I've successfully lost 10-12% of my body weight (mostly fat) twice now. And after each time, I resume my less healthy eating habits and regain 80-90% of the weight I lost. I guess I'm stuck on the DietBet rollercoaster. I suspect that many of you are trapped on the same ride:

  1. Eat super clean, cut out the sugar, white flour, white rice, and soda. Reasonable portion control on protein and fats.
  2. Lose 4% or 10% of my body mass
  3. Win $$$
  4. Eat all those foods I've been avoiding for weeks or months
  5. Regain most if not all of the weight
  6. Sign up for another diet bet because this time I'll lose the weight and transition to the maintenance game and keep it off.

Whether I'm dieting or not, I go to the gym 4-6 times a week for 45 minutes of metabolic conditioning, which is basically weight lifting with cardio.

Clearly this isn't working for me. Between steps 3 and 6, I start really enjoying eating anything I want, and I go crazy on chocolate and popcorn and bread. Then my weight goes up, and I can't start the maintenance game.

So, I think I need a way to include a bit of step 4 in my step 1--that is, I shouldn't avoid all the less healthy food choices for weeks or months on end. As a good friend says, "A little of what you crave is good for you!" Hopefully, I can learn to eat a little bit of chocolate, a small glass of Sherry, ..., and maybe I won't be craving these foods when the bet ends.

To this end, I've started using a "Kitchen Safe." It is a plastic box with a locking lid. The lid has a timer. So, the chocolate, the desert wine, and the bagels go into the safe, and I set the timer for 24 hours. When the lid unlocks, I take out a bit of chocolate--maybe 50-100 calories worth, or less than half a normal candy bar or half of a small bagel. Then the lid goes back on and the timer gets set for another 24 hours.

So far, so good. Yes, I'm eating 50-100 calories a day of low nutrient density foods. Would I lose weight faster if I didn't, yes! But not by much, and I'd probably stay on the roller coaster.

My problem is simple discipline. Take out a treat and Lock the blasted safe! 

Choose nutrient dense foods, eat slowly, and stop eating before I feel full.

Thanks for listening -- we can do this!