| It's January 2, the day of reckoning. You glance at | | | | respectable, and three pounds should be your |
| a full-length mirror as you dress in the morning, | | | | maximum. Any more than that and you'll be |
| and you don't like what you see. Before | | | | burning muscle instead of fat. |
| Thanksgiving, you were on your way to | | | | Speaking of muscle.. |
| becoming a thinner, healthier you. Now, every | | | | Eating is only half the picture. If you want to |
| canapé, slice of cheesecake, and glass of | | | | maintain the weight you lose, you need to |
| wine you indulged in over the holidays seems to | | | | perform some kind of physical activity. That |
| be laughing at you from its new-found perch in | | | | doesn't necessarily mean formal exercise. Just get |
| your belly, butt, and thighs. Of course, you tell | | | | up and move every chance you get. Studies |
| yourself you're imagining things. You couldn't have | | | | show that doing vigorous, day-to-day activities is |
| gained all that much weight. Just to prove it, you | | | | far more important for maintaining a healthful |
| tentatively, almost timidly, climb onto the | | | | weight than is a membership to the local health |
| bathroom scale, and allow yourself to peek down | | | | club. Here are some that really burn the fat: |
| with one squinty eye. | | | | - Washing and waxing a car |
| Don't scream and do NOT allow yourself to | | | | - Washing windows or floors |
| plunge into depression. That number is a minor | | | | - Playing volleyball |
| setback on the road to having a slender, healthier | | | | - Playing touch football |
| body. You can get back on track and barely miss | | | | - Gardening |
| a step on your way to your weight loss goal. You | | | | - Walking |
| can also learn a new way of eating, using | | | | - Basketball (shooting baskets) |
| principles from the Cheater's Diet, that will allow | | | | - Dancing fast (social) |
| you to enjoy the holidays next year to their | | | | - Pushing a lawnmower |
| fullest without gaining a single extra pound around | | | | - Raking leaves |
| your middle. | | | | Past the first hurdle |
| First, you're going to shock your metabolism back | | | | After you've gone four weeks sticking strictly |
| into action with a month of the "Four F's" plan. It | | | | with the Four F's, you can begin to relax a little. |
| won't be easy, but you'll love the results. After | | | | How? Cheat on the weekends. Now, I know that |
| that, you'll ease your way into the regular | | | | the word "cheat" generally makes dieters a little |
| Cheater's Diet plan, which allows you to eat all | | | | nervous. It represents failure to many of them. |
| kinds of food that you thought, as a dieter, you | | | | But it doesn't have to. In fact, cheating can be |
| would never be allowed to eat again. | | | | your greatest tool in reaching success. |
| The "Four F's" are: | | | | Here's how. After being subjected to a strict |
| - Fish | | | | regimen like the Four F's throughout the first |
| - Fluids | | | | month, your body begins to outsmart you and |
| - Fiber | | | | slightly slows down the rate at which it burns fat. |
| - Frequent meals | | | | If you suddenly give it more work to do by |
| Fish- is an excellent source of protein and healthful | | | | feeding it more calories, it speeds up again. Then, |
| Omega-3 fats, both of which will help you to feel | | | | after two days, you go back to your strict |
| sated and cut your appetite. Try to eat fish at | | | | regimen. |
| least three times a week. Cold water varieties like | | | | The body is still going with all fires blazing. It will |
| salmon, tuna, sardines, and herring, contain the | | | | take awhile for it to realize the trick you've pulled. |
| highest amounts of Omega-3's. | | | | So because you've eaten more for a couple of |
| Fluids- are extremely important for weight loss. | | | | days, you're now burning fat even faster! Doing |
| Not only does drinking water, tea, coffee, diet | | | | this every weekend keeps the body in a state of |
| sodas, or even soup help to cleanse your body of | | | | playing perpetual catch-up. So cheat! From |
| toxins, but it also keeps the kidneys functioning | | | | Saturday morning to Sunday evening, eat |
| properly. When the kidneys are out of whack, the | | | | anything you like, with the exception of foods |
| liver takes over for them, which means it can't | | | | you're likely to binge on. You can have chocolate, |
| continue doing one of its other major jobs-turning | | | | hamburgers, whole grain bread, ice cream, |
| your fat into fuel. Drink at least 2 quarts (8 cups) | | | | cinnamon buns, wine, beer, strawberry |
| of fluids a day, and if you're overweight, drink | | | | shortcake-you name it. Or you can just have a |
| even more. | | | | whole lot more of the healthful foods you've been |
| Fiber- helps move food through your system | | | | eating since the New Year. |
| more quickly, makes you feel full, and keeps your | | | | Cheating has one other advantage that's hugely |
| digestive tract healthy. For the purposes of the | | | | important in maintaining a healthful weight-it keeps |
| Four F's, fruit is the best source. Apples, pears, | | | | you from getting bored. The average person |
| plums, strawberries, and prunes are all good | | | | stays on a diet for about two months before |
| sources. In addition to the servings described | | | | giving up and going back to his or her old ways. |
| below, have at least one additional fruit serving at | | | | Why? The tedium of restrictive diets. The |
| every main meal. | | | | Cheater's Diet restricts you from nothing. It |
| Frequent meals- means eating three main meals a | | | | simply puts you on a schedule, just like going to |
| day with snacks in between. Never go more than | | | | work five days a week and taking off for two. |
| two hours between meals Breakfast, lunch, and | | | | Cheating for life |
| dinner should always consist of one serving of | | | | By the end of the second month, you will |
| protein (eggs, fish, white poultry meat, or lean | | | | probably have reached the end of your patience |
| pork loin) and one of a complex carb, like a | | | | with eating six meals a day. So don't. Go back to |
| vegetable, legume, or whole grain. A serving size | | | | three meals a day, and allow yourself four |
| is about one quarter of dinner plate. Snacks can | | | | servings per meal-one or two of protein, two of |
| consist of a serving of fruits, vegetables, nonfat | | | | fruits or vegetables, and one of whole grains or |
| dairy products, nuts, legumes or any other no | | | | legumes. You can still have snacks every two |
| sugar/low fat food. | | | | hours if you like. |
| So to recap-lots of meals, lots of fiber, lots of | | | | By summertime, you're going to look amazing. |
| fish, lots of fluids. | | | | And when the holidays come next year, just stick |
| Don't worry about the rate at which you're losing. | | | | with the Cheater's Diet! |
| An average of two pounds a week is very | | | | |