, fruit, nuts), a multivitamin, and 8 glasses of water each day.
Rules for this diet plan:
- If you do not want dessert, you can eat two additional bites of protein, vegetables, or carbs.
- If your menu items are not separated, eat 14 total bites. For example, a pasta dish would not be separated.
- One subtle way to help count bites is to move a piece of food off to the side of your plate for each bite you eat.
- Bites should be “normal”-sized and chewed well.
- Eat “mindfully.” Don’t be distracted. Savor each bite.
- Limit diet soda to one per day.
- Prepare foods in a healthy manner. Limit fats to two teaspoons of heart-healthy oils each day.
- Use food pyramid guidelines for snack portions.
- Include a minimum of 30 minutes each day of exercise.
- Choose denser foods to stay full longer.
If anyone wants to try this with me, here's what I know...the first three to four days are tough! If you can power through them, and remind yourself often about why you're on this journey, you'll soon start to feel lighter and your motivation will kick in! At that point, it's almost exciting! A typical frozen Weight Watchers, Amy's, or Lean Cuisine dinner is roughly the correct number of bites, therefore I don't bother counting if I eat one (but only choose the healthier options)! Since those are considered "proper portions", you can ease your mind about starving (and believe me...it will cross your mind)! Make your snacks count! Don't waste them on empty calories. The more nutritious your meals, the happier your metabolism will be!
I don't intend to write each night about what I eat, as I did in the past. Instead, I'll "journal" a couple of times each week about the experience and let you know my progress. If you're doing this with me, I'd love to hear from you! I'd say "misery loves company" but that wouldn't be kind! Good luck!
October 18, 2008-Diet Log-Week 1
Hi, Everyone! I just wanted to check in and let you know that I'm doing well on the 5-4-3-2-1 diet! It's hard to get used to--I have the most trouble with the minute between bites--but I'm getting there. I've even been out to eat twice and I've always thought that 5-4-3-2-1 was a great diet for eating out. My husband is digging the leftovers! Eating slowly really does help you feel full faster! I'm trying to be sure that I make healthy selections. I've had eggs most mornings instead of my beloved Kashi bar. I've walked several days, but not every day. I want to get better about that too. Let me hear from you if you're doing this with me!
October 19, 2008-Diet Log-Week 1
Hi! I'm still being good and I'm pretty amazed at how satisfied you can be with less food. It's all mind over matter, right? I'm slowly getting the hang of preparing less food. For example, I had a late lunch (or early dinner today) and I wanted a grilled cheese (double fiber bread, 2% Velveeta)sandwich with my soup. I almost didn't make it because a sandwich would have been too much. Then it occurred to me that I could just as easily make a half grilled cheese sandwich--duh! I guess skinny people think like that all the time, but I never have! Listen, I'm writing to share a new product with you that I'm very excited about. A company called Easy Diet Labels contacted me and sent me some complimentary samples to try out. I can't tell you how impressed I am with this idea! I think it's genius! Imagine how helpful this will be for your overweight children (or your overweight spouse)! Even if weight isn't an issue, they'd be great for teaching your family to make healthier choices! Check out these fantastic labels now and if you order from here, enter the promotion code EASYTIPS for a 20% discount! Thanks Easy Diet Labels!!
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October 22, 2008-Diet Log-Week 2
I lost 7.8 pounds in week 1!! Now, before I attribute all that to my 5-4-3-2-1 diet, let me say that I ate like a crazy person the week before and gained weight! Obviously that was mostly water weight and it came off once I was good again. What I do attribute it to, are the small portions that I'm doing now. It's not easy for me because I'm a volume eater, but I think it may be the most important element of any diet.
I need to get better with my exercise! I walk several times a week but there's no real reason why I don't make it a priority each day. I did over the summer, even when it was crazy hot, so I could certainly do it now.
So...my plan is to keep doing what I'm doing for now. I'll make it a point to choose healthy foods and eat small portions! Let me hear from you if you're doing this with me! Good luck! I'll check back in a couple of day to report my progress!
October 26, 2008-Diet Log-Week 2
Hi! I hope everyone is doing well! I had a little "hiccup" in my plan, but I'm back on track now. We celebrated my mother-in-law's 91st birthday on Friday, and although I was good through dinner (at a great Italian restaurant!) I had a whole piece of chocolate cake with chocolate icing and instead of eating 2 bites of it, I ate every single, solitary crumb! It was simply divine! Of course, if I want to look divine by 2009, that isn't going to be a strategy that works! As I said, I was really good with my actual dinner, but I did have a glass of red wine (not too bad, right?) but also 2 slices of foccacia bread, so there was a lot of room for improvement! The good news was that we didn't bring any of the cake home! Yesterday, I had a little trouble climbing right back on the wagon. I wasn't "bad" but I didn't eat according to my plan. Today has been much better, so I feel like I'm back on track. I may have blasted any chance I had of another big drop this week though! I'd like to hear from you--remember I won't include it in my log if you ask me not to. Have fun--I'll catch up with you in a day or two!
October 30, 2008-Diet Log-Week 3
I lost 1.2 pounds week 2, for a total of 9 pounds! Hi, Everyone, my weigh-in day keeps moving further back in the week for some reason! I lost a little last week, but not nearly enough! I knew I'd pay for that scrumptious chocolate cake last Friday night! I've been really good as far as eating healthy foods in small amounts, but still not as strict as 5-4-3-2-1 requires! Mostly I eat a can of soup or a frozen meal. Sometimes I'll make my "diet" grilled cheese with the soup. I've got lots of room for improvement! I haven't been good about exercising either! I don't even have a good excuse, except that I always find something else to do instead...Regular exercise is all about getting into the habit and not letting anything get in the way! I hope you're having more luck with that! Let me hear from you, if you're dieting with me...(just use my "contact me" page).
November 1, 2008-Diet Log-Week 3
I can't believe November is here! Where does the time go? Well, I have to confess that I haven't been very good the past two days. I'm pretty annoyed with myself! Keeping this public diet log doesn't seem to be the motivating factor that it was the first couple of months, back on my first diet log that I kept over the summer. I'm seriously thinking about stopping this one until I get my head back in the game! I'll let you know for sure in a day or two...I hope you're having more luck than I am!
November 6, 2008-Diet Log
I've decided to terminate this diet log for now. It has become difficult for me to carve out the time to do it justice. I wish you all good luck on your diets and I encourage you to contact me (just use the "Contact Me" page) if I can be of any help to you. Thanks, Gail
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