If you want something done right, go ahead and create it yourself...
So here, in essence, is my very simple but so far extremely successful diet plan. I have no idea whether it will work for you, but it works for me just fine and its essence is simplicity.
A little background... why diet? Why now? Though I have tried before, I think I was doing it for all the wrong reasons. I wanted to look better or feel better... but for what? What motivation did I have other than as some form of ego boost? Here, I think, is where I made the biggest difference. There is a direct correlation between my diet plan and the reason behind my diet.
In November, I'm going to Disneyland. And the simple fact of the matter is, I did not feel capable of walking around Disneyland, much less taking on all of those stress-inducing rides. And I REALLY want to take on all those stress-inducing rides. But I don't want my heart or head to explode in the process. So, it is time to diet.
And here is my plan... I get one point for each good meal I eat. I don't define good meal because I know what that means for me. It might mean something different for you and that definition might even change through time. Because in the past, following various diets, I've found ways around the essence of the diet plan by using the diet's rules to eat things that I wouldn't consider good or healthy (because the rules said I could... see, right here, there's nothing that prevents me from eating this Double Cheeseburger... you get the drift). This way, the definition is locked in my head purposefully vague. I know what's good for me and I know what's bad, and the decision then becomes mine as to whether I eat well or not. I get no points if I don't eat a meal. And I get -1 points for each bad meal (or snack) that I eat. Simple. I can still have that Double Cheeseburger if I so desire, but it's gonna cost me a hard-earned point.
Further, I get one point for every fifteen minutes of exercise I do. This must be extra-curricular exercise (or as I phrase it, planned, out of the ordinary, exercise.) So, if I take three 15 minute walks every day, that's 3 points. If I don't do any exercise in a day, that's -1 point (which is where the planned, out of the ordinary part comes in - since, unless you're in a coma, you're likely to do some sort of movement during the day, but unless its specifically planned as exercise, it doesn't count). This, of course, means that I could go for an 8 hour hike and earn 32 points in one day... but if I could hike for 8 hours, I certainly can walk around Disneyland and do all the stressy rides, so I'm not worried about destroying my point curve.
Other things include sleep: 8 hours gives me a point, less than 6 hours takes a point, and other bad for you things like smoking or heavy drinking. As I come up with other things, I'll probably add them to the list. But simplicity is the issue.
Now, as to what the points are used for, I decided to not make them cheap. The idea is to trade off the points for things you can do. This is sort of a realistic approach to determining what your body will be able to handle when it comes time for the trip.
I decided that it costs 50 points just to be able to walk around Disneyland all day long (not including rides nor food). Multiply that by four days, and I now have to earn 200 points just to be able to have my feet stay underneath me. I think this might be overkill, but I don't want to hobble around Disneyland, I want to walk!
I then assigned a point value to each of the rides. It costs 10 points for the most stress-inducing rides (roller coasters, Tower of Terror, etc...). 5 points for each of the other E-Ticket rides (if only for the long lines themselves). 4 points for D Tickets. 3 Points for C Tickets, etc... So like the old ticket books of old, you can take your points and divide them up amongst the rides that you think you're likely to ride. For the old Maxi Book of Tickets, it would require you to have... 5 E-Tickets (we'll call it 35 points because realistically you weren't going to get more than 2 roller coasters in on any given day), 4 D-Tickets (16 points), 3 C Tickets (9 points) 2 B Tickets (4 points) and 1 A Ticket (1 point) for a total of 65 points a day. That brings each days total to 115 points without food. Fortunately, we've already decided that it costs 3 points for 3 bad meals and an additional 1 point for each snack. I can eat my way through Disneyland and still be okay.
How has this worked out for me so far... I have been really trying hard to maximize my points. I've been eating Breakfast every day since I started the plan. I have only gone out for fast food twice (both as a matter of necessity, not out of desire). I have been mostly keeping to my 8 hours of sleep each night. And I have been exercising as much as I possibly can. For instance, this weekend I went to Muir Woods and hiked for an hour. And then I went location scouting yesterday for at least a half hour (I didn't have my watch with me... but it was AT LEAST a half hour and probably more). I'm already planning how I'm going to get my exercise in this weekend when I'm in Ashland, Oregon.
Is my plan too simple? Probably. But it's also hard to deceive. I'm only accountable to myself - so there's no real way I can cheat. If I cheat, I'm only robbing myself at Disneyland since that's the only goal I'm really interested in at this point.
As for what happens after I return from Disneyland in November... well, there's always Disney World in 2014.
Anyway... this may have been convoluted and crazy talk and you may be naturally skeptical as to whether it will work and in what level I'll be able to maintain it, but it sure beats another blog post about politics, doesn't it?
