The No Diet Challenge: Step 2 We Don't Own a Scale and Why Diets Fail

"African Lady Holding Weighing Scale" by stockimages.jpg

If you're just joining us for the No Diet Challenge and missed Step 1, no worries, because it was easy.

We did nothing. Yes, you heard correctly…NOTHING.

Diets are dangerous.
Diets are a fleeting thing
Diets are a habit that often deprive you of foods you like or need
Diets are dumb. (Yep, Mommy said a bad word.)

It's true. Getting healthy shouldn't be about looking for ways to 'drop the pounds fast' -unless of course:

Your doctor recommends it
It's meant to be a life saving measure or major health intervention
You do it under your health care provider's supervision
You're a celebrity who's studying for a big 'skinny' part in a movie (in which case you wouldn't be here)

If you're looking for medical advice- a new diet fad-i.e., a quick way to lose weight, you are in the wrong place. If you're looking for ways to change the way your family eats and want to have fun with it- Welcome!

Diets vs. 'Diet'- The No Diet Challenge is NOT about getting skinny or dropping pounds!

My family doesn't own a scale and we don't deprive ourselves of:

sugar
salt
chocolate (I tried once- it didn't work- and ladies, I don't recommend it if you know what I mean)
eating out
fat

But I still consider us healthy people enough to ask you to join our No Diet Challenge and believe you will notice a difference in your body, your children's behavior and your own energy level.

Okay, I have to confess about the scale thing. I think we do own one. But I bet it's one I got when I was married to my children's father over 19 years ago and I'm pretty sure it's probably buried somewhere in a closet because we don't ever use it. Why? Well first off- when have you ever stepped on a scale and been as cheerful about it as the lady in this picture? Exactly! Weight to me is not important. As I said previously, unless it is for true medical/health reasons, focusing on your weight is a mistake! There are plenty of perfectly wonderful (and beautiful) people in the world who shop in the XL & Plus Depts., so throw away your scale (or at least put it away so you can't see or use it).

If you are just joining us click here to check out what you missed.
If you did Step 1- "RELAX" (Congratulations!)
If you did Step 1- "PLUS the extra credit": Logging what people felt/acted like this past week- Kudos!
If you logged not only what they acted like, but what you were feeding them or what they were sneaking at work/school- (Hint: that's the goodies you omit from their lunch but they find anyway), give your self a round of applause.

Step 2- Start your log if you haven't already, OR if you have one, open it up and do the following:

circle the times you or your family members ate out
highlight the times you/anyone had caffeine, candy, or sugary snacks
did anyone skip meals (whether due to over scheduling, appointments/work running late, or that you purposely ditched due to an event or practice)
what was the overall mood each day?
any correlation or similarities?
is anyone a water drinker--> make a note of that- (beverages should always be logged as well)

Behavior is often linked to the foods we eat (or don't).

So if you haven't done the log yet, go ahead and grab a notebook, or your favorite portable tech device, and start jotting down your meals/snacks on a daily basis. If you miss some, don't stress it.

Step 3 is next week

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