My books were delivered yesterday and I was so excited that I wanted to start reading them right then and there. Unfortunately, I was still at work, so I had to flip through them and put them aside so I could do my job. Then, when we got home I wanted to read them again, but MM and I had already made plans for a Surf & Turf BBQ dinner and some fellowship. It wasn't until I headed to bed around 11:00 p.m. that I finally began to crack the first one open.
I basically read through the introductory chapters of BDS that got me to the first day of the 6-weeks. I'm planning on doing the same with the workbook tonight because tomorrow is my official first day. Just reading the first four chapters of BDS has taught me a lot. Here's some of the things I've learned.
1. BDS is based on Cognitive Therapy. Cognitive meaning "thinking", so the process is "thinking therapy". The emphasis is changing the dieter's thinking about, around, related to food.
2. This is going to repeat itself later, but being hungry won't kill me. For example, I was out working in the garden at 12 today. If I had been inside watching TV, I would have eaten lunch, just because it was lunch time. But, since I was occupied, when I did feel hunger sensations, I told myself, "You don't need to eat, you ate a late breakfast and can eat a healthy, filling lunch as soon as you're done with this task." Doing that resulted in my not eating "lunch" until 2 pm, but I didn't starve or pass out. With such a late lunch, I'll probably end up eating dinner, but no mid-afternoon snack, so I've already cut my calories down for the day. Isn't that great?!
3. This is going to take a big commitment and a lot of time. It's something I've said before, but "dieting" will be my new hobby. Well that's okay with me for a few reasons. A) It's not for forever. If I'm consistent and stick to what I'm doing, I'll be out of the losing weight phase in as little as 8 months. I'll average it out and say it'll take a year. Is that so bad for a MUCH LONGER lifetime of healthy living? Heck no! B) As time passes and the pounds come off, all of these steps will become second nature to me. I will cease to see it as a "diet" and it will simply become my lifestyle. After that, I'll be able to find something else to occupy my time and the options will be endless! C) I'm willing to do whatever it takes and this seems like the most painless, cost efficient option. Now, I'm not knocking these things, but here's what I'm NOT paying for: gym memberships - I have a HUGE back yard and a fit hubby who designs great workouts for me, plus a safe town where outdoor activities are encouraged, a personal trainer - see previous, weight loss counseling, diet pills, home meal delivery programs, online weight loss communities, pay-as-you-go systems such as Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and etc. See, if the BDS helps me get to the final result I'm hoping for, I will have done so without all those things, some of which are valid tools and some of which are gimmicks that people get sucked into. If, on the other hand, this doesn't work for me, I'm still going to be willing to do whatever it takes, but I'll just move on to the next least "painful" thing.
Well, that's what I've discovered so far and all that on just the first day of owning the books. Isn't that encouraging? It is for me! I can't wait to make these changes to my thinking and get on with losing! Yay!!
No comments:
Post a Comment