Weight Loss Without Dieting

When we think about weight loss, we think ‘diet’, but it doesn’t have to be that way. No one like diets, and using a variety of psychological and therapeutic ideas, anyone can lose weight, without restrictions, and make the small changes that mean the big changes.

• Rate your hunger. Basically, let’s say your hunger level ranges from 1 – very hungry, you couldn’t be hungrier to 10 – completely full. Every time you are about to eat try to write down just how hungry you are from 1 to 10 (honestly) and then don’t eat below a 7 or 8. That’s doesn’t sound to hard does it? You can eat anything you want as long as you are above a 7 or 8 (you decide which and stick to it).

• Write down thoughts. Now you’ve decided you are at least a 7, write that down, next to it write the time and what the food is. Now before eating the food, (I know, you just want to get stuck in), write down just a thought, whatever is going through your mind, why you are eating, are you feeling emotional, stressed etc. Initially do this every time you eat, so you get an idea of what you eat when you feel emotional.

• Think about food. Sounds silly doesn’t it? But before you take that first bite, think about the food you are about to eat. When you put it in your mouth, put the fork down, and chew slowly thinking about the taste, flavour, texture of the food. Sounds easy? You have to think about every single bite, chewing slowly. The first few times you do this, you will probably find you’ve either finished the meal, or nearly finished it, without thinking about it or even noticing you’ve done it.  It’s surprisingly hard to think about every bite, but really try it, really taste it, it’s a whole new experience.

• Before you finish that meal – STOP. That’s right, I said STOP. While you are putting down your fork in between bites and thinking about your food, I want you to rate your hunger again, just mentally. If you rate it at about 2 – STOP. I don’t want you to eat until you are stuffed (1)! Eat until you are nicely full, then STOP. Simple? Eat anything you want but stop when you are full (and follow the rules above).

• Eat what you feel like. I did just say that! Eat what you feel like, when you are hungry (7 or 8 remember) and as long as you stop on a 2. Eat what you feel like eating, not what you think you should.  If you feel like a cookie, and your hunger is a 7 or 8. Eat that cookie, but stop if you get to a 2 and appreciate every single bite! Think about every bite of that cookie, chew slowly, enjoy it. Sounds good? You can eat anything you want, but you couldn’t eat a whole pizza, simply because you would get to a 2 before you finished it, you can however have a few pieces. You can have the rest when you get to a 7 or 8 again.

You will start to notice you are full quicker than you imagined because you are eating slowly and thinking about your meal. You will even notice you are choosing more rounded meals, because of the tastes you will notice.

The weight loss wont be instant, but you WILL be eating less, just eating what YOU want, not what you think you should, and will be happier for it. These steps are relatively easy, but really try and follow them – every time you want to eat, rate your hunger, write down the food and time and emotions, think while you eat, and stop when you get full. Sure it sounds like it takes a while but its easy, compared to dieting right? This will change your attitude towards food, the root of your weight problems, instead of just starving yourself which is usually ineffective in the long term.  You can take this to the next level to increase weight loss…

• Eat what you want if it is GOOD enough. So you feel like a chocolate bar and you are hungry, a 7 or 8. Good, go for it. But when you eat that bar, ask yourself how GOOD is it? Out of all the chocolate bars you have ever eaten, how does it rate out of 10? If it is less than say 5 (or higher if you choose that number) then put it down – its not worth it. Give yourself a minimum rating for treats, if it isn’t that good, why bother? A treat should be really TASTY, so you don’t just eat for the sake of it.  This is harder, and optional. 

These steps aren’t hard, they examine your attitude to food, and allow a gradual but important change in your life. And that’s what we want really isn’t it?

Good Luck.