The Diet Dropout's Guide to Natural Weight Loss

The Diet Dropout's Guide to Natural Weight Loss, Stan Spencer, Fine Life Books, 2013

After trying every diet known to man, you keep getting frustrated when the weight does not stay off for very long. Perhaps it is time to change your attitudes toward food. That is what this book is all about.

Are you an emotional eater? Do you turn to food when life gets emotionally overwhelming? Do not worry about what might happen in the future; focus on now. Relax your mind by focusing on the present, but limit that focus to a single perception or physical sensation. You can also try meditation, or repetitive activity, like lawn mowing or vacuuming the floor, to trigger the relaxation response. Remove thoughts like "I'm so stupid" or "Life isn't fair" from your brain right now. Your way of thinking will become more rational and you will be less of a slave to your emotions. Accept those things that you cannot change.

It's easier to avoid temptations than to resist them. get junk food out of your house, or, at least, hide it. Start buying healthy food at the supermarket. Decide, in advance, what you will do when you pass by the candy dish on the co-worker's desk. When the craving comes, think about something else. A craving is a psychological need, rather than a physical need. Look up "calories burned calculator" online, and see just how much exercise is needed to burn the calories in a bottle of soda. Tell yourself that you are not interested. If all else fails, take a brisk walk. When confronted with, for instance, a plate of chocolate chip cookies, mentally make them boring so as to remove the emotional need for them. Add a couple of hairs to the plate, or add a bit of mold to a couple of the cookies. You don't need to go so far as to, mentally, turn them into a plate of toxic waste; keep it simple.

It is possible to eat less without going hungry. Add fresh fruit, vegetables and nuts to your diet. Don;t skip a meal; it will leave you tempted to snack on junk food. Get enough sleep, and watch less TV. Physical activity will help to boost your metabolism, and help you lose weight. The book also debunks a number of weight loss myths.

This book is short, and it is excellent. This is weight loss without pills, special meals or other gimmicks. It is highly recommended for anyone who has ever tried to lose weight.