No elastic waistbands!
Wear clothes that fit.
Don't eat out unless planned in advance and planned your order.

I also do a lot of the things listed here--those are the ones I haven't seen listed.

For most of my life, from the time I was 5 years old, I've lived my life by "fat rules," for so many years, that I drove myself a little crazy - fat girls wear black and navy to look slimmer - fat girls don't play on playground equipment, it looks silly (mom taught me that one when I wanted to climb the monkeybars, it became fat girls don't exercise in public) to "never eat dessert unless it's somebody's birthday."

I'm starting to feel a little less rule-weary, but for a while I had to go entirely rule-free except for one (just keep trying).

I do best on a fairly strict low-carb, but whenever I try to make it a firm "rule," it backfires. So instead of rules, I ask myself questions instead. I don't tell myself "you can't do/eat that." Instead, I think "what will happen if I do? Is the outcome ok with me?."

- never give up
- make changes that I can keep up long term, nothing extreme
- record everything I eat
- originally had a rule to eat 5 servings of veggies today but that rule is not necessary any more. I want to eat them.
- get some type of exercise everyday

My one and only rule - from which all other choices are derived - is "Always make the choice that is going to make your life better, and avoid the choices that are going to make your life worse".

Making healthy choices for the majority of choices every day makes my life better. But sometimes, a really good cupcake, eaten over a cup of coffee with my family, makes my life better too (in a way that eating cupcakes every day would not). Eating lots of vegetables definitely makes my life better. Birthday cake on my birthday does too (in a way, again, that eating cake every time it is offered would not). Cooking at home makes my life better, unless I am traveling and starving and rushed, in which case a Subway sandwich will make my life better because I won't have to worry about tracking down a grocery store. Exercising nearly every day makes my life unimaginably better, unless I am injured or seriously over-exhausted, in which case resting makes my life better.

Hard and fast "No X" rules (NO fast food, NO baked goods, etc) don't work for me, because sometimes, under limited circumstances, those things make my life better.

So I evaluate each instance. Is it a REALLY GOOD cupcake? Have I had a cupcake in a while/made other choices that would make this cupcake more likely to result in future overeating (which would definitely not make my life better)? Have I eaten enough protein today that this cupcake isn't likely to result in a blood sugar surge/crash (again, which would NOT make life better)? Will I feel guilty about eating this cupcake?

These are my rules too! I not only record what I eat but I plan it ahead of time. Actually that is probably my best tool. When I get away from my plan, I can easily get into trouble...

ETA: forgot another rule - Don't keep multiple servings of things I have a hard time staying away from...candy, ice cream, cookies, cake....these I only occasionally buy in one serving or even share one serving with my dh. This means I don't bake anymore unless I have a bunch of people around who will eat it. I do miss baking but it is just not worth the temptation.

Very good post and very smart!! I agree completely. I am a diabetic so there are foods that are simply too high in carbs for me to get enough to enjoy so I have learned to say no to them for the most part...it's just not worth it. But other than that I have no rules that prevent me from eating any kind of food...like if I want a candy bar ...I will look for one that is no more than 2 carbs servings or I will split it but I will eat it if I really want it. I don't keep a lot of these temptations around me at home (oh forgot that's another rule for me!) but I will enjoy one serving or a 1/2 serving now and then.

The rules I have laid out for myself have been:

>Eat only whole gains. (no more white rice, potatoes, bread, etc.) only 100%whole wheat.
>Always record EVERYTHING I eat/drink, Stay within 1200 calorie range.
>Eat lots of fruits and veggies!
>Do not give in to temptations - don't bother with "just one bite, or just one chip or just one" Because it really wont end there. (this one hasn't been as hard as I would imagine.. my husband will even sit next to me in bed munchin' on chips or eating ice cream.. and I don't even mind!- so exciting)
>Only good carbs


Some rules I plan to include would be some sort of exercise minimum, and try and drink lots more water

For me, it's:

*Never let myself get too hungry--that's when I tend to make lousy choices. No skipping meals or waiting too long for a healthy small snack.

*Mostly vegetables on my plate, then lean protein, then a small helping of complex carb.

* Nothing fried.

* Exercise 5 times a week, getting up a good sweat

* One glass of wine 2 x a week.

* One planned-for treat meal every week. And it stops after that one meal.

*If I slip up, get right back onto plan--because it *does* matter.

*Enjoy my new clothes and health.

Some of my rules;

Snack time should always be a veggie or a fruit!
No eating 4 hours before bed
Don't keep junk in the house

Hmmm, I think my only hard-and-fast rule is that I record everything I eat. Even the day I ate half an angel food cake with half a tub of cool whip and a heap of jam. I was a little worried that my husband might glance at my food log and think I'd gone crazy...

By recording everything -- even embarrassing binges, even little tastes and nibbles -- I get an honest accounting of my calories. I know if it's water or if it's weight, kwim?

Generally, though, in life, I don't eat fast food or drink sugary drinks (except for the rare mojito or margarita). I don't eat in front of the tv or the computer because those are house rules for everyone (I hate crumbs on the couch). And my mantra is, "This is not your last chance in life to eat [fill in the blank], so you don't have to eat it all today." Worked today when I wanted to eat all the french fries at lunch!

Great advice!

1. Never eat after 7p.m.
2. Always drink 8 to 10 glasses of water

I've noticed a huge difference when I drink enough water during the day. When I don't get enough water I don't lose weight.

Mine are simple, too many rules and I would be setting myself up for failure.

- write it down, no matter how bad it is (accountability for choices)
- weigh every morning, no matter what the scale says (tracking for progress)
- never ever give up (every meal is another chance to make better choices)


I truly believe this is why I have kept those loss off and gained less than the recommended during this pregnancy - I make a lot of moderate food choices, nothing extreme... But I never let myself go, I never lose accountability. I always track my food, my weight, and treat each meal as a new chance to do better. I can't fail, because I never quit.

This is a good post!

My rules:
1800 Cals a day
Run atleast 3 times a week
Walk on off days
2 days of rest
no pork( had pork after a cleanse got really sick and decided anything that makes me feel like that after not having it 14 days is not worth putting in my diet)
Binging is eating until it hurts, eat until satisfied.
Drink lots of water! I want get to where I drink 1/2 body weight in water ounces (not quite there yet but I'm trying)
Failure to plan means planning to fail

-Try to keep my water bottle full at all times so I sip it throughout the day
-I can have two glasses of wine a week, if I don't and it's been awhile and there is a party or function I may treat myself to rye with diet coke
-Work out a minimum of 3 times a week
-Weigh myself daily so I can understand the scale in a more realistic way
-Always try to get enough sleep (being tired makes me hungry!)
-No sugar in my coffee
-Try not to eat too little or too much
-If I treat myself, it has to fit into my calorie budget

I don't have any rules per se for myself but I did hear on O this rule last week "If my great grandmother doesn't recognize the product then don't eat it"

i.e would your great grandmother recognize Spaghetti O's or any other orange food?