Are you ready to combat Super Bowl diet temptations?

You don't need a reminder to tell you the Super Bowl is coming soon. Now what's that going to do to your diet?

That's simple. Super Bowl and snack time go together. And for most people that means all the rules you've set for yourself are "Out the Window".

But you don't need go out of bounds just because your Super Bowl party has chips, dips, beer and other party beverages.
Guess what you can eat and still join in the fun of the party? You can eat and drink plenty. It just takes some planning ahead.

Just like with most planning, winning at your diet game is mostly a mental exercise. Like Yogi Berra used to say, "80% of the game is 90% mental".

It's not a process requiring trips to the health food store or picking a batch of extra watercress. You can host a party or go to your friends party and still have fun, enjoy the refreshments and stay close to your diet program. During this "party period" you may not lose weight but you won't gain any substantial weight either.

Keep it simple. Go for the low fat and low fat snacks. Try pretzels. Most parties have them. That doesn't mean you can keep dipping your hand continuously into the pretzel bowl. If you can make a snack bag for yourself you can put a measured amount of pretzels (100 to 200 calories worth) and ration them for the length of the game.

If you divide your "authorized snack" into two bags you can save one for the second half. You'll be surprised how having your own bag of an "authorized snack" will give you the will power to withstand eating too much or eating the wrong food or even eating at inappropriate times.

It's like setting any other kind of goal. In this case goal is making one snack pack last for an entire half. For your party beverages choose no-cal soda or water.

And you can yell and scream and cheer your team like everyone. Best of all water does the same thing as beer. It makes you go to the bathroom a-lot. You can get bottled with a hint of a variety of flavors and some even come with vitamins. The real physical specimens, the workout freaks, the muscle guys drink water with vitamins. Why would you want to drink anything else? Of course if you're a fan of diet cola or other diet soft drinks they work too.

So don't choose the chips, the french Fry's and those high fat sour cream dips. Sure pretzels have lots of salt. But if you can handle that they can be a low fat alternative to all the other things you might choose.

If you have a double chin now you don't need to try for a triple one just because of the Super Bowl. If you already have a beer belly you don't need to try for a double one at the tail gate party.

These are a few tips you can use to prepare yourself for the upcoming super-bowl parties.

Pass these tips out to your friends. Send us some of your own tips. Erwin Posner, R.Ph.

BrownBagDiet.Blogspot.com

Winning in the Losing Game of Weight Loss

Everyone is talking about winning. They want to win the Superbowl, the hockey game, the basketball game and the lottery. But who is talking about losing?

Better yet, IS THERE ANYONE TALKING ABOUT LOSING (WEIGHT THAT IS) WHO ISN'T TRYING TO SELL YOU SOMETHING? I'm not selling anything. Not even my book on weight loss. I'm giving it to you FREE, chapter by chapter, on this blog.
Maybe that's what makes the Brown Bag Diet different. I'm interested in motivating you to WIN at this game of losing weight. That's why I created the watchword/slogan system for the Brown Bag Diet.

Our last watchword slogan was Portion Control.

Now let's look into how this watchword can help you.

Portion control and awareness are probably the two most important practices for successful weight loss programs. After all, you can eat all the right foods but still not have healthy habits. When you eat the proper foods but you eat them in greater quantities than allowed by your plan your body reacts accordingly. The extra protein that your body doesn't need, the extra fat and sweets, the extra cereals and even the extra fruits get stored in your body. And these extra items will be stored as fat.

Calories from sweets and fat pile up fat fastest. There are limits to everything, IE The food pyramid recommends six servings of bread on a normal non-weight loss diet. Adding each extra slice of bread adds to the calorie stores you carry. And these stores eventually become fat.

The best way to learn what portions are proper for you is to select a diet program together with your doctor, dietitian or nutritionist. Then determine what your daily calorie intake should be. Your dietitian can design meals to meet these goals. Your doctor may give you the values of each food to help you pick out the quantity of foods from each food group you need.

In my next post I'll show you how to right size the portions you choose. In the meantime enjoy the games of sport, of chance and start winning at the game of losing weight.

Got friends who need an extra boost to get into shape? Why not help them with what the advertising people call viral advertising. Pass our blog address on to them.

You can help save the world from tipping over due to all those people you know who are overweight just by passing them our blog address. Then they can sign on for tips and clues for dieters just like you do.

After all, even those who don't need to lose weight have friends and relatives that could benefit.

Erwin Posner, R.Ph.
Brownbagdiet.blogspot.com

Don't blame your mother if you're fat- You can lose weight regardless of your genes.

Don't blame your mother if you're fat- You can lose weight regardless of your genes. And don't blame your father, uncles, aunts going all the way back to Adam and Eve.

Yes your DNA controls much of the way you look but it doesn't control everything. That means whatever you've got you can look BETTER, and if you're overweight you can be SLIMMER.

YOU CAN BE ALL THAT YOU CAN BE

and you can start now by getting on a diet program. Once you get on a program you can use the watchwords I post to help you stay with it. The last watchword/slogan was AWARENESS. Our next watchword/slogan is PORTION CONTROL

Sure lots of girls don't have the basic body type that every lets them be a petite super model and most of us guys don't have a body builder's build like the Governor of California. But we need to we can lose 10, 20 40 or more pounds that will make us better looking, more healthy and more confident.

I'll talk about how to beat the comfort food habit later. For now lets be AWARE and watch our portions.

I'll develop the portion control concept in the next post and you will see how you can harness the power of this concept to help you succeed. But now I want to respond to several requests.

Many have asked for a sample menu. They wanted something to give them an idea of what they have to do in order to get going towards their goal. So I searched the government sources and found a neat sample you can use and I'm posting it below. For fun I chose a Southern Style menu. It is for a 1600 calorie daily diet. You might prefer the 1200 calorie daily diet. They can both be found at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/southern.htm

You've gotten a start and that was the hard part. For those of you who are just joining us please read the old posts. They'll help you get started on your way to successful dieting. And you can season you diet with comments to us.

Erwin Posner, R.Ph.

BrownBagDiet.blogspot.com

Breakfast

Oatmeal, prepared with 1% milk, low fat 1/2 cup
Milk 1%, low fat 1/2 cup
English Muffin 1 medium
Cream Cheese, light, 18% fat T
Orange Juice 3/4 cup
Coffee 1 cup
Milk 1%, low fat 1 oz

Lunch
Baked Chicken, without skin 2 oz
Vegetable Oil 1 tsp
Salad:
Lettuce 1/2 cup
Tomato 1/2 cup
Cucumber 1/2 cup
Oil and Vinegar Dressing 2 tsp
White Rice, seasoned with margarine, diet 1/3 cup
Baking Powder Biscuit, prepared with vegetable oil 1 small
Margarine 1/2 tsp
Water 1 cup

Dinner
Lean Roast Beef 3 oz
Onion 1/4 cup
Beef Gravy, water-based 1 T
Turnip Greens, seasoned with 1/2 cup
margarine, diet 1/2 tsp
Sweet Potato, baked 1 small
Margarine, diet 1/2 tsp
Ground Cinnamon 1 tsp
Brown Sugar 1 tsp
Cornbread prepared with margarine, diet 1/2 medium slice
Honeydew Melon 1/4 medium
Iced Tea, sweetened with sugar 1 cup

Snack

Saltine Crackers, unsalted tops 4 crackers
Mozzarella Cheese, part-skim, low-sodium 1 oz

Calories: 1,653
Total Carb, % kcals:53
Total Fat, % kcals:28
*Sodium, mg:1,231
SFA, % kcals:8
Cholesterol, mg:172
Protein, % kcals:20

1,600: 100% RDA met for all nutrients except: Vit E 97%, Magnesium 98%, Iron 78%, Zinc 90%1,200: 100% RDA met for all nutrients except: Vit E 82%, Vit B1 & B2 95%, Vit B3 99%, Vit B6 88%, Magnesium 83%, Iron 56%, Zinc 70%* No salt added in recipe preparation or as seasoning. Consume at least 32 oz. water.

Your Mayor Wants You and everyone who is overweight in his City To Lose 1 Million Pounds. Did you find your Mayor and Your City?

Your Mayor Wants You and everyone who is overweight in his City To Lose 1 Million Pounds. Did you find your Mayor and Your City? Did you find your city and your Mayor in the links posted previously? If you didn't find your Mayor, call his or her office and tell them about the Mayor's Weight loss Challenge. Your city can get in the game like all the other great Cities are.

Here are the links that I posted earlier.

More than 2,600 people registered in Oklahoma City mayor's weight loss campaign. See links below.
New Haven
http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Mayor/ReadMore.asp?ID=%7BBA85BF46-2BA7-4BA5-AF32-F1AC5299715A%7D

Greensboro, NC

http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070202/NEWSREC0101/702020303/-1/NEWSREC0201

New Haven, CT

http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Mayor/ReadMore.asp?ID=%7BBA85BF46-2BA7-4BA5-AF32-F1AC5299715A%7D

Springfield, OR

http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-6155250/Mayor-advertises-weight-loss-program.html#abstract

Des Moines, IO

http://www.mayorswellnesscampaign.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=135&Itemid=121

Mobile, AL

http://wkrg.com/medical/article/mayor_wants_city_to_lose_1_million_pounds/8734/
Savannah, GA

http://www.besthealthnews.com/albany-savannah-mayors-to-challenge-weight-loss-walb-news-10

Scarsdale, NY

http://co.westchester.ny.us/health/FitKids/MayorsChallenge/Scarsdale.htm

Get your City with the program. You're on it so get your cousins, your neighbors, and everyone in town into the game. This is the game where everyone can be a winner

Join now. Be a brown bag dieter. BE A PROUD BROWN BAG DIETER.

Erwin Posner, R.Ph.

brownbagdiet.blogspot.com

Special to Truckers and others. Find the Mayor of your city with a diet program

Special to Truckers who wish to diet for better health, strength and looks
Also:
Find the Mayor of your City and see if he or she is sponsoring a weight loss program.

This may surprise most of you because truckers, especially long haul truckers, have a macho image of being fit, trim and athletic. Indeed, truckers are all of those things but as time goes on many get out of shape. Lots of factors enter into it amongst which are stress, long lonely hours behind the wheel, stops where food choices aren't the healthiest and being tired after a strenuous long day of driving and delivering heavy loads.

That's why I have been preparing a special Trucker's Edition of "The Brown Bag Diet - " Tips & Clues from the Pharmacist's Notebook". I will put that edition on a special blog for truckers only if I receive enough interest for me to work on another blog.

If you are interested or if a friend or family member is a trucker and would benefit from this material please have them contact me by email at Brownbagdiet@gmail.com and let me know that they would like to have a special trucker's edition for the blog.

Remember, there is no charge to sign in and learn the techniques of the Brown Bag Diet. If there are enough requests I'll be glad to oblige.

Other news: A search of the internet reveals that the Mayors of many cities have also joined us in challenging their constituents to join a weight loss program and get into better shape physically. Some of them began their challenges before Jan 1 this year and others just signed on. You might like to see if the mayor of your city is one of them. If not, contact them and let them know that they can recommend our blog as a free site where their constituents can get tips and clues to help then achieve weight loss.

Some of the links to challenge programs recommended by many mayors are below.

More than 2,600 people registered in Oklahoma City mayor's weight loss campaign. See links below.

http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Mayor/ReadMore.asp?ID=%7BBA85BF46-2BA7-4BA5-AF32-F1AC5299715A%7D

Greensboro, NC
http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070202/NEWSREC0101/702020303/-1/NEWSREC0201

New Haven, CT
http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Mayor/ReadMore.asp?ID=%7BBA85BF46-2BA7-4BA5-AF32-F1AC5299715A%7D

Springfield, OR
http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-6155250/Mayor-advertises-weight-loss-program.html#abstract

Des Moines, IO
http://www.mayorswellnesscampaign.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=135&Itemid=121

Mobile, AL
http://wkrg.com/medical/article/mayor_wants_city_to_lose_1_million_pounds/8734/

Savannah, GA
http://www.besthealthnews.com/albany-savannah-mayors-to-challenge-weight-loss-walb-news-10

Scarsdale, NY
http://co.westchester.ny.us/health/FitKids/MayorsChallenge/Scarsdale.htm

New information from the Weight Control Information Network

Have you started the Brown Bag Diet method without choosing a diet plan yet? If so I recommend you read the following information from the NIH (Weight Control Information Network -WIN).

Choosing a weight-loss program may be a difficult task. You may not know what to look for in a weight-loss program or what questions to ask. This fact sheet can help you talk to your health care professional about weight loss and get the best information before choosing a program.

Talk With Your Health Care Professional

If your health care provider tells you that you should lose weight and you want to find a weight-loss program to help you, look for one that is based on regular physical activity and an eating plan that is balanced, healthy, and easy to follow.

You may want to talk with your doctor or other health care professional about controlling your weight before you decide on a weight-loss program. Even if you feel uncomfortable talking about your weight with your doctor, remember that he or she is there to help you improve your health.

Here are some tips:

Tell your provider that you would like to talk about your weight. Share your concerns about any medical conditions you have or medicines you are taking.
Write down your questions in advance.
Bring pen and paper to take notes.
Bring a friend or family member along for support if this will make you feel more comfortable.

Make sure you understand what your health care provider is saying. Ask questions if there is something you do not understand.
Ask for other sources of information like brochures or websites.
If you want more support, ask for a referral to a registered dietitian, a support group, or a commercial weight-loss program.
Call your provider after your visit if you have more questions or need help.

Ask Questions
Find out as much as you can about your health needs before joining a weight-loss program. Here are some questions you might want to ask your health care provider:
About Your Weight

1. Do I need to lose weight? Or should I just avoid gaining more?
2. Is my weight affecting my health?
3. Could my excess weight be caused by a medical condition such as hypothyroidism or by a medicine I am taking? (Hypothyroidism is when your thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone, a condition that can slow your metabolism—how your body creates and uses energy.)

About Weight Loss
1. What should my weight-loss goal be?
2. How will losing weight help me? About Nutrition and Physical Activity
3. How should I change my eating habits?
4. What kinds of physical activity can I do?
5. How much physical activity do I need? About Treatment
6. Should I take weight-loss medicine?
7. What about weight-loss surgery?
8. Could a weight-loss program help me?

A Responsible and Safe Weight-loss Program

Weight-loss programs should encourage healthy behaviors that help you lose weight and that you can stick with every day. Safe and effective weight-loss programs should include:
Healthy eating plans that reduce calories but do not forbid specific foods or food groups.

Tips to increase moderate-intensity physical activity.
Tips on healthy behavior changes that also keep your cultural needs in mind.
Slow and steady weight loss. Depending on your starting weight, experts recommend losing weight at a rate of 1/2 to 2 lbs per week. Weight loss may be faster at the start of a program.

Medical care if you are planning to lose weight by following a special formula diet, such as a very low-calorie diet.
A plan to keep the weight off after you have lost it.

Get Familiar With the Program
Gather as much information as you can before deciding to join a program.
Professionals working for weight-loss programs should be able to answer the questions listed below.

1. What does the weight-loss program consist of?
2. Does the program offer one-on-one counseling or group classes?
3. Do you have to follow a specific meal plan or keep food records?
4. Do you have to purchase special food, drugs, or supplements?
5. Does the program help you be more physically active, follow a specific physical activity plan, or provide exercise instruction?
6. Does the program teach you to make positive and healthy behavior changes?
7. Is the program sensitive to your lifestyle and cultural needs? What are the staff qualifications?
8. Who supervises the program?
9. What type of weight management training, experience, education, and certifications do the staff have? Does the product or program carry any risks?
10.Could the program hurt you?
11.Could the recommended drugs or supplements harm your health?
12.Do participants talk with a doctor?
13.Does a doctor run the program?
14.Will the program’s doctors work with your personal doctor if you have a medical condition such as high blood presure or are taking prescribed drugs?
15.How much does the program cost?
16.What is the total cost of the program?
17.Are there other costs, such as weekly attendance fees, food and supplement purchases, etc.?
18.Are there fees for a follow-up program after you lose weight?
19.Are there other fees for medical tests? What results do participants typically have?
20.How much weight does an average participant lose and how long does he or she keep the weight off?
21.Does the program offer publications or materials that describe what results participants typically have?

If you are interested in finding a weight-loss program near you, ask your health care provider for a referral or contact your local hospital.For additional, general information, contact:
Weight-control Information Network (WIN)1 WIN WayBethesda, MD 20892-3665Phone: (202) 828-1025Toll-free number: 1-877-946-4627FAX: (202) 828-1028Email: WIN@info.niddk.nih.gov

Additional Resources
Federal Trade CommissionConsumer Response Center600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20580Phone: (202) FTC-HELP (382-4357)Toll-free number: 1-877-382-4357Internet: www.ftc.gov/index.html

For the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) publication Weight Loss: Finding a Weight Loss Program that Works for You, go to http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/health/wgtloss.pdf.

For the FTC publication Weighing the Evidence in Diet Ads, go to www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/health/evidence.htm.

International Food Information Council Foundation1100 Connecticut Avenue, NWSuite 430Washington, DC 20036Phone: (202) 296-6540Internet: http://www.ific.org/

Weight-control Information Network
1 WIN WAYBethesda, MD 20892-3665Phone: (202) 828-1025Toll-free number: 1-877-946-4627FAX: (202) 828-1028Email: WIN@info.niddk.nih.govInternet: http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/

The Weight-control Information Network (WIN) is a national information service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is the Federal Government’s lead agency responsible for biomedical research on nutrition and obesity. Authorized by Congress (Public Law 103-43), WIN provides the general public, health professionals, the media, and Congress with up-to-date, science-based health information on weight control, obesity, physical activity, and related nutritional issues. Publications produced by WIN are reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside experts. This fact sheet was also reviewed by Susan Z. Yanovski, M.D., Director, Obesity and Eating Disorders Program and Co-Director, Office of Obesity Research, NIDDK.
This publication is not copyrighted. WIN encourages users of this fact sheet to duplicate and distribute as many copies as desired.

NIH Publication No. 03-3700May 2003Revised February 2006

Contact Us
Toll free: 1-877-946-4627 Fax: (202) 828-1028 E-mail: win@info.niddk.nih.govWeight-control Information Network, 1 WIN Way, Bethesda, MD 20892-3665nformation from

Next post will have special information for truckers on fitness and fit weight. Tell your trucker friends to watch for it.
Erwin Posner, R.Ph.
brownbagdiet.blogspot.com

Brown Bag Diet is in the news - See what they're saying

We're in the news.

I was interviewed and see what the Southfield Sun Newspaper has to say about the Brown Bag Diet.

The online version doesn't show the picture they took of me holding the book above but when the photographer came to shoot the photo he said everyone in the office wants to find out how the diet works. There is lots of interest out there and as I've been saying, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Together we can help each other lose the weight we want to lose.

You're local paper might want to hear of us also. Feel free to send them our blog site.

Erwin Posner, R.Ph.

Brownbagdiet.blogspot.com

I earlier posted the link to the newspaper story mentioned above. Several of you wrote to tell me they tried to use this link to sign on to the story but received an error message that says, Your blog time has expired. I apologize for the confusion.

To get to the story type C & G newspapers in a Google search window. After you get to the home page of the newspaper type Brown Bag Diet in the search window at the upper right of the page. This will bring you to a citation that says, "It's in the Bag and on his Blog". Click on this citation for the full text of the story.

Sorry for the confusion. Thanks for your patience.

Hear of the discovery of thef FAT virus? (virus not genes causes overeating)

Hear of the discovery of the FAT virus? (virus not genes causes overeating)



It would be nice if we could blame a virus for our eating habits. Then the pharmaceutical companies could work overtime to discover an anti- viral drug to combat the problem. While there is no such thing as a fat virus it wouldn't be a bad idea to assume there is. That way we could blame the virus and lose the guilt connected to overeating. We could take countermeasures in a rational and unemotional way. That would make things easier.



And what are the best countermeasure you ask? It's simple. The best countermeasure is to follow the principles of the Brown Bag Diet and watch the weight fall off. It's not a miracle. It's just plain good sense and solid advice, like following the watchword- .

I told you I would help you heighten your awareness and here's a few pointers.

First, remember it's OK to like food. Love it if you will, but be aware of your limits. Since you've already selected one of the diet programs to follow, it's time for you to study how much of each food group you're allowed under your plan. To see how much is allowed start measuring.

Check all the items of each food group your meal budget allows. Weigh, measure or count the number of ounces or slices etc. to precisely determine what your program allows. Be alert to evaluate your intake.

As the day progresses be aware of what, where, when and how much you've eaten. You'll need to be able to make a mental calculation of how much of each of these types of foods you have left to eat on you today's food budget.

Your heightened awareness will make it easier for you to handle your daily food temptations. Awareness is one of the most fundamental and important watchwords in this book.

Our program is getting attention from the press. I had a newspaper interview last week and on my next post I should be able to give you the web site for the news story on the Brown Bag Diet program.

Erwin Posner, R.Ph
brownbagdiet.blogspot.com

S.I. Swim Suit body diet? Mr. America Build diet? - Does BBD promise this?

S.I. Swim Suit body diet? Mr. America Build diet? - Does "BrownBagDiet" promise this?

No.

If you're overweight but you have the makings for a swimsuit model figure or a Mr. Muscles then the Brown Bag Diet can help you get back to your- magazine star- body looks. But most of us are happy just returning to our normal weight level. We're not seeking the body of a glamorous star. We want to be, like the motto says, "All that we can be". Why be anything less? Are you with me on this?

In my last post I discussed Learning the Watchword/Slogan system and I gave you the watchword AWARENESS. Now let's develop this.

In the course of normal activity we do most mundane acts in a rather routine way. That's probably true of eating as well. It's habitual. It's done with a minimum amount of thinking. It's almost mindless. We need to eat but we don't even know what we've eaten at our previous meal. In fact, exactly what, how much, when and where we've eaten has become fuzzy in our memory. We simply don't give it much thought. It has become so automatic for us to eat that our health may be at risk, our social life endangered and we just plain feel unwell (lousy). Our only saving grace is that we recognize that we have to unlearn the bad habits that got us to this point of being out of shape.

Because of lack of awareness we've lapsed into a process of over feeding ourselves. It's not that we engage in binge eating or have a regular "Feeding Frenzy". You see how lack of awareness has contributed to your current out of shape condition.

In my next post I'll continue by showing what you can do to heighten your awareness and reduce your temptation to over eat. In the meantime let me know what plan you chose and if you have started on it already. By the way, how are you doing?

Erwin Posner, R.Ph.
Brownbagdiet.blogspot.com

Free Weight Loss Program- never a charge to you at BrownBagDiet.blogspot.com

Free Weight Loss Program- never a charge to you at the BrownBagDiet.blogspot.com .

There are lots of programs out there and a lot of them bring you in with teasers and trials. It can be worth the money you spend if you lose weight and keep it off. But you can do as well or better with the Brown Bag Diet and it doesn't cost you anything online. At a later date you may wish to buy my book, "The Brown Bag Diet- Tips & Clues from the Pharmacist's Notebook" .

At this time we haven't decided what the pre-publication price will be and anyway you can get all the most important information FREE by following this blog.

Now we continue with "Learning the Watchword/Slogan system.

(To review- the patterns you develop by

Practicing this system can result in healthy benefits that can last a lifetime.)

By varying the use of these watchword/slogans, you refresh the images that stimulate you to remain faithful to your diet program. When the old stimulus wanes, using a new watchword/slogan as a stimulus gives you the boost you need to remain constant. Once you know the basics of your diet plan all you need to continue is a little reinforcement.

Visualize new watchwords weekly. See how they allow you to conjure up images that convey helpful information. These are the pictures that speak the thousands of words of the chapters. The images themselves describe fundamentals useful to you in following your weight loss program.

While there are many watchwords/slogans, you will note that there are only a few basic categories into which they fall. Oftentimes I use one or more watchword/slogan to describe other watchword/slogans. The redundancies are deliberate. A slightly different viewpoint or a new angle on the same subject can give the old subject freshness. And I continue to use the older watchword/slogans in succeeding chapters since they are interrelated.

Even if you slip backwards to old bad habits the watchwords and slogans will be reminders and help pull you back to compliance with the program that was designed to help you meet your weight goals.

Our online program is growing. To date I've been interviewed by the press and asked to discuss the novel aspects of the online version of Brown Bag Diet. Thank you for your help in publicizing this effort. It looks like we are making the kind of impression I was looking for.

I'm sure that together we will be losing lots of weight andwe'll be happy about that.

In the last post I told you I wouldn't keep you waiting and gave you the Watchword <Awareness>.

In the next post I will explore the implications of <awareness> and show you how using this tip will help you.

Erwin Posner R.Ph.

Brownbagdiet.blogspot.com

If you like Atkins diet you'll LOVE the BROWN BAG DIET

If you like the Atkins diet you'll LOVE the BROWN BAG DIET tips and clues.


Check out our posts because they are full of tips & clues to keep you on your Atkins or most any other diet program.

I wrote the book, "The BROWN BAG DIET - tips & clues from the pharmacist's notebook. I'm Erwin Posner and I am putting the most meaningful parts of my book on this blog so you can have an assist to be motivated to stay on Atkins or most any other standard diet you choose. Check my postings. It's free to you and great for your looks and health.



Do you have friends who need some extra motivation? Send them our blog address.

Erwin Posner, R.Ph.
brownbagdiet.blogspot.com

According to the Tuscaloosa News the Alabama Hospital Association and the Alabama State Department of Health also has a weight loss challenge

The Alabama Hospital Association and the Alabama State Department of Health are re-launching a weight loss program for this New Year. Our one to three million pound weight loss challenge is really taking off.

In my last post we discussed the device that Ben Franklin used to make a decision. I pointed out that it's not enough to come to your decision intellectually. To be successful you need to have an emotional commitment to lose weight. This will give you the power, strength and fortitude you need when dieting times turn a little tough.

Now let's see hour the watchword/slogan system works to keep you on track for the long term on your program. Let me start by giving you one of our primary watchwords -

I gave you this watchword to keep your interest high but I really need to show you how this will help by teaching you the watchword system.

Most segments in this book contain at least one watchword or slogan. These watchwords or slogans represent easy to remember themes that describe a principle or tip or clue. They are something to help you visualize in order to help you stay on track as you follow your diet program.

The watchword is supposed to make you raise your guard against forces that would otherwise increase your susceptibility to temptation. Likewise the slogan makes clear one of the fundamental elements that need to be controlled at mealtime as you practice new health eating patters. These patterns will develop into good habits that will have benefits that can last a lifetime.

Lack of sensible portion control was illustrated in the movie, "Super-size me" where the main character showed what eating the super size for every meal at a fast food restaurant would do to him. Of course this was an exaggeration but what we now think of as normal portions has escalated. This is very clearly demonstrated on a National Institute of Health site called "Portion Distortion". This is the link to that site quiz: http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/portion/ .
Go to the site and take the quiz. I think you'll be amazed by the facts that are demonstrated.

On the next post I will conclude the lesson on Learning the Watchword/Slogan system and we will find out the true value of being alert while we eat .

We will also explore who else is running a weight loss challenge programs. One thing we can all agree on is that in North America there is a spirit of competitiveness. We're going to harness that spirit each of us to get into better shape and better health.

We will continue to see who else is challenging us and themselves to lose weight and we'll try to find some programs in your area in order to give you more resources to help you succeed.

Thank you all for recruiting readers for our blog.
Erwin Posner, R.Ph.
brownbagdiet.blogspot.com

Another 1 million pound challenge - from Oklahoma City, OK. We'll join together with you and up the challenge to 2 million pounds.

Last month I announced our 1 million pound weight loss challenge and it seems to really be taking off. According to the Associated press today the Mayor of Oklahoma City wants the residents of his city to lose 1 million pounds. Good luck, Mr. Mayor. Just for some friendly and healthy competition, we'll up our challenge to 2 million pounds.

The Associated Press says, "(Mayor) Mick Cornett has challenged the city (Oklahoma City, OK), to shed 1 million pounds as its New Year's resolution". Mayor Cornett said, "It's always easier if you're doing something hard if you have other people to do it with". That's what I've been saying on this blog. But I go one step further. I offer the tips & clues to help you get to your goal.

So let's continue with the Brown Bag Diet methodology. So far we have discussed the theory, told the secret and reviewed some popular weight loss programs. You started on your program either at once or as soon as possible and we all decided to take up the challenge to lose at least one pound (for a total challenge of 1 million pounds- now raised to 2 million) .

Now we are going to see our first WATCHWORD which is MAKING A COMMITMENT.

We began with the hard part. Even though you understand where you are in this process you probably still need help. Intellectually you started. But emotionally you to need to convince yourself that this time your efforts will result in reaching your long term weight loss goal and keeping those pounds off.

Here's a tip developed by Benjamin Franklin who was not only one of our founding fathers but also America's first self made millionaire. Yes, he was smart.

When Franklin was faced with a difficult decision he resorted to his "Franklin Decision-Maker".
He took a blank piece of paper and drew a vertical line down the middle. He put all the positives on the left, the negatives on the right. This way he could visualize the facts he needed to make a decision. Of course you already know you need to diet and you know most of the important reasons but because of human nature we all need to absorb those facts internally to satisfy our emotions.

To help get to the commitment stage of your decision to get your weight under control, try this exercise. Draw a line down a piece of blank paper. Put all the reasons for starting a weight loss program on the left. Put the reasons for not starting on the right. You'll be able to visualize the arguments for and against making a commitment to get yourself in shape. I'll give you a start.
(Instead of right & left here I'll state the positives first, followed by the negatives)

THE BEN FRANKLIN DECISION MAKER
(helps you decide to make the commitment)

Positives
1. Fit in my clothes next season
2. Improve my health
3. Improve my looks
4. Improve my confidence
5. Help me get a promotion
6. Make me a chick/boy magnet

(add your own reasons)

Negatives
1. It's not easy
2. I enjoy good food too much
3. I'm not too fat- I'm under tall
4. I enjoy painful knees and hips
5. All my friends are fat
6. I like the sound of heavy breathing
when I go up stairs.

Add you own reasons.

OK Brown Baggers. Let's welcome the mayor of Oklahoma City and all his fellow Oklahoma Cityians. We're glad to have you aboard. I hope reading this blog will help you have an easier time reaching your goals. Together we can lose at least a 2 million or maybe even 3 million pounds. That's a lot of improvement in the health of a great number of people.

Next post I will continue with the watchword system and give the two most important watchwords of Brown Bag Dieting.

Continue recruiting so we can reach our weight loss goals together. Pass the Brownbagdiet.blogspot.com link to all you contacts.

Erwin Posner, R.Ph.

I LOST MY POUND. NOW I CHALLENGE THE REST OF YOU 999,999 PEOPLE TO MATCH ME SO WE CAN TOGETHER LOSE A MILLION POUNDS

I LOST MY ONE POUND. NOW I CHALLENGE THE REST OF YOU 999,999 PEOPLE TO MATCH ME. TOGETHER WE'RE GOING TO LOSE A MILLION POUNDS.

It wasn't hard but it wasn't easy either. I was determined I would eat three proper meals today but I would also be careful of the size of the meals (portion control) and I would refrain from snacking. Snacking is a place where I can really break down. But I was determined that at least for today I would keep the handcuffs on so I wouldn't be able to reach into the bag of chips or any other snacks.

TODAY WAS THE BEGINNING FOR ME!!! LET'S SEE WHY.

You may ask, why start today?
Why not start sometime -

after the holidays
after the wedding
after graduation
after graduation
after vacation
after the prom?

It sounds reasonable to begin a program of weight loss when you don't have to deal with the temptations of holidays or the stress of dealing with new situations. On the other hand:

You are reading this NOW
You are now in the present
You know you should do it
You want to do it
Your motivation is strong.

Should you begin a program when things are whirling about in your life or should you wait until things calm down? There are two ways of looking at this. Before I let another moment go I'm going to cast my vote. I vote for NOW.

Later in this book I'll suggest that stress and uncertainty should be avoided when on a diet, but I think the arguments favoring starting a weight loss program immediately are really potent. Your decision to defer starting for a better time may be valid for you but for me TODAY is great. When I wake up tomorrow I'm going to feel great that I got off to a good start today.

I'm going to succeed. So will you.

(Next post I'm going to show you how one of America's greatest and most respected thinkers was able to make important commitments to programs that would change both his and your life for the better.) Tune in for the next post and keep recruiting followers for our blog:

http//brownbagdiet.blogspot.com

Erwin H. Posner, R.Ph.