Dieting Dos and Don'ts

Okay, 16 days in and here's what I've learned.

Do plan ahead. Plan your meals. Shop for 2 or 3 days worth of food at a time.

Don't let yourself get too hungry. This can be dangerous. You're starving. You open up the fridge, freezer or pantry and...uh oh! The rest is a blur.

Do keep a food journal.  Write down everything you eat and drink. HINT: if your food journal reads like Tolstoy, stop eating! You're done.

Don't become Existential. If you eat a box of Jelly doughnuts in the middle of the night and no one sees you will it make you fat? Ah.... yes!

Do go to the beach.  I'll say it again: You versus a couple of feet of Lycra- Spandex is a great diet motivator.

Don't take my mother with you.  I don't know about your mother, just don't take mine. (Have you read my post:"If It's Not One Thing?")

Do eat out, but don't dine anywhere that:

• Someone may ask, "Would you like fries with that?"
• They boast "Over 1 billion served"
• Salt is listed as a side
• You can "Have it Your Way."
• You place your order by speaking into the mouth of a clown
• The desserts are bigger than your toddler
• The waitress skates over to your car
• You can eat in your car
• Butter is listed as a side
• They speak French
• They speak Italian
• They speak Spanish
• You don't know what they speak

Alright, forget what I said. Just don't eat out. Period! You're on a diet for heaven's sake!