(This is the first of a series of posts on Controlling Diet)

Almost exactly two years ago, I took control of my diet. It happened in stages . . . .

Like many people, I’ve lost a lot of weight and gained it (and more) right back. So I wasn’t happy when those first (almost niggling) thoughts told me that I had to change my ways. After all, I’d done it before — again and again. I was determined that I’d do it differently this time, if I was going to do it at all.

So I spent July 2005 just dreaming of diets and changes. Remembering past successes and how they ultimately failed. As I retraced my steps, it seemed to me that there were two elements to my failures. The first was that I allowed exceptions (I could eat chocolate just once). The second was that I always promised myself that tomorrow I’d get back on track again. And tomorrow never came.

Even then, I was walking every day and I’d think about these things as I walked. Then I’d go out to lunch with friends at work. And eat my after work snack (we were eating dinner at about 10:30pm in those days.) And nibble on something most days from the machine in the break room.

Thinking through the Weightloss Process

I think that month I spent meditating on diet was one of the most important elements to the success I’ve had (and yes, I’m ready now to claim some success.) I faced-up to the inevitable loss of momentum and imagined how I’d handle it. I thought about the changes to my body and decided before I ever started that I wouldn’t keep any “fat clothes.” And I decided to talk about it. Openly. To Everyone.

In my dreams, I pictured myself walking into the kitchen for an evening snack and turning around without getting anything.  Sometimes, I’d get a glass of water.

I did thought-experiments on dieting for the whole month of July that year. Knowing that the day would come when a family crisis or a national disaster or an upset at work would distract me from obsessing about a diet, I was determined to find a way to control my weight without having to think about it all the time.

And don’t forget weekends — how many times have you lost momentum on a diet over a weekend filled with exceptions to your rules? I can’t even count the times weekends have thrown me off a successful routine.  That couldn’t happen to me again.  I couldn’t afford it.

Of course the reality was quite different than I imagined.   More on The Reality of Dieting next week.