Dr. Barbara's Tough Rules: Close Up on Rule 2

Love that folks were intrigued by a few of Dr. Barbara's Tough Rules! 

From the comments on my post, folks were interested in hearing more about 3 rules: 

2. Commit to a 3 month opt-out period

6. Eat one major meal each day 

10. Have one acceptable treat per day

I wrote out the post, but then it was SO long I thought that was too much to read. Even this one is kinda long. So, I will do one post per day on each of these topics.

I do my best to concisely describe the rule, and I've quoted a bit. All quotes are from the book, Refuse to Regain by Dr. Barbara Berkeley. 

Rule 2: Opt-out period- She advises committing to not eating what she calls SAD foods- standard american diet- for 90 days so that you can lose your taste for those foods, and give yourself a chance to prefer natural foods. She has a section titled, "Accept the drug-like nature of S (SAD) foods and avoid them".

In this passage she states, "It would be lovely if we could return to eating crackers, bread, cake and candy while simply controlling our intake. [This approach] ignores an enormous problem. Modern [SAD] foods are addictive". She notes that these foods induce cravings, create a food high, cause withdrawal symptoms when not eaten, and are difficult to control. So, she advocates "opting out" to give yourself a break and some distance, while reconnecting with natural foods. 

Excerpt: 

Rule 2 in a Nutshell:

• Opt out of the modern eating world and [eat natural foods- lean protein and vegetables and fruits] for three months.
• Find ways to enjoy your new eating plan.
• Add while subtracting (find natural foods you personally enjoy and look forward to).
• Attentional eating: Ask before you eat, Does this food honor my body? 
• Don't beat yourself up when you slip. Just rededicate yourself to your efforts.

I see myself as very vulnerable to starchy and sweet foods, especially when I am hungry. Once, when I did a 30 day sugar free challenge, the structure of that challenge really helped me stick to it. But once the structure was gone, I fell back in. Hopefully this strategy will get me back on course. In fact, the more I learn about myself and my habits, I'm certain structure will help me establish great habits!