Day Five

Magic Notebook

For many people, recording personal thoughts or actions each day provides valuable insight. It also serves as an outlet for emotions and struggles around weight-loss efforts.

Just because you think about food doesn't mean you have to eat it. Whenever you crave a specific food, write it down in your notebook - this takes it "out of your head". Whenever a food thought crosses your mind, remind yourself that you don't have to act on it. Instead, write down the name or even a description of the food and then anticipate the pleasure of eating it sometime in the future.

Practice the skill of observing food cues, then letting them go. When you walk into a movie theater, notice the smell of popcorn, and then forget about it. If it helps, record these cues in your "magic notebook". Tell yourself, "That popcorn smells good, but I'm not going to eat any right now. I'll simply postpone it until another day".

1. Whenever you thing about a paticular food you want, write it down in your notebook.

2. Plan that you'll eat it another time. If you wish, add the amount you'll have and how often you'll fit it into your program.

3. Stretch the times further apart for eating this food. You may discover that after a while, certain foods don't seem as important to you as they once did.


I've listed my "Forbidden Foods". Please comment with your "Forbidden Foods"...I'd love to see what they are! These are foods that are not healthy...but you crave anyway!