The Phase 1 ‘Stay In the Box through Year End’ Challenge

Anyone in Phase 1 knows that there can be many opportunities to break the diet every week. As the year-end holidays approach, somehow those opportunities seem to multiply. Candy, cookies, holiday parties, people bringing food into the office, and then there’s that eat-only-once-a-year food. Somehow that Green Bean casserole actually sounds good!

So, not only may you be asking yourself “Do I eat just this once, or do I stay in the box?” but you can make it even worse by thinking that somehow you’ll eat off the diet and still lose weight. It’s easy to fall into this dieter’s trap – where somehow you’ll eat off the diet and still manage to lose a few pounds.

The fact is those who stay “in the box” have a virtual guarantee of losing weight. Period. Those who don’t will likely struggle.

So, here’s HMR’s challenge to everyone in Phase 1: Stay “in the box” 100% over the year-end holidays. Let’s take a look at how you might do that without feeling like you’re depriving yourself.

First: Your commitment to stay “in the box” means doing something active to bring that about. It’s not a willpower thing, it’s a “here’s the 2-3 things I am committed to do” thing. So, to stay “in the box” you’ll need to do as many of the following as possible.

1. If you are attending an HMR clinic, weekly attendance needs to be a top priority.
2. Take all your shakes and entrees (plus vegetables and fruits if you’re on Healthy Solutions^®) every day no matter what. Hint: Go for shakes made in a blender, cereal made with ¾ cup water, and entrees with 2 or more cups of vegetables (if they’re on your diet). The fuller you are, the easier it gets!
3. Recognize that the year-end holidays, and the days following, can be challenging, and use More Is Better™ to stay full enough to stay “in the box.” If you’d like some ideas on how to do this, take a look at the Support Pages here.
4. You can enjoy some of the flavors of the holidays, and still stay in the box. Try some of these recipes for holiday treats.
   
   Decision-Free^® and Healthy Solutions^® Recipes
   Risotto Latkes
   Creamy Eggnog
   Vermont Hot Cereal
   HMR Stuffing
   Candy Cane Shake
   Savory Chicken Stew
   Double Chocolate Mousse
   Hot Peppermint Mocha
   

   Healthy Solutions Recipes
   Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Shake
   Green Bean with Risotto Casserole
   Spicy Mushroom Risotto Latkes
   Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
    

5. Staying active over the holidays can make a big difference. If you’d like some ideas on how to do this, take a look at the Support Pages here.

Second: Getting support, sharing ideas, and hearing from others can be critical, especially during this challenging time. We have a very active, supportive online community that does just that. If you are looking to make a public commitment to stay “in the box,” have ideas or recipes to share, or would like ideas from others about challenging situations, please join us here:

HMRdiet Forum:  Phase 1 Challenge

We would love to hear from you, no matter what day it is. Come join the “‘In the Box’ Through Year End” forum discussion now, and join ranks with others committed to losing weight over the holidays. You’ll be glad you did!
 

by KeithVanGasken on 12/15/2011 | Share Story With a Friend

tags: Weight-Loss, HMR, Recipes, Diet Tools, motivation, in the box, planning, strategies, holidays