The Duke Diet: How They Will Help You Lose

Think Big To Get Small
In this MDM exclusive, Dr. Eisenson shares some of the behavioral strategies that can help you stay in the weight-loss game through thick and thin.

• Be Realistic - Accept the fact that the process of weight loss is fairly slow. It's slower than most people might like. If you're losing a pound or two a week, then you're doing well. Commit to weighing yourself daily. Record your weight. You'll start to appreciate the process of weight loss - how unpredictable and erratic it can be. You may be "good" for two or three days and not be rewarded with a loss.
You'll see a lot of ups and downs. When people get bored or fatigued on a diet, they often stop getting on the scale. We ask people to commit to that and chart their weight, no matter what else is going on. This makes them not as likely to lose focus.
• Anticipate the fact that slips will happen. The idea is to prevent a lapse from turning into a relapse. The body tends to fight against weight loss and resist. People should understand it's not a failure of the diet. That way they'll be less likely to throw in the towel. We ask people to shift their focus to weight maintenance. If you've lost 10 percent of your weight, this reinforces the habits that got you to this point. You may find the weight starts to come off again.
• Give up all-or-nothing thinking - You can go on or off a diet, but if you're on a life plan, you don't go on or off a life. Reconceptualize yourself as a person who incorporates activity in their daily life and is thoughtful of what they put in their mouth instead of thinking of yourself as someone who never eats a forbidden food.
• Change your lifestyle - It's not easy asking people to reassess their priorities. Look at where you put your energy, who you spend your time with or don't spend your time with. To facilitate that kind of change, it requires some deep reflection. Reflect on your life more broadly. Some problems and issues come from other sources. Make sure that the people you surround yourself with are bringing some positive to your life and not the opposite.