Losing weight with the Beck method.

This course teaches you how to avoid breaking rules, how to resist tempting food.
even if it is right in front of you, how to deal with hunger, food cravings, stress, and strong emotions
negative emotions without turning to food for comfort. You will discover what is essential.
to follow a successful diet by changing your way of thinking.
Losing weight with the Beck method is a psychological program, not a diet program.
dietetic (does not tell you what to eat: you can choose any diet with caloric intake)
balanced and reasonable that includes healthy and nutritious foods) based on the principles of
cognitive therapy, according to which a person's way of thinking affects how they
The therapy helps you to identify sabotaging thoughts and...
respond effectively, so you will feel better and be able to behave productively.
For example, let's say you have the thought 'I'm hungry'. If you then have sabotaging thoughts (like...
It's terrible... I can't stand it... I must eat!
you will be held back by food. On the contrary, if you contrast your thinking with the answers
It's all right... I will eat in a couple of hours... I can wait...
a greater control and you will move on to carry out another activity.
The psychological strategies presented in this book will help you in many ways. You will learn
how to resist the urge to overeat when faced with cravings
food, to hunger, to stress, to social pressures, and to a myriad of other problems. You will learn to
follow your diet and your exercise program no matter what happens. You will learn
to think like a slim person. These strategies require training and patience, but
Over time they will become automatic, you will reach a point where you will react differently.
in front of the food you shouldn't eat. Instead of saying 'I wish I could eat it' and feeling
sad, or "It's not fair that I can't eat it" and feel unhappy, you will automatically say:
“I am so happy that I am not eating it.” At some point you will go from “I hate having to
depriving myself of something
Path day by day with consistency and determination. You can do it!

Task of the first day

Take a card and write down all the reasons why you want to lose weight, the things
that will give you satisfaction and the advantages you will gain from the diet. The spheres involved may
being sentimental relationships, work, friendships, family, health, your hobbies, the
your relationship with your body, or more generally everything that drives you to want
lose weight. Next to each advantage, you must write the degree of importance of each single one.
you from your list (somewhat important, important or very important). This card the
you should keep it in your wallet or agenda so that you always have it with you and you should
read it EVERY day at least TWICE A DAY at set times, or when
You get hungry outside of meal times or when you are tempted by some food that you cannot eat.
(you will have to ask yourselves if that little momentary satisfaction, which will then give you feelings
blaming you and making you lose confidence in yourselves is more important than the advantages
from your list). Create reminders to remember to do it, like sticking post-its in
I walk around the house, set the alarm on the phone to ring at the times you have decided, write it down.
in your signature on the forum, put it as a desktop on the computer, stick it to the fridge or to
mobile you have to hold the bread or the cookies (this reminder is also a task, so
think of something that suits you). Every time you read it, you will have to pause to
think about the degree of importance that each advantage has for you, in order to always motivate yourself
more.
The importance of this task lies in the fact that one of our huge problems is
Inconsistency. So many times we have tried to diet, we start off enthusiastic and full of good intentions.
we have intentions, but little by little we let ourselves go, we lose our drive and allow our desires to
take over, nullifying all the effort made up to that moment. This is because
we lose sight of the reasons why we want to lose weight, and that is why the first
the task is very important, we must keep reminding ourselves of these motivations so much that
to learn them by heart.
Task for the second day:

On the second day you need to choose two balanced diets. In fact, we have our diet.
It has already been chosen and we are already doing it, but it is essential to have a backup diet, because in
If the one we are following does not yield the expected results, we will not mourn too much.
We often feel like failures or think that we will never succeed. Without distressing ourselves.
we will move on to the next diet... As far as I'm concerned, I am following the calibrated DR
I have full and continuous updates that I consider reserve diets, moreover I have the diet from the dietician.
It is a very old diet given to me by a dietician many years ago (but this last diet is very...
rigid and I know that I wouldn't be able to follow it for too long).

In choosing a diet, it is important to keep in mind that overly restrictive diets can
slowing down the metabolism thus slowing the rate of weight loss, it has also been verified
that these types of diets lead to rapid weight loss (in the initial part of the diet), in
In reality, the decrease is due to the loss of body fluids and not to a reduction in fat. Furthermore
following an extremely low-calorie diet is very difficult to maintain in the long run
period and research show that all those who lose weight in this way it
they quickly regain.

The diet should be healthy and balanced, as you will have to follow it for a long time.
time and it is therefore necessary to choose one that promotes good health.

Choose a diet that includes foods you like and that you can cook.
easily.

Choose a flexible diet, as you will have to follow it in different situations, when you go to
dinner out, on vacation, at business breakfasts, during trips and on other special occasions.

Choose a diet that allows you to balance some

indulgences. Probably a diet that totally bans your favorite foods will lead you,
sooner or later, by desiring them intensely, it is therefore advisable to modify the diet by introducing
in the program of the small planned indulgences, that is, scheduled periodically IN
I anticipate a transgression that includes a small portion of the 'foods that cannot be'
to eat
Task of the third day:

The task of the third day is to learn to eat while sitting at the table, because those who
Like us, he cannot resist food, often has the habit of nibbling here and there, tasting.
while preparing meals, take something from the fridge when we open it to get something else,
and so on... In the end, the calories add up. This task is very important because it makes us
truly aware of everything we eat. Most of the food that
Eating while standing is impulsive eating, not food that has been planned to eat.
while when you sit down you make a conscious decision to eat.
You will feel even more satisfied because starting to eat while standing, when then
you will sit and see less food on the table and this might make you feel more deprived,
while you see in front of you the whole portion of your meal you will be visually more
satisfied. When you eat standing up, you may feel physically full as if you had
eaten while sitting, but you won't feel equally satisfied on a psychological level.
tasting, chewing, and swallowing food gives you a certain degree of satisfaction, but you also
need for visual satisfaction, you have to get the most out of every bite.
Many people who have followed this path have reported that learning to
eating while sitting has been the key to their success in weight loss and in
maintenance of the achieved weight.

Day four task: Recognizing merit

People who are on a diet often tend to be very harsh on themselves. When the
it happens to transgress, instead of seeing slips as mistakes and thinking about how to
to avoid when they reappear, they tell themselves that they are weak, without hope or
even bad people. To counter this tendency to focus on things
Negative, what do we do, it's important that we learn to recognize the merit of everything right.
What do we do.
Start by saying 'well done!' every time you sit down to eat or read the
your answer sheet on the advantages or that you will complete a new task that the
The program provides. By consciously recognizing your merit, you will strengthen your self-confidence
and the awareness that you are strong and that you can have the situation under control. When
overeating or eating in an unplanned way, you may begin to feel powerless,
when you recognize the merit every time you do something good, instead, you can
to consider these slips more easily as temporary mistakes and not as
shocking events and eliminate the sense of despair.
You will be able to recognize your merit in the form of a word or a short phrase spoken.
silently, like:
Okay!
It went well.
Fantastic!
Alright!
Credit is due for this.
Yes!
I did it!
Recognize your merit whenever you engage in healthy eating behavior.
productive (create and read the advantages sheet and any other sheet that the program
foresee, eat sitting down, choose two diets, recognize your sabotaging thoughts and
being able to respond effectively to these thoughts, etc.), but also every time you
hindered from engaging in unproductive behaviors (eating while wandering around)
standing, eating second portions, taking free samples at the supermarket, eating
the pastries that someone brought to work, etc...)
Set reminders for yourself to acknowledge your worth, maybe by writing the word
Write on sticky notes that you will then place in strategic points where you know you will see them.
(fridge, dashboard, planner, screensaver...). Take out your diet notebook one or two
Go back to the day and note how many positive behaviors you have demonstrated, for each behavior.
You can also insert a coin into a box after following the diet for a
a certain period of time that you establish in advance, you can withdraw these coins and
adding the missing part to give you something you usually deprive yourselves of (obviously
non food In this way, you will reward your positive behaviors encouraging them and you will
you will recognize the merit.
Task of the fifth day: Learn to eat slowly and mindfully

There are two great advantages to always eating slowly and paying particular attention
pay attention to what you eat:
when you eat slowly, you give your brain time to register the feeling of fullness
when you pay attention and savor every bite, you feel more satisfied when the food is
fine
Many studies have shown that people eat less when they eat slowly.
If you usually eat quickly, switching to a slower pace could
initially seem unnatural and you may need to implement strategies to
remember to slow down the pace until it becomes spontaneous for you.
To remind you to slow down the pace, you can change some objects that you keep on the
table, to put a vase on the table, or some other object in front of your plate in a way
that every time you see it, you will remember to eat more slowly.
If this trick is not enough, you can set the kitchen timer and have it go off every
3 minutes, when it rings stop for 10 seconds and then continue remembering to go.
piano.
Take sips of water every few bites.
Pay attention to your body, look for the signs that indicate you are reaching
satiety and slow down the pace.
Look at the clock at the beginning and at the end of the meal, then note it down in your notebook.
Diet or a post-it with the time you took and try to extend it to the next meal.

Try to derive maximum satisfaction from food by concentrating on what you are eating.
eating, tasting the flavor of every bite, paying attention to the aroma and the
the consistency of everything you eat, eat in a relaxed atmosphere, try to reduce the
distractions.

Task of the sixth day: Find a coach

Few people manage to follow a diet over time while maintaining the achieved weight.
without the help and encouragement of another person. Studies show that having
someone who supports you increases your chances of success, a flesh-and-blood person
a person to talk to, someone you appreciate and trust.
The tasks of your coach are as follows:
Keep yourself motivated. Give them a copy of your response sheet on the benefits.
when you are about to give in to an intense food craving (sabotaging thought) turn to
to your coach, who can help you remember why it is worth making all the efforts
necessary.
Building self-confidence. Your coach can ensure that you recognize your worth.
for the good things you do and when you transgress and think you can't make it, you may remember everything
what you have done and learned up to that moment.
Help you solve problems. From time to time you will encounter obstacles that you
It will be difficult to stick to this program. Turn to your coach and get help.
in solving the problem. Two heads are better than one!
Empower yourselves. This is a fundamental component of the program, because knowing
having to account to someone for your progress can motivate you to stick to your
diet plan.
Help you to adopt more productive perspectives. When you consider the
the possibility of not following your diet, think among yourselves 'What would the coach say now?'.
This can help you better adhere to the program.

Choose a coach now, whether it's a friend or family member, or sign up for a
weight loss group organized by non-profit organizations, or by consulting a professional or on
a support group for weight loss created on the internet. Now you might think you don't have
need this figure, but when difficult moments come and you feel discouraged
In short, when you need it the most, you won't feel like looking for a coach, so
you have to find it first!
Set regular appointments with your coach (preferably face-to-face) at least once
once a week, if necessary twice.
You will speak:
of the weight variation recorded during the week (it is not necessary to declare the
your weight
the successes achieved during the week, mentioning everything for which you deserve trust and
Praise your coach so they can positively reinforce you.
-of the battles you faced during the past week that have undermined the
your diet (food cravings, diet obstacles, stressful events). Ask the coach to help you
to find ways to manage future setbacks and obstacles. Share your thoughts
saboteurs and ask for help on how to respond positively.
Contact him at key moments, when:
you find yourselves in high-risk situations where you fear breaking the diet (e.g. a
party) and try to understand together which strategies you need to use
You have strayed from the diet. Discuss how to get back on track, you will have
need especially if you are hypercritical of yourself and experience it as a failure.
Make phone calls or send emails daily as you have been fighting hard to bring
go ahead with your diet (some people can only stick to a diet if they know they have to)
account at the end of the day for what they have eaten - here with food diaries it doesn't
run away... or if you are struggling to complete the daily tasks that this
the program provides.

Over time, all your battles will become easier and you will not have to
always depend on your coach.

TASK OF THE SEVENTH DAY: ADAPT YOUR ENVIRONMENT

To avoid always having the discouraged foods for the diet in sight, store them on a shelf.
hardly reachable from the cupboard or in the freezer. Do not keep food in the car.
In the office. Out of sight, out of mind is a great policy at this moment.
Reorganize the house and the workplace by keeping tempting foods out of reach.
hand.
If the sabotaging thought comes to you "if the changes are seen, I will have to tell everyone that I am at
"diet" and what if I fail, how will I look?
consider that 1) you don't have to necessarily say that you are on a diet but that you want
feed you
in a healthier way 2) whatever happens if they have a positive idea of you they will continue to
to knock her out
They will think it's better to have tried to be on a diet rather than not having attempted it at all.
Changes at home
Eliminate all the temptations, throw away the food or store it on the most inconvenient shelves.
fridge with freezer
Rearrange plates and utensils so that you have small plates at hand and not a large bowl.
for the ice cream
Try to obtain the cooperation of those who live with you to keep things out of sight.
for example, ask your loved ones if they can consume sweets outside the home
or they can buy single portions of chips, sweets, etc. put them in a box and
put them back in the broom closet.
At work
If you have colleagues who bring sweets to share at the office, ask them to instead display them on the
they put them inside a shelf pointing out to others with a nice label where they are if they
they want.
Ask for healthier food in the cafeteria.
In the meantime, consider a compromise like taking a
small portion of food and save it for other moments of the day when not
You will be tempted to eat more.
For example, choose a snack from the vending machine to eat once a week.
or if they offer cookies, wrap one up and eat it at home as an evening snack at
place of the fruit.
SECOND WEEK.

Welcome to the second week of the Beck program. By the end of this week, you will be
more equipped to start the diet (in our case to continue it ) than it does not
Have you ever been before? Are you beginning to think that this time will be different? Are you starting to
to understand why this time you will be able to lose excess weight and not regain it
More? Now you understand the importance of using cognitive therapy techniques to
to help you follow the diet and adopt good eating habits? It is the difference in
your way of thinking that is allowing you to make changes
permanent in your eating habits.
How did the first week go? Did you complete all the tasks scheduled for each day?
day?
The techniques of cognitive therapy that you will discover during the second week are designed
to make the initial weeks of the diet go as smoothly as possible. As soon as you learn these
additional skills, you can be sure that this time you will succeed.

Eighth day: Find the time and energy.

Being on a diet requires a commitment that goes beyond eating differently. To be on a

diet we need time to plan meals, buy food, prepare meals
provided by the diet, eat slowly, practice physical activity, read our schedules
answers. All of this requires strength of spirit and mental energy, especially if it is
when sabotaging thoughts creep in. If you are like most people, the
Your days may already be very busy due to work and responsibilities.
family members, household chores, social events, and other commitments, so don't you think that
Time and energy will miraculously become available. It is necessary for you to reorganize.
your time to diet. This can also mean reducing, delegating, or eliminating
some tasks and activities.
The first step of this process is to understand how much time you need.
to follow the diet (at least until it becomes a routine). Try to understand
how long will it take in a day for:
plan the meals
buy the food you need
prepare the meals
sit and consume meals slowly
to engage in physical activity
complete the tasks that the program requires

Now put in black and white the program of a typical weekday and weekends.
type that you do not work in. Try to include in your daily schedules all those
necessary activities for the successful outcome of the diet, even delegating certain tasks to someone else,
adapting your habits to these new activities. If your commitments are very
Fitti, create a priority sheet where you will include the activities you carry out during the
day based on the priority level of these activities, delegating to others or reducing them
less important in case the time you have is not enough to complete all the
your commitments.
Ninth day: choose a physical activity program.
The long-term success of a diet also depends on engaging in physical activity.
regular.

Physical activity helps you stick to the diet while you exercise you are determined
more and more to succeed and go all the way.
Physical activity can help control appetite
Physical activity is good for mood and reduces stress, especially if you eat like
response to anxiety and other negative emotions.
Physical activity burns calories. Muscles burn calories faster than
It usually continues to burn even after the exercise is finished until the muscle readjusts.
Physical activity preserves muscle tissue. When losing weight, one loses
fat and muscle tissue but physical activity helps to preserve muscle so yes
loses mostly fat.
Physical activity strengthens self-confidence.
Physical activity makes you feel better physically. The more you exercise, the more you
it will strengthen the heart, the lungs, and other muscles. It also improves sleep and
so you will feel more energy upon waking up.
Physical activity improves health. Reduces the risk of diseases such as cancer.
diabetes and heart conditions.

Before starting a sports activity program, consult your doctor regarding it.
sport you intend to do and your state of health.

Engage in two types of physical activities: spontaneous and planned.

Spontaneous activity:
get off the elevator first and take the last floor on foot and then increase with the
last two, three etc.
get off the bus first and walk or park the car far away.
 if you live in a two-story house do not accumulate things to take upstairs in one
travel alone but take more trips.
Planned activity:

Choose an activity that you enjoy and that doesn't bore you because you will have to do it for a long time.
start at a reasonable level and if you have been sedentary start with 5 minutes a day and
increase as you go along.

If you have issues with small children, exercise by playing with them or do a baby swap.
babysit with other parents or stay home with a DVD.
If you don't have time, schedule physical activity in your agenda and perhaps eliminate other tasks.
Consider taking on some other commitments to get up earlier in the morning.

self-sabotaging thought: I am too busy to exercise

Useful answer: physical activity must be a priority if I had to do it to survive.
I would find the time!! I must not deceive myself by thinking that physical activity is optional.

Write down your physical activity commitments.

Tenth day: Set a realistic goal.
Do not set a goal that is too challenging or that requires a lot of time to achieve.
It is natural to want to set a long-term goal, but we still do not know if what
you have established is reasonable for you.
Set a short-term goal of losing 2 kg.
You are likely to want to lose more, so when you have lost the first 2, establish a
new goal of 2 kg. and so on. every time you lose 2 kg, celebrate.
consider rewarding yourself in a way that is not related to food. Treat yourself to something.
what you have desired for a while, a massage, a tennis lesson, etc.
It is important to celebrate small successes along the way and not wait until
you have not lost all the necessary weight to feel good compared to your efforts.

The rhythm at which one should lose weight should be 'the slower, the better'. During the first
Next week the loss will be more evident because it will mostly be water loss not
It will always be this way, so do not get discouraged moving forward. There are no benefits in loss.
fast weight loss because by introducing less food, the body slows down the metabolism to protect itself from
deterioration.
Specialists agree on the measure of 1/2 kg - 1 kg per week. but it will be fine.
an average of three hundred grams a week.

Self-sabotaging thought: losing only half a kg to one kg per week is too little!
useful answer: what importance will the time that was taken have in a few years? I must remember to
myself because it is important to lose weight slowly. my long-term success depends
from this.

Write down your commitments.

Eleventh day: distinguish hunger from the desire to eat and the cravings for food.
Are you sure you can notice the difference when you're really hungry (when you haven't eaten for several hours and
the stomach is empty), desire to eat (not particularly hungry but one can see some
food around) craze for food (physiological and emotional impulses to eat)?
Today's task will help you discover when you are truly hungry so you can say:
Ok, I finished the planned food for this meal and I'm still hungry... but that's okay.
... it takes my brain 20 minutes to send the message of fullness to my body....
I will wait 20 minutes.
Or "ok I am hungry it's not a big problem I'll eat again in.......so many hours"
Here is an opportunity to strengthen the muscle of resistance.
 Or "I'm hungry, I want to eat more... but I won't do it". The muscle of
do not give in.
Monitor hunger
You haven't eaten for many hours and you really feel hungry (empty in the stomach)
accompanied by grumbling and hunger
You had a hearty meal but continued to eat more.
(this is the desire to eat)
You have a very strong urge to eat accompanied by tension and a
sensation of craving in the mouth, in the throat, and in the body. This is a mania for food.
Choose a day and fill out a hunger monitoring form by writing the
sensations you experience before the meal, during, after the meal and 20 minutes later
end of the meal.
In the schema, report the sensations and next to it, give a score to the hunger you feel from 0 to
10.
Be careful of your thoughts, do you want to eat more? do you feel a physical sensation in you
stomach? Is it more in the mouth or in the throat? Do you want to eat a particular food? Or would it work
good any food (which would mean that you are still hungry). Write everything in the
[Link] a day in which you will have paid attention to the sensations of your body
You will be able to distinguish better between being hungry and not being hungry. If you are not sure, you can repeat.
the experiment.
Twelfth day: Practice tolerating hunger
You have learned to distinguish between hunger, the desire to eat, and cravings for food. The task of
today is a bit harder: you must learn to tolerate hunger.
Some, regarding this exercise, declare that they are not worried, it's just that they do not want to.
to be hungry, in some way they are anxious because they do not know if they are able to tolerate or not
hunger.
The sensation of hunger can appear as an emergency, all attention is focused on
discomfort of hunger and when and where food can be found. One starts to think about not
being able to bear feeling that way. If you have had these feelings it's important
learn that you can endure hunger. When you convince yourselves of this, hunger will not be
a problem so big. Will you be able to wait to eat, to shift the attention to
Another thing is that hunger pangs will gradually decrease. Hunger comes and goes. Choose.
a day that suits you and you deliberately try to skip a meal (only if you don't have
health problems e.g. diabetes). This will help you understand that hunger is not an emergency.

Without a doubt, it is not always essential to eat when you are hungry. The simple fact
what you want to eat does not mean that you necessarily have to do it.
If you think it will be difficult for you, choose a day when you will be very busy.
Organize yourselves with a scale of discomfort values. Every hour, assess the level of discomfort (from 0 to
10 where ten stands for maximum discomfort) and the discomfort interval in the last hour.
Here Beck reports a table of values of a patient who has realized with this scheme
to be able to tolerate his hunger very well because it never went above 4 points of
discomfort.
On the day you choose, have breakfast and then don't eat again until dinner. At the time when
Usually during lunch, try to understand how uncomfortable you feel (not how much you are)
hungry) and write down the score. Continue like this at one-hour intervals until dinner.

It is important to distinguish between needing and wanting. In reality, it is possible to stay more than one
a week without eating and not dying, so excluding medical disorders, one can go without.
eating for an entire day.
Thirteenth day: Overcome cravings for food!

I almost copied this chapter word for word, because I believe it is extremely fundamental for
all of us.

Have you ever had an experience where it feels like food is calling you? Probably, yes... The
The good news is that, even if food continues to 'call you', you can maintain control.
In general, food cravings will peak in the first weeks of dieting, but
when you limit it, you will stop eating foods that you intensely desire (usually
snack savory, sweets, and various junk food...) your cravings for food will decrease significantly
significant (yesterday joyd linked an article from the corriere website that spoke of a study
Dutch according to which sugars and carbohydrates can create a real physical dependence,
similar to that of tobacco or cocaine...). Today you will learn to manage food cravings.
effectively and resolutely. To weaken the intensity and reduce the frequency of cravings.
food, you must stop giving in to them. Comparing these psychological exercises to a
real physical training, we can say that every time we give in to a craving for
food we go to strengthen the 'muscle of yielding', while every time we manage to resist,
we feel satisfied with ourselves and go on to strengthen the 'muscle of resistance'. Usually
the food cravings do not go away if we try to satisfy them with just a taste, but generally
people on a diet who strongly desire a certain food realize that, if
they give in, even trying to limit themselves to a small portion, in the end they exceed. Waiting for a
food cravings, on the other hand, increase our ability to tolerate them and enhance our
trust in being able to do it. More often, wait for the food cravings to pass, less intense and
you will frequently be in the future. In the end, you will experience a craving for food and think: "It is
Fantastic... I am feeling a craving for food, but I know I can tolerate it and it will go away...
It is wonderful that I can tolerate her! Instead of feeling deprived, you will feel
well, proud, strong, confident, masters of yourselves. In this way, being on a diet
it will become much easier.
However, to get to this point, it is necessary to learn to respond to food cravings.
easier than it may seem), the cravings start to decrease at the moment when
decide that you absolutely intend to stick to the diet, instead increasing
when you are unsure whether to eat or not. First of all, you need to gather information.
on your food cravings, to prove to yourself that you can make them disappear, then
you will learn anti-craving food techniques.

How to measure your food cravings.

Your next food craving may appear today or in a few days, when
it will happen that you will have to fill out a food craving assessment form, reporting these
information:

how long does the craving for food last

how unpleasant is it on a scale from 0-10 of discomfort (the one filled out to learn to
tolerate hunger
What anti-craving techniques for food have you used?
You will also realize that food cravings are not as terrible as you imagined and you will learn.
to resist it.

Anti-craving food strategies.

Mental attitude techniques.

LABEL IT. "This sensation is just a craving for food. It is unpleasant and intense,
but (like hunger) is not an emergency.
2. HOLD ON. Tell yourselves that you will not eat the food you are craving, that you do not have
no intention of strengthening the 'muscle of yielding' and weakening the 'muscle of
resist." Ask yourself if giving in to this craving for food will be worth the momentary pleasure that
You will be eating. Think about how giving in can undermine your confidence.
3. DO NOT GRANT YOURSELF THE POSSIBILITY OF CHOOSING. The emotionally painful part
it is an obsession that you feel. When will you be able to tell yourself with total conviction that 'I do not
there is a possibility of choice" and you will do something else, the craving for food will decrease. However, it will not go
Either you hesitate or you continue to tell yourselves, 'It's so intense, I don't know if I can bear it!'
Obviously, you can endure it! It may be unpleasant, but nothing bad will happen if
You will endure. In fact, after a few moments, you will be very proud of yourself!
4. IMAGINE THE CONSEQUENCES OF GIVING IN. Go ahead and think about eating the
food that you are intensely craving. Imagine it is in your mouth. How many
How many seconds does it take to eat it? For how many seconds will you experience pleasure? Now visualize the
the rest of the image, the part of the experience that we usually don't think about until it is too late
late. Imagine yourselves while you are disturbed, while you give in and continue to eat always of
more, while you are getting worse: do you start to feel fatter or sadder? Gradually as
in the image become troubled, remember how many times you have given in before, how much you
you promised each other not to do it again, and how often you felt hopeless. Now that
Have you imagined the whole sequence, what is better: to eat or not to eat?
5. REMEMBER TO YOURSELVES WHY YOU WANT TO LEARN TO RESIST THE URGES
IN FOOD. Read your answer sheet on the advantages. You will not be able to achieve the
immense benefits related to losing weight unless you can tolerate food cravings. If
If you continue to give in, you will always be at risk of gaining weight.

Behavioral techniques.

1. STAY AWAY FROM FOOD THAT YOU DESIRE INTENSELY. When you feel a
food craving because you see food or smell it, you might move that food to a
uncomfortable place, where you cannot see it. or get rid of it by giving it to someone or throwing it away. if
then you can't eliminate the food, you can always move, go to another room or go outside
of the house.
2. DRINK A CALORIE-FREE OR LOW-CALORIE BEVERAGE. Thirst
sometimes it can disguise itself in the form of hunger, causing you to eat. You can try drinking
sparkling water, lemon water, diluted fruit juice (if the diet allows) or
another low-calorie drink.
3. RELAX. In the library or bookstore you can find CDs or books on techniques of
relaxation. A very simple relaxation technique requires focusing on the breath:
breathe through your nose counting slowly to four when you inhale and again
up to four when you exhale. Take very faint breaths, without raising and lowering the
belly. Set a timer and continue practicing this technique for a full three minutes. at
At the end of this technique, you should feel calmer and have greater control over the cravings.
food.
4. DISTRACT YOURSELF. Do you remember a time when something distracted you and interrupted the
your craving for food and you felt happy not having eaten? Maybe he called
a friend, the dog wagged its tail to go for a walk, the boss came to
to discuss something with you... On these occasions, the craving for food has weakened or passed
why did you focus your attention on something else...

As you follow your meal plan and tolerate a craving for food afterwards.
the other, you will undoubtedly discover that food cravings decrease. You will not have to make any
fights every time you see your favorite foods. It will be a great relief to know that you can
resist the foods you did not plan to eat, even if the urge is strong.

Below you will find a list of distracting activities, try as many as you can and
evaluate their effectiveness by giving them a score from 0 to 10. After trying a certain
number of techniques, make a list of the most useful ones in your diet notebook, starting
with the activities that have been the most effective. As soon as you discover other activities, add them to the
your list.

Distracting Activities Sheet (assign a rating from 0 to 10 to each activity)

Brush teeth
Reread the program
Call a friend or the diet coach
Talk to a neighbor or a colleague
Go to a store
Playing with a child or with a pet
Going cycling
Take a walk or do physical activity
 Read or write emails
Taking a bath or a shower
Devote yourself to a hobby
Make a puzzle
Practicing with a musical instrument
Repair the car
Working in the garden or in the yard
Put the photos in the album
Take care of the household chores (like cleaning the desk drawer)
do small jobs at home (like changing a light bulb, changing batteries for
smoke detector, etc...)

Thirteenth day: Overcome food cravings

Have you ever had an experience where it seems like food is calling you? Now, if the food keeps on
you can keep control. usually food cravings reach peaks
in the first weeks of the diet when you will limit or eliminate the foods you desire
Intensely (generally sweet snacks, salty, etc.) the cravings will decrease. To weaken.
the intensity of the cravings you need to stop giving in to them. It's not enough to just do a little
tasting food because inevitably you end up eating everything. Waiting for the
The increasing intensity of desire enhances the ability to endure it and boosts the confidence of succeeding.
To get to this point, you need to learn to respond to food cravings. The cravings for
Food decreases at the moment you decide that you have absolutely no intention of
to break the diet.
How to measure food cravings.

Compile a sheet with the following information:

how long does the craving for food last
How unpleasant is it on the discomfort scale (from 0 to 10)
What anti-craving techniques for food have you used?
Anti-food waste strategies

Mental attitude techniques

These first 5 techniques help you prepare your mental attitude and you must
use them whenever you have a craving for food.
1. LABEL IT. Tell you that it is just a desire as intense and unpleasant as it is.
it's not an emergency...
2. HANG IN THERE. Tell yourselves that you will absolutely not eat the food you are
desiring. Ask yourselves if giving in will be worth the momentary pleasure you will obtain.
Think about how yielding will undermine your confidence.
3. DO NOT GIVE YOURSELF THE POSSIBILITY TO CHOOSE. The most painful part is the
conflict between giving in or not. When you tell yourselves there is no choice and you will do something else the conflict
it will decrease. If hesitant, it will not go away.
4. IMAGINE THE CONSEQUENCES OF GIVING IN. Think about eating food
desired. Imagine it in your mouth. How many seconds does it take to eat it? For
How many seconds will you feel pleasure? Now visualize everything else in the image....
which is usually not thought of, feeling weak and out of control, disturbed because
you have given in, fatter and sadder. Remember how many times you have given in before and
You promised each other not to do it anymore. Now what is better to eat or not to eat?
5. REMEMBER YOURSELF WHY YOU WANT TO LEARN TO RESIST
FOOD ADDICTIONS. Read your benefits sheet. if you continue to give in
you always risk gaining weight.
BEHAVIORAL TECHNIQUES
 STAY AWAY FROM THE FOOD YOU DESIRE INTENSELY. If the craving
it comes because you see the food or smell it, remove it from your sight, move away or
get it done.
2. DRINK A CALORIE-FREE OR LOW-CALORIE BEVERAGE.
3. RELAX. Use simple relaxation techniques using books or CDs for
learn how to do it. The simplest way is to focus on your breath: breathe
breathe in through your nose and count slowly to four when you inhale and again to four
when you exhale. Set the timer and continue this technique for three minutes.
4. Distract yourself. Call a friend, take the dog for a walk, write an email,
Work in the garden but focus your attention on something else.
Compile a sheet on your distracting activities, find as many as you can, evaluate them.
the effectiveness is assigned a score (from 0 to 10). after having tried many
a list of those most useful in your diet notebook.
Fourteenth day: Make a meal plan for the next day

Even though we all have already started the diet here, we still have to complete this task.
for tomorrow.
Today we need to write a meal plan that includes EVERYTHING we have.
intention to eat tomorrow. Tomorrow we will write everything we eat included in the
We will plan and jot down every food we eat outside of the plan.
We will continue to plan and monitor what we eat for many weeks or months.
until we reach the desired weight (and perhaps even beyond).
This is one of the most difficult tasks that the doctor has encountered in the patients she has had.
in treatment. You might have the same sabotaging thoughts that they reported to them, such as:

I really don't have to do it, right?

It's too tiring, I don't want to do it.
This means that I can't just eat whatever I feel like.
to eat
Writing down and monitoring what we are eating is very important and may seem more
more serious than it really is.
This activity is essential and helps us to:

Thinking about how we will obtain and prepare the foods included in our
diet plan
Remember what we need to eat and when. If we don't plan ahead,
we may find ourselves in a situation of looking in the fridge for something to prepare and choose
Then some unfavorable solutions to our diet.
Eliminate unplanned eating. Often instinctive eating (snacks,
leftovers and other foods) is what prevents people on a diet from losing weight
Tolerate occasional hunger and food cravings and learn that we can resist them.
Make decisions about nutrition before encountering stimuli.
for example, if we are invited to dinner out, when we are offered dessert, since
this is not included in our meal plan, we do not have to weigh the pros and the
against (doing it would create tension and effort), the decision has already been made: no. The dessert
it is not included in our meal plan and therefore we will not eat it.
How to plan
Even if you are following a meal plan with predetermined meals, which prescribes in
detailed way what to eat, you must still spend a few moments to
write your plan for tomorrow. Using the diet notebook, a sheet of paper, a
Take note or the agenda, record what you will eat, how much you will eat, and when you will eat.
Make sure you have the food or ingredients you need; if you can, get ahead.
something (for example cleaning the vegetables...) and try to understand how you will carry with you, throughout the
day, the schedule for tomorrow.

Even though we are already all on a diet, these first two weeks of the Beck program were
in preparation for the diet, to put ourselves in the position to face it more prepared
psychologically, but starting tomorrow (the fifteenth day) the program will get serious because
will face the problems of being on a diet and therefore our program will take
fifteenth day as the reference day for starting the diet. Tomorrow you will have to weigh yourselves (I know that
Some of you have a set day of the week to weigh yourselves, usually Friday,
so I recommend aligning the fifteenth day of our program with yours
weighing day, mine for example is Thursday, so I will wait the day after tomorrow to
facing my fifteenth day of the program.
You will step on the scale first thing in the morning and write down your weight in the diet notebook.
You will need to refer to this number when you weigh yourself again after a week and track it.
graph of weight loss to monitor your progress. follow these instructions:

Try to wear clothes of the same weight every time you weigh yourself.
Get on the scale just once, don't try to weigh yourself again hoping for a different weight.
inferior. It is not important and it only makes you obsessive.
Do not think of your weight as a disaster and do not criticize yourself. It does not matter if
Tomorrow you weigh 50, 70, 100, or 150 kilos. Whether you have a little or a lot of weight to lose,
You will use the skills you are learning through this program.
THIRD WEEK: MAY THE DIET BEGIN!

It doesn't matter if you are starting a diet for the second time or for the twentieth.
knowledge you have acquired and the behaviors you have implemented in the last
weeks make you more equipped than you have ever been before for:

plan what you eat

eat healthily;
resist hunger and cravings for food;
respond to sabotaging thoughts that lead to unplanned eating;
Give credit and trust that this time you can succeed.
After these two weeks, do you feel more prepared? These lessons you have learned have
they will be useful for the rest of your life.
This week we will learn more techniques from cognitive therapy to strengthen the muscle.
to resist and to be able to withstand the most appealing food even when faced with it
to us. This week you will make great strides towards changing your
mindset. You will begin to transform from people who struggle to make the
diet in people who think like thin people.

Fifteenth day: Monitor your diet

Even if you are already on a diet, do not skip today's task. It is essential! Today's day
marks a fundamental change in your life, recognize that you deserve to have come this far.
so far.
The first thing you will do is weigh yourself. If you have clothes on when you weigh yourself, every time you
weigh yourselves try to wear clothes of roughly the same weight. Mark the weight on the
diet notebook and then do the following things:

FOLLOW YOUR DIET PLAN. Eat only what the plan prescribes.
food that you wrote the night before. Eat everything that is planned for
unless you feel too full before finishing and do not skip the
sure.
MONITOR YOUR DIET. Immediately after finishing
For every meal and snack, record what you have eaten on the meal plan.
GIVE YOURSELF CREDIT EVERY TIME YOU STICK TO THE MEAL PLAN. Tell yourself: "Good!"
I ate what I had to and dedicated time to verification!
RESPOND TO SABOTAGING THOUGHTS IF YOU EAT SOMETHING YOU DON'T
YOU SHOULD HAVE EATEN. If you think: 'Why did I eat it? I didn't even want it'
Really... I'm an idiot! Let's respond productively: 'Okay, I ate something.'
 that I hadn't planned, but it's not a big problem, I can get back to it.
roadway at this precise moment. It's good that you noted it...
In the evening, check your diet plan. Give yourselves credit and strengthen yourselves for everything.
that you have done well. If you have eaten something that was not planned, ask yourself in a
problem-solving attitude and try to understand how you should behave in the future to
eliminate this type of diet. For example, if you are too hungry between meals you could
schedule more substantial meals or add a snack, if you eat out of boredom, try to
organize your time differently. if you need help, turn to your
coach. Follow this sequence every day, for a long period of time to come.
Various studies show that keeping a written record of what we eat increases
the probability of losing weight and maintaining the achieved weight.
Writing down what we eat while we eat makes it easier to stick to the
diet for the following reasons:

It helps you feel responsible for what you actually eat. You could
to think that you do not need to record everything, that you can simply
keep it in mind, but it is surprising what our mind forgets in such a way
natural and what allows us to forget when in truth we do not want to
to remember. We do not consciously lie to ourselves, but it is easy to forget
a sample at the supermarket, of a leftover from the night before, of a bit of cream in the
coffee, etc..
It helps you to have confidence in yourself. When you focus on how much you are
by carefully following your meal plan, you realize that you can maintain a diet,
that you can do whatever is necessary to lose weight.
We help you recognize and solve problems. By dedicating time every evening to check
if you have transgressed (and why you did it) you can try to understand how to resolve the
problem in the future. Instead of labeling yourselves as failures for having overeaten
or to have surrendered to unplanned eating, you can consider these
behaviors as problems to be solved and not as personal failures.
Always bring with you the meal plan you wrote the night before. As soon as
Possible, just finished eating, make three types of notes:

1. put a checkmark next to all the things you ate that were in
your meal plan
2. strike out everything you have in the meal plan that you haven't eaten;
3. Circle every food you have eaten in excess and write and circle
every food you hadn't planned to eat.
Make sure to take these notes immediately after eating. If you wait,
then you will no longer be so aware of what you have eaten, you will expose yourself to a risk
better to abandon yourself to unplanned eating, and you will forget some foods that
you have eaten (which increases the risk of gaining weight).
Sixteenth day: Prevent unplanned eating
People who are on a diet often conflict when they are tempted to eat.
something that is not included in their diet plan. 'I want to eat it... but I shouldn't... but I
I eat the same.. This alternation of decisions creates an unpleasant tension, a discomfort that
it could ease at the very moment you decide to eat. But the tension relieves
even at the moment when you decide NOT to eat. The written meal plan can help you to
make a decision BEFORE facing food cravings but it will not eliminate
indecision. There will be occasions when you start to argue with yourself: the events
There are infinite triggers, but the solution is clear: admit to yourselves that you have no chance.
of choice. You have made a meal plan and will follow that program - without ifs and
without but.
We already observe other rules in our life that we do not fight against but simply
we perform e.g. brushing our teeth every day. We do not struggle to carry out this task.
Let's just do it! So you can establish rules like there is no possibility of choice at all.
they can be, for example:
eat a substantial amount of protein, vegetables, and fruit at every meal
 do not eat any harmful food until after dinner
to eat only raw vegetables while I prepare dinner
when I eat out I only eat 25% more than I usually do at home
Think of some dietary rules you would like to establish. You don't have to come up with them all today, you...
They will come to mind over time. There is a rule you must follow without the possibility of choice: you must
follow your meal plan. Also make a card here that you will read twice a
day and every time you find yourself struggling to eat or not something and write to us NOT
THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF CHOICE.

Sabotaging thought: I deserve to eat whatever I want.

Useful answer: If I want the benefits of being slim, I can't eat what
I want if it's not planned. Being slimmer and feeling good is a priority over eating.
what I want in the moment. I have allowed myself this for a long time so now it seems to me
It's natural and right for me to behave this way.
Seventeenth day: Stop overeating.
You may not be tempted to overeating during this period, but in the future, you will have to.
facing many events that will put you in a position to do so. If you eat with family
you might feel like having a second helping either at the restaurant or at a party etc.
The circumstances in which you might overeat can be two.
When you eat any food in larger quantities than you planned;
When you feel half full during the meal but you still finish it anyway, arriving at a
excessive feeling of fullness.
Today you will practice overeating by putting more food on your plate than you have.
planned to eat. Choose a meal, either lunch or dinner, choose a food included
in your meal plan and serve yourself a larger portion than you should
eat then choose a food that you should not eat and put it on the plate. At the beginning
Put the extra portions of grass on one side of the plate and eat only the food designated by the
your diet plan. If you are tempted to eat more food, use some techniques
anti-itch.
also remind yourselves how good you feel if you don’t overeat and how you
you will feel bad if you do it. Ask yourself 'how happy will I be in ten minutes if I do it now?'
Do I eat in excess?
When you finish eating your food, you should plate it and save the food.
to excess for another meal or throw it away. If the exercise was easy okay if instead you have
had difficulty try again later maybe with some food you like less
making the situation easier.
sabotaging thought: I hate to waste food deliberately
useful answer is it better to waste food or gain weight? the truth is that food will go
wasted anyway and anything I heard from my parents when I was young,
Eating in excess does not help the people who are dying of hunger anywhere in the world...
Eighteenth day: Change your definition of satiety

Since the beginning of the week you have planned what to eat before eating it. Perhaps you
You are asking why you can’t just eat when you are hungry and stop.
when you are full. Only in theory would you eat only when you are hungry and stop.
when you are full or slightly full. In fact, it is very likely that you too, like the majority
part of people on a diet, you fail to recognize when you are truly hungry and
when instead no. Simply relying on hunger signals to guide one's own
diet leads people to overeat.
To understand if you have overeaten, try to think about how easy it is for you to do
a walk at a moderate or brisk pace before eating. You should be able to
walk just as easily at the same pace even after eating, if we do not
succeed means that you have eaten too much and that you might have a wrong definition of
satiation.
People who do not have weight issues, when they overeat, feel somewhat
at discomfort, but you might not perceive the same malaise, the feelings you experience
they may seem normal to you and this is one of the causes that led you to being overweight or for
who cannot lose weight.
You could eat beyond the point of fullness for other reasons as well: to prolong the pleasure of
having food in your mouth, you cannot distract your thoughts from the presence of other food in the house,
you are afraid that hunger might return before the time of the next meal and therefore you fear it
discomfort.
If you want to lose weight and maintain it over time, you need to break the association between
normal satiety and excessive satiety. To do this, you need to do a lot of exercise.
eat until reaching normal satiety and think: 'It's fantastic that I'm'
stopping now." After that, you will begin to associate excessive fullness with feeling abnormal.
Once you manage to do it, you will fight a lot less and feel much less deprived.
Do the following things:

for a month, after each meal ask yourself if you could go for a walk to
moderate/sustained speed. If you are unable to respond, give it a try...
if the answer is yes, tell yourself that this is normal satiety
if the answer is no, tell yourself that this is excessive satiety, which is not a feeling.
it's normal and at the next meal you won't put too much food on the plate
Every time you would like to overeat but don't, acknowledge your merit.
if you are prompted to eat excessively, remove the triggers (after everyone has)
remove the pot away from you, if someone serves you too much food, move it.
excess quantity on one side of the plate, have someone else take care of the leftovers...
respond to your sabotaging thoughts: "Oh, I really wish I could eat more..." with
No, I am full at a normal level. I want to lose weight, so now
I will stop eating...".
if you feel anxious, remember that hunger is not an emergency. Remember, you can
tolerate the feeling: you have experienced it yourselves on the 12th day. Hunger comes and goes and
You can certainly wait to eat until the next meal or snack.
If you can stop eating easily before you feel excessively
Sazi, you can perform this exercise only once, if you can't do it, practice until
if you can't do it by then, work on it for more weeks, if necessary.
Nineteenth day: Stop deceiving yourselves

People who are on a diet tend to easily deceive themselves about

food. Think of all the times you have gone on a diet and while you should have restricted yourself in
You were making false excuses to eat. Did you happen to have one of the following
self-sabotaging self-deceptive thoughts?

It's fine to eat it because...

It is not a whole piece.
I will eat it only this time.
It's not such a calorie-dense food.
I will compensate by eating less later.
It's okay.
I paid for it.
It will be wasted.
I will be rude to whoever did it if I don't eat it.
Everyone eats it.
I am celebrating.
No one will see me while I eat it.
They are just crumbs.
It's free.
I really want it.
It's a special occasion.
I am upset and I really don't care at all.
I desire it intensely and probably in the end I will eat it.
These thoughts deceive you, leading you to eat what you shouldn't and even if in mind
You could realize that these are irrational thoughts, whenever you truly want.
eating something, you might convince yourselves that these thoughts are valid.
The next time you feel the urge to eat something that is not on your plan
food plan, pay close attention to those thoughts that begin with: 'It's okay
to eat it, because... "in general there is always a thought that precedes eating,
we rarely put food in our mouths without thinking about it.
If you have a diet that requires you to weigh everything, don't fool yourself into thinking that
you can not do it and you know how to adjust by eye. When this thought comes to you, take
the amount you think is correct and weigh it before eating... Generally, those who are on a diet
tends to underestimate the amount of food he/she needs to eat, but when you realize
that the quantities start to correspond to the weight indicated by the diet, then it will mean that
you are able to adjust on your own and it will no longer be necessary to weigh everything every time.
Write down the following note: It is not good to read when you have thoughts.
saboteurs starting with: 'It's okay to eat it, because...'

It is not good
It's not good to eat unplanned food. I'm just trying to deceive myself. Every
every time I eat something I shouldn't eat, I strengthen my muscle of giving in and
I weaken that of resisting. I might feel good for the few seconds while I eat, but
afterwards I will feel bad. If I want to lose excess weight and maintain the achieved weight, I have to
absolutely stop deceiving myself.

Furthermore, when you have a thought of that kind, reread the response sheet on the
advantages...
Twentieth day: Get back on track.

Today you will learn how to respond to a specific self-deceptive thought: the one that you
encourages to abandon the diet for the entire day after eating something that doesn't
I should have eaten. "I shouldn't have eaten it... I messed up the diet.....at this point
I can eat whatever I want for the rest of the day.... I'll start again tomorrow
There is no need to wait until tomorrow: you certainly haven't ruined the diet.
Let's say you will have eaten food with about 500 calories, but to gain 1/2 kg you should
eating about 3,500 extra calories will not affect your weight significantly.
relevant.
RETURN TO THE DIET IMMEDIATELY

If you are tempted to keep eating after the 'cheat', do the following:
Acknowledge your initial slip 'ok I shouldn't have but this one time'
the error will not affect my weight.
A large slice of ice cream cake
500 calories

a large slice of ice cream cake and a brioche

800 calorie

A large slice of ice cream cake, a brioche, and a cup of ice cream.
1200 calorie

A large slice of ice cream cake, a brioche, a cup of ice cream, and a chocolate.
1500 calories

A large slice of ice cream cake, a brioche, a cup of ice cream, a chocolate, and a small bag.
of chips
2000 calorie

A large slice of ice cream cake, a brioche, a cup of ice cream, a chocolate, a small bag
of chips and 3 slices of cheese
2300 calories
 A large slice of ice cream cake, a brioche, a cup of ice cream, a chocolate, a small bag.
of chips 3 slices of cheese 2 chocolate cookies a large pastry 3 tablespoons of
nutella is a snack
3500 calorie
Get back on track with the diet. Reread your notes and the book.
Put a symbolic point. Don't wait for tomorrow, put a symbolic point.
brushing your teeth, going out or calling your coach.
Acknowledge the merit of having stopped - at any point. Do not get discouraged.
You must grant yourselves indulgence and understanding, you are human beings.
Be careful of feelings of failure and helplessness. It is essential.
remind you that mistakes are inevitable, it is normal to break the diet, no one is
perfect.
Continue to eat normally: you might think of remedying not
eating for the rest of the day but you might feel dissatisfied and anxious about the
fear of feeling hungry later. You must consider this mistake within a
a broader perspective, so continue with your program.
Learn from your mistakes: examine your error with the coach.
the experience to learn:
1. Did you forget to review your sheets?
2. Have you neglected to plan your meals?
3. You forgot (or didn't bother) to make the food available that
Have you planned to eat?
4. Have you met someone who encouraged you to eat?
5. Have you tried to eat like the other people you were with?
6. Have you encountered an unexpected stimulus?
7. Have you ended up surrounded by food that you didn't plan to eat?
WHAT IS A FEAST?
Binge eating is an extreme form of excessive eating. When people do
they feel a desperate urge to keep eating, they feel out
I control almost as if they were in a trance. By using the techniques from this book, many
people have managed to control themselves. Even so, this program followed.
faithfully experimented still some frequent binge eating you might need
consult a mental health professional.

To be prepared for occasions when you eat something you shouldn't, create a
response sheet:
Get back on track
If I ate something I shouldn't have eaten, I didn't ruin the diet. Not
it's the end of the world. I can start following my diet plan again right in
this moment. The simple fact that I made a mistake does not mean that I should continue
to eat. It doesn't make sense. It's a thousand times better to stop now than to allow myself to eat
more.
Twenty-first day: Prepare to weigh yourself.

Tomorrow you will step on the scale and find out if you have lost weight this week.

Weighing yourself is essential and it helps you because:

It allows you to celebrate and strengthen your confidence in yourself if you have lost weight.
It is important that you recognize your hard work and feel good thanks to the
results.
It makes you be honest if you have gained weight.
It helps you stay engaged with the program. If you are happy about the decrease.
You will feel motivated to continue what you are doing. If you are dissatisfied
you can go check where you went wrong, re-read some points and start over.
MA STATE ATTENTI A NON SALIRE SULLA BILANCIA CON ATTEGGIAMENTO MENTALE SBAGLIATO

Situation: The scale shows a weight higher than what you hoped to see.
Sabotaging thought: 'I can't believe it, it's really terrible'
Disturbed (angry, sad, demoralized, etc.)
Behavior: Starts a day of poor eating

If you consider your weight as an indicator of how weak and out of control you are, then the
weight gain or small decreases can easily be resolved in nutrition
excess
Start using the scale as an information tool, just like when you use the
thermometer to decide if you need to take medication or call the doctor. The scale
you must guide to decide if you are doing right or need to make changes. If the
the number on the scale isn't going down and you think you have eaten too much don't waste time on
have negative thoughts but do something positive to solve the problem. Perhaps you need to
count calories more accurately or increase physical activity. Ask the coach for help.
If you have followed everything faithfully and the scale does not go down, do not panic. It is possible
easily decrease or increase due to hormonal and physiological causes. If so, you will lose weight the
next week continuing your meal plan.
If the scale goes down, be happy even if you have only lost a small amount of weight: it goes
celebrated every drop of a few hundred grams.
Create your weight loss chart: it will help you consider weight in a
broader perspective. Even if you weigh yourself daily, record your weight once a
week always the same day and write the result in the diet notebook. Horizontally
(abscissa) write the weeks and vertically (ordinate) write the weight starting from zero (e.g.
-250 -500 -750). When you have finished the first graph, create a second one and you will have the
overall sense of your progress. You do not have to write your actual weight on the graph but
starting from zero you put a point and the following week you will put another point at
according to how much you have lost. It is important that you know that no one loses the same
weight quantity every week. ALL people on a diet experience weeks when the weight
it remains the same or increases a bit.
FOURTH WEEK: Respond to self-sabotaging thoughts
How are the efforts to lose weight going so far? Are you putting into practice daily the
techniques of cognitive therapy? At this point, some will probably have become
automatic, while others may still seem difficult to you. You may need to
go back to read the previous chapters of this program, but don't give up! Your
skills will become more and more automated every day that passes. If you continue to
Practicing them will become natural, and every day everything will become easier.
This week you will continue to build your sense of control and confidence. Every day
you will identify and respond positively to those sabotaging thoughts that have brought you
in the past to an unplanned diet. You will learn how to respond:

to disappointment: 'I wish I could eat it so much;'

to the sense of injustice: "it is not fair that others can eat things that I cannot."
I can eat
to the feeling of being overwhelmed: "it's too difficult! I can't continue."
Learn also how to recognize your self-sabotaging thoughts and respond to them correctly.
which is one of the most important skills that this program will teach you. By the end of this
In a week, you will be much better equipped to think like a slim person.

Twenty-second day: Tell disappointment: 'And that's okay'

At some point during the diet, it will surely happen that you feel discouraged, either because the
the scale will not show the figure you would like to see or because you will find yourself having dinner with the
your friends and you will not be able to eat the same things they eat. It may seem to you
that the disadvantages of being on a diet outweigh your advantages and you might think: 'Why should I'
follow to the letter what this program says? There must be an easier way...
Changing your mindset that has been formed over years takes time. Even if right now
you have acquired many skills to positively respond to self-sabotaging thoughts and enhance the
trust in yourselves, you must expect to face moments of doubt and disappointment.
When it happens, you must remind yourselves that you are on a diet by your own choice and that
so you can despair by cursing the fate that put you in this situation,
or you may accept the disadvantages of being on a diet as necessary means to
to reach the goal of an optimal weight. Once you truly accept the fact that you have to
following the steps of this program, your efforts will decrease and dieting will be much more
easy.
In 1994, Dr. Beck learned a very important lesson about acceptance.
That year, his youngest son was put on a very strict diet to control
epilepsy. It was a preferred treatment, called ketogenic diet, which thanks to
God worked. For nearly six years his son had three meals a day and no snacks. Every
the diet consisted mainly of fats (cream, mayonnaise, oil, and butter...) with only
a small amount of protein and an even smaller amount of carbohydrates. For almost six years not
ate only a single bite of a dessert, cookies, ice creams, or any other delicacy containing
sugar. He never ate a fruit, a piece of bread, or more than a couple of chips at a time.
He never took second helpings nor did he eat between meals.
They managed to make him stick to the diet with the technique of 'Alright then'. Every time that
he would have wanted to eat something he couldn't, he would have put a star on a card if
I could have simply said: 'And that's fine', or: 'I am not pleased, but I will accept it.'
the same and I will move forward..." After a couple of days, he started to struggle less. After one or two
Weeks his mental attitude changed completely. He was fully aware.
that there were entire categories of food that she could not eat, but she accepted what she had to.
to do and he calmed down.

The same can happen to you. It probably won't happen at the same speed, but more
You will work towards acceptance, the faster you will reach serenity and determination.
necessary to do what needs to be done. You cannot stop your thoughts
They are sabotaging their appearance, but you can respond to them: 'That's fine,' or: 'I'm not happy about it,'
but I will accept it and move on." This eliminates conflicts, helps you feel better and
shift the focus elsewhere. Whenever you find yourself struggling, try to tell yourself: 'And go
"good." These words will also help you remember that you are on a chosen diet for once.
Hey, even if you don't like being on a diet, this is the diet and this is what you need to do.
to reach your goal.
Try to tell yourself:

I want that brioche. And it's fine.

I'm really hungry. And that's okay.
I would like to be able to order a hamburger instead of a salad. And that's fine.
These chips look so good. And that's fine.
I don't feel like doing physical activity today. And that's okay.
I don't feel like writing my meal plan for tomorrow. And that's okay.
It is a simple concept, but extremely important.
Twenty-third day: Stand up against the syndrome of injustice
Gloria is at work. Her colleagues are eating some cookies and she thinks: "It's not fair that
I cannot eat what everyone else eats" and starts to feel annoyed. Then
think: 'I don't care' yields and eats the biscuits.
What Gloria does not realize at that moment is that, no matter how unfair it is not
Being able to eat cookies like her colleagues, the feeling she will experience is even more unfair.
a few minutes after giving in that will influence his mood and will have strengthened the muscle of
Many people on a diet allow themselves to eat when
they face certain types of thoughts related to the sense of injustice and you could be like
they. We have all grown up with the idea that life should be fair, but it is not. It is not
it's right that people have to fight with their weight; it's not right that people do not
they can eat every day (due to economic problems); it is not right that some people
young people die. Life is not fair. Being on a diet is not fair.
You have a choice when thinking about the diet or food that you cannot eat.
Thoughts begin to emerge that start with 'it's not fair...'. You can ponder over these ideas.
Negative and feeling bad, or you can say: "It's true... It's not fair... And it's okay". Then
refocus your thoughts on all the things you have in your life that others do not.

Consider justice thinking from a broader perspective.

If the thought that being on a diet is unfair pushes you to eat, do the following:
REMEMBER TO YOURSELVES WHY YOU ORIGINALLY DECIDED TO STAY AT
DIET. Unless you have been forced to go on a diet for medical reasons,
you decided to do it. If you now think that the disadvantages of the diet are greater
Of the advantages, remember that not long ago you didn't think that way and read yourself again.
your answer sheet on the advantages.
MAKE A MENTAL LIST OF THE ADVANTAGES PRESENT IN YOUR LIFE. Compared to
many people in the world, you have much more freedom to do what you want, to say clearly
and round what you think and what is important to you, to live a good part of the
your life in the way you have chosen. Think about it, it is unfair that you have all
these possibilities while others do not have them. Think of other types of advantages of which
enjoy.
CREATE A RESPONSE CARD. If you constantly think that it is unfair
that you need to go on a diet, you need a response sheet to help you
change your way of thinking. These sheets could help you fill out the
your.
Staying on a diet might be unfair, but I have two options: I can pity myself, stop
follow my diet plan, never reach my goal, continue to be
happy with myself; or I can be understanding with myself, move forward and do that
I know what I need to do to reach my goal. Everyone experiences some kind of
injustice in their life. This is the one that affects me. Moreover, it would be an injustice for me.
even bigger
to take this excuse to give up on the goal that I strongly want to achieve.
when it seems unjust to me that I can't eat something, I must acknowledge that I have
reason. Then I have to ask myself: "Which injustice would I prefer, not being able to eat it or not
"Losing weight?" And then I have to say: "Alright" and continue.
Twenty-fourth day: Manage discouragement.

At first, losing weight is easy because motivation and confidence are high. At a certain point
However, daily difficulties make things harder and the cravings for food become stronger.
intense. You might have sabotaging thoughts such as
it shouldn't be that difficult
I will not be able to continue
I don't want to do it anymore
It's normal to feel overwhelmed or discouraged sometimes. When you feel discouraged, you have two
possibility of choice: give up and abandon your goal or respond positively
self-sabotaging thoughts, feeling better, becoming more motivated to work towards your
purpose. It is important to remind yourself that YOU CAN do what is necessary to
losing weight and dieting will become easier.
To motivate you, implement the following things:
Read your benefits response sheet more often. It will probably be
It is useful to rewrite it and add some other advantages.
Count the hours of difficulty. Many people give up saying that they have had
a very difficult week but reviewing the week revealed that ultimately
The most difficult moments lasted from twenty minutes to a couple of hours. For the
remaining hours of the week everything had gone smoothly. Try to understand for how long
you really had difficulties.
try to focus on what you can do today. don't think "I won't be able to
continue for a month... for a year..." Tell yourselves: "I know that today I can continue to do
What needs to be done if tomorrow turns out to be difficult I will face at that moment.
Prepare a list of answers to remember these things.

Sabotaging thought: these tasks are too exhausting, I don't want to keep doing them.
Helpful response: I feel overwhelmed at this moment. It doesn't always seem so difficult. More
Later or tomorrow it will probably seem easier to me again.
Twenty-fifth day: Identify self-sabotaging thoughts.

It is important for you to learn to recognize your specific sabotaging thoughts and that
learn to respond to them effectively. Before eating the first bite of
something unplanned you almost always have a thought. when you have identified these
thoughts and you will have answered them, you will be able to better control your diet.
Bring with you the diet notebook and a pen for a few days and write down your
sabotaging thoughts as soon as you identify them. You might not notice the thoughts right away because
You could be focused on how you felt in those moments, asking yourself 'what was I feeling'
passing through the mind?

COMMON SABOTAGING THOUGHTS ABOUT DIETS

staying on a diet is too difficult, it is not that high in calories
I don't care, I'll fix it later.
It's okay to eat it; if I don't eat it, it will go to waste.
it's like being grounded I should eat it because it's free
it's not fair everyone is eating
I have no intention of letting anyone say that I don't want to disappoint or disturb.
What can or can't I eat? I am stressed/tired/sad/bored.
the merit of eating it is a special occasion
I will only eat these crumbs, I am rewarding myself.
I should be able to do what I want, I can start the diet again tomorrow.
I can't resist, anyway I will never lose weight.
I really want it, I am really hungry.
nobody will know I have no willpower
I will end up eating it

Write down every thought you identify in the notebook and for now, don't worry about what to do.
with these thoughts. You will learn how to respond to them in a couple of days.

Sabotaging thought: when I break the diet, I don't think about anything. It just happens.
Useful answer: eating is not automatic. I just try to ignore my thoughts, so
I can eat. The next time I feel like breaking the rules, I will focus and try.
some sabotaging thoughts that give me the 'permission' like 'it's okay to eat it'
why...
Twenty-sixth day: Acknowledge the errors in your way of thinking
It is important to realize that thoughts are merely ideas, not necessarily ...
truth. Your thoughts on anything could be completely true, partially true or
completely false. For example, if you haven't eaten all day, passing by some
people eating pizza might think: "It looks so good... I'm so hungry" and
this could very well be true and not cause you any problems. The problem would be if then you
would add this other thought: 'I absolutely have to eat some of it' which does not
it would correspond to reality. If you are like most people who struggle to stay
the diet, probably, at least at that moment, you will accept this last thought as
founded and true.

The thinking errors that people make when they are on a diet can be divided into nine.
error categories:

1. ALL OR NOTHING THINKING: seeing things only within two large

opposite categories, while in reality there is a middle ground (I am totally on a diet or I am not)
I'm not at all into it; I either succeed 100% or I'm a failure and I can also give up the diet.
2. NEGATIVE PREDICTION OF THE FUTURE: predict the future in negative terms,
without considering other possible outcomes (since I did not lose weight this week,
I will never be able to lose weight; since I couldn't resist a craving for food,
I will never be able to do it.
 3. EXCESSIVELY POSITIVE FORECAST OF THE FUTURE: foresee the future in
excessively positive terms, without considering other possible outcomes (I will be able to
to eat just a little of a food that I intensely desire, then I will know how to stop; go
well if I estimate by eye the amount of food I need to eat, I will lose weight anyway.
4. EMOTIONAL REASONING: think that your ideas are true even if there is no evidence
objective evidence shows the contrary (since I feel like a failure for having transgressed the
diet, I must really be it; I feel like I need to eat something sweet right now
now).
5. THOUGHT READING: are you sure about what others think even without
proving convincing (people will think I'm strange, if I don't drink alcohol at the party; she
She will think that I am rude if I don't taste the cookies she made.
6. SELF-DECEIVING THOUGHT: rationalizing by telling yourselves things that, in reality,
at other times you wouldn't believe (if no one sees me eat, then it doesn't count; not
nothing will happen if I give in to the cravings for food.
7. NON PRODUCTIVE RULES: justify actions without evaluating the circumstances
I can waste food; I cannot annoy my family by cooking healthier meals or
preventing them from buying "harmful" foods.
8. JUSTIFICATION: connect two unrelated concepts to justify the desire
to eat (merit of eating it, because I am too stressed; it's fine to eat it,
because it is free.
9. EXAGGERATED THOUGHT: make a situation better or worse than it is.
reality (I can't stand this craving for food; I have no willpower).
Take out your diet notebook, read the sabotaging thoughts you have noted over the days.
review and write down which thinking error they correspond to. Do this every day, when
you will recognize a self-sabotaging thought and write it down in the diet notebook.
Twenty-seventh day: Take mastery of the technique of the seven
questions

Today, now that you have your list of sabotaging thoughts and cognitive errors, you will create more.
answer sheets that will help you respond effectively to these thoughts. You will read
these cards at a predetermined time each day, preferably when you read the card
the answers about the advantages. You will bring them out whenever you feel the need and with the
you will start to respond more and more as you practice this technique.
automatically to your sabotaging thoughts, even without the help of the cards.
How to make the cards.
While you look at the notebook to examine your usual sabotaging thoughts, reflect on
each of them asking you, 'What would I like to remember the next time I have this'
thought? Write the answer using the technique outlined below. Some questions
they may not fit some of your specific sabotaging thoughts, but write the
answers to the questions that instead fit your thoughts.

Technique of the seven questions

1. What kind of thinking error am I making?
2. What evidence is there that this thought may not correspond to the
reality, or correspond only partially to it?
3. Is there an alternative explanation or another way to look at it?
4. What is the most realistic outcome of this situation?
5. What is the consequence of believing this thought and what could it be
What would be the consequence if I changed my way of thinking?
6. What would I say to a dear friend or family member if they were in a situation?
in this situation and would have this thought?
7. What should I do now?
By way of example, here is how Eric responded to the following questions, referring to thought.
I can't control myself when I go out to dinner with friends.
Eric's responses to the sabotaging thought 'I can't control my '
nutrition
1. Exaggeration
 2. I always keep myself in check in other circumstances, especially at work; I do many things.
that I do not want to do and I do not do many others that I want to do. In fact, I control myself a lot.
when it comes to being on a diet.
3. I can control myself, but it's me who doesn't want to at that moment.
4. I will stop having an intense desire for food when I can firmly tell myself:
There is no choice!
5. If I keep thinking this, I will give in to the craving for food and then I will be sad, moreover the
next time I will be exposed to a greater risk of giving in and perhaps this week
I will not lose weight. If I change my way of thinking, I will not give in, I will be proud of myself.
I will lose weight.
6. I would tell my friend that she could decide to check herself if she wanted to and that I don't
I want them to feel sad afterwards.
7. Tell myself: 'There is no possibility of choice!'. Shift my focus away from food.
Focus on the conversation and if necessary go to the bathroom to read my
response sheets.
Based on his responses, Eric created the following response sheet:
It's not that I can't control myself. It's that I don't want to control myself at this moment. This
the craving for food is strong, but there are many things I can do to control it. If I do, I will be
happy.
There will be times when you will need to use the technique of seven questions to
write response sheets. At other times it might be useful to simply repeat oneself
some short and direct statements, such as:
I would prefer to be thin.
Get out of the kitchen, now!
No excuse!
It's just a craving for food! It will pass! Don't eat!
It is good to silently repeat short commands like these to yourself if you are with other people.
first signs of food cravings.

Now try to create some response cards on your own using the technique.
of the seven questions. Read these sheets, along with the other sheets you have created
at least once or twice a day. As soon as you identify some other self-sabotaging thought,
create new answer sheets.
Twenty-eighth day: get ready to weigh yourself

Tomorrow will be the end of your fourth week of dieting. When you wake up, step on the scale.
weigh yourself wearing the same clothes as last week's weigh-in. Calculate the
weight variation add a new point on the weight loss graph and connect it
the points with a line.
Don't skimp on food today thinking you'll have a better result tomorrow.
I urge you to transgress in the coming days!

SCENARIO n. 1 imagine that you have lost a lot of weight

sabotaging thought: it's fantastic! I intend to keep losing weight quickly!

useful answer: yes it's fantastic I did a good job but I probably won't continue to
lose weight so quickly.

SCENARIO n. 2 you think you have lost too little weight.

sabotaging thought: I worked so hard and the weight I've lost is just a drop in the bucket
mare.
useful response: the weight is going down. This is a good sign!! It means that what I am
making it work. I have to celebrate every decrease of three hundred grams.
ninth chapter fifth week
overcome the challenges!
At this point, you have realized that hunger is never an emergency? That you can
resisting the cravings for food? That you can tolerate the discomfort of not eating when you don't
Do you have to eat? You can probably now monitor what you eat and notice it.
suddenly sabotaging thoughts arise as soon as they appear and to respond to them almost
immediately. Now you have to prepare for other challenges, both those predictable and
unpredictable. Do you find yourselves eating because you are upset, anxious, or bored? Have you sent
Why put the diet aside because you're at a party or a restaurant? This week you will learn to maintain
under control the situations that can represent challenges.

Twenty-ninth day: resist the food dealers

Many dieters say they have to eat to avoid hurting someone's feelings.
even though they knew they were breaking the diet (for example, eating the sweets that colleagues bring to
work or the desserts made by the mother-in-law) If it is the same for you, you have two beliefs that you
obstruct
1. for you, the desire of others to make you eat is more important than your desire to
lose weight;
2. Do you think it's wrong to stand your ground, especially if this means
to deceive someone else;
Think about these two ideas differently:
1. you have the right to work towards your weight loss goal, as long as
do not maliciously try to harm someone;
2. it's okay to disappoint others. Disappointment is an ordinary component of life. A lot
probably their disappointment will be light and temporary.
Often we hear about hurting people's feelings when we refuse their food offers.
while in fact they do not pay attention to us or have a minimal reaction. If you believe that the
others will be upset if you refuse food, ask yourself:
Would I feel disappointed if I accepted the food and broke my diet?
because for me it is more important to please them rather than doing what is best for
me?
If you were vegetarians, would you eat meat just to please someone? If you were on a diet to
Medical reasons would you abandon it only to avoid hurting someone's feelings?
You have the right to do what is right for you as long as you are polite (but firm if
necessary

How to say no

Now get ready to reject someone the next time you are offered something by
to eat
Fill out a cost analysis sheet for eating where in the column of
You will report the food costs for you and in the right column the costs of yours
don't eat for the other person.

Generate the feeling of having the right to reject requests to eat. What
What are the costs for you if you accept the offer?
to get you out of the established diet plan
make you eat more than you really want
make you feel submissive to others
makes you feel like you have no control over your behavior
make you stop losing weight or even gain weight
to feel bad about yourself
Before filling in the cost column for the other person, think about how you would react if
someone rejected the food you offered them, if you knew they were trying to lose weight.
How badly would you feel about it? How long would the unpleasant feeling last?

Prepare your initial response. Note in the diet notebook what you have.
intention to respond if someone offers you food. For some, a simple 'No' might be enough.
Thank you" Or "No thanks, it looks delicious but I'm good like this" Or again "Thanks it looks
really good, can I take a piece home for later?
Visualize your action plan. Who is the person most likely to
Will they insist on making you eat? Where will you be? What foods will be involved? Do you see this?
While someone offers you food and you listen to yourself saying 'No thanks,' think about what
this person might say later and in the way you might respond. Observe the
a person turns around and offers food to someone else. Picture yourself recognizing each other
merit and you feel proud of yourselves. If you haven't practiced much in resisting food
The first time you try it you might be a bit nervous but over time it will become easier.

Stubborn food dealer: take a slice of the birthday cake.

Behavior model: No, thank you
Stubborn food peddler: but it's my birthday, you have to take a slice!
Behavior model: I know it looks very good, but I really have to say no.
Dealer: let's have a little taste, it won't hurt you.
Model: No really no, thank you anyway
Dealer: You are hurting my feelings.
Model: I'm not refusing the cake to make you feel bad, I'm just not in the mood right now.
I don't want it.
Thirtieth day: maintain control when eating out

Many people on a diet during special occasions like parties, family celebrations, or others.
events, they allow themselves to be indulgent with themselves and it is for this reason that many
people on a diet eventually lose control.

You plan to eat out.

Today you will prepare a plan to eat out and choose a day to put it into practice.
this exercise in a restaurant. Stick to the diet every time you eat out or you
Participating in a social event is a skill that requires preparation and practice. Here’s what
you need to do to prepare yourselves:

CHOOSE A SUITABLE DAY AND PLACE. Choose a day of this

a week when you are not too stressed and a slightly earlier time than
usually in a way that you don't arrive too hungry and choose a restaurant that prepares food
allowed from your diet.
GO OUT WITH A FRIEND. choose to bring someone with you who will not try to
forcing you to eat, perhaps your diet coach.
PLAN IN ADVANCE HOW MUCH YOU WILL EAT. It's okay to eat a little more than
usual (perhaps up to 25% more calories than you would normally consume
with that meal). If you don't eat out very often, the extra food shouldn't
noticeably slow down the pace at which you are losing weight.
PLAN WHAT YOU WILL EAT. Check if the restaurant you have chosen has the
website with the menus. Think about what foods you could eat and the size of the
portions you will have to consume.
ANTICIPATE THE SABOTAGE THOUGHTS THAT MIGHT ARISE. You could
For example, thinking: "It's okay to eat more than what I planned, because...everyone
the others are eating / I rarely eat these foods / it won't hurt / I can
start again tomorrow/I should eat more so as not to waste money. Fill out some
Answer sheets to read before going to the restaurant and take them with you for
read it in case you need it. Read and also bring the sheet of
answers about the advantages.
PLAN HOW YOU WILL TOLERATE FOOD CRAVINGS. What can you tell yourselves? What
Can you do it? Review the 13th day to remember the techniques of mental behavior.
and behavior to adopt. You could, for example, if you feel an intense
 desire for food, move away from the table and take a tour around the restaurant, or
go to the bathroom and read your answer sheets.
WHEN THE FOOD ARRIVES, SEPARATE WHAT YOU CAN EAT. Push
immediately the extra food not included in your plan on the edge of the plate, or if
please, move it to the bread plate.
EVALUATE YOUR SUCCESS. When you return home, reflect on how it went.
If you haven't succeeded with your meal plan, ask yourself what you will do differently.
next time. Be careful not to have overly critical thoughts! Probably if
not being successful in this task means it was too difficult. Try again,
preparing better before going.
IF IT WENT WELL BUT YOU FEEL DISSATISFIED BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T
EAT WHAT YOU WANTED, WORK ON SABOTAGING THOUGHTS. Recognize yourselves
the merit of having followed the diet and worked on acceptance "And it's okay, I couldn't
I eat like I usually do, but I really want to lose weight, so it's good that
I have limited myself.
The more you practice eating out, the easier it will become. If not this time, the next.
You will leave the restaurant thinking: "I'm so glad I didn't overeat!". Even
If it seems impossible to you now and you think you will always feel deprived, when you arrive
At this point, you will feel good for having maintained control.

Strategies for eating out.

The strategies that follow will help you keep the situation under control when you eat.
outside

TELL THE WAITER HOW YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR DISH TO BE PREPARED.
Don't hesitate to ask for substitutions or other special treatments. Many other customers do.
they do, and the waiters are used to accommodating them. The worst thing that could
what happens is that they cannot do what you requested.
Order smaller portions. Order an appetizer as the main meal.
or ask for half a portion of the first course.
IF YOU ARE EATING IN A SELF-SERVICE OR IN A TAVERN, LOOK
ALL THE MENU OPTIONS BEFORE REFILLING YOUR PLATE. Of the foods allowed by
your preferred meal plan: many small tastings or larger portions of
few foods? Make a decision and then put the food on the plate, remembering that
that is all, there will not be a second serving. If you feel unsatisfied, think: "And
That's fine, I would prefer to eat more, but I am determined, I prefer to lose more weight.
PUT INTO PRACTICE WHAT YOU KNOW. Eat slowly and pay attention
be careful with every bite, even if you are distracted by your dining companions and
from the environment.
WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED EATING, STOP. Lay the cutlery down so that
they should be placed on the food. If possible, place the paper napkin in the plate. Move away
the dish from you.
Change your mindset regarding holidays, anniversaries, and events.
special

If you want to lose weight and maintain the achieved weight for life, you must develop a
a different attitude towards celebrations than you have had in the past. If you are
like most people, you have a pretty strong idea in mind: 'I have the right to'
make exceptions on special occasions." There are three difficulties associated with this
conviction
1. YOU WILL LIKELY HAVE TO ATTEND OCCASIONS REPEATEDLY
SPECIALI. Dinners at friends' and family homes, parties, anniversaries, business breakfasts,
weddings, retirement parties, office parties, business meetings, dinners of
 charity, religious ceremonies, receptions, etc... If you grant yourself permission to do
Exceptions, you could easily overeat on all these occasions.
2. YOU MIGHT EXAGGERATE IN MAKING EXCEPTIONS. Instead of eating just a little
extra quantity, you could easily eat much more. If your usual dinner is
of 600 calories for example, you could end up eating 200% more, that is to say reaching
an 1800 calorie. When you exceed the set limits, you might think: 'I've already'
I'm throwing the diet out the window... I could eat whatever I want.
3. You may find it difficult to return to a controlled diet.
AFTER THE EVENT IS OVER. You may have sabotaging thoughts like: "It was
It was really a blast to eat everything I wanted... It was beautiful not having to
limitations." You might lose sight of the reasons why losing weight is very important to you,
and you could stop following the steps of this program. Or you could have
self-sabotaging thoughts like 'I've really lost control... I've messed up the diet...
What is the point of trying again? You might be overcome by a sense of helplessness, and
you may not be able to find the energy to stick to your diet.
Special advice for work breakfasts.
If you eat out for work reasons, use the previously mentioned strategies, furthermore
remember the following:
It's easy to get distracted during the conversation, so set aside the food you have right away.
I decided to eat; furthermore, if possible, try to organize breakfasts instead of lunches.
for work, so that you can order a coffee or some low-calorie drink;
strengthen yourselves by bringing your answer sheets with you, you could always
read it in private;
if someone asks you why you don't drink or have a snack, you can
simply answer why you are trying to eat healthier,
or you are trying to be a little careful. You don't have to say that you are on a diet if
you don't want it...
if necessary, plan to eat before or after the work lunch, so that
managing to eat very little at the restaurant
Thirty-first day: Make a decision about alcohol.
If your diet advises against the consumption of alcoholic beverages, but you cannot do without them.
completely? Then try to incorporate alcohol intake into your diet,
planning it, but keeping in mind that this choice will lower the calories allocated to
food...

The reality about alcohol.

Unfortunately, alcoholic beverages contain calories, many calories. Specifically, 7 calories per gram.
while proteins and carbohydrates contain about 4, almost double...
Moreover, cocktails are made with very high-calorie ingredients and just one cocktail could
easily reach 400 calories!
Many people try to compensate for these calories by eating less, but eating less can
easily lead you to overeat later, plus alcohol lowers your inhibitions
inhibitors and this could also push you to overeat or eat things that you don't
you had scheduled.
You might think that it's okay to decide spontaneously to drink, but just as you had to
learn to eliminate unplanned eating and to stick to the diet, in the same way
You need to learn to eliminate spontaneous drinking; otherwise, you will always risk increasing.
of weight. You have to decide today if and how much to drink, otherwise when the opportunity arises.
You are likely to drink too much...

How much and how often.

You have two choices: not to drink at all, or you can set some limits, for example
you can decide to have a drink a day, or a week, or a month, etc... Or you could
decide to drink only on special occasions.
If you decide to drink, you will also need to decide how to incorporate the alcoholic beverage into the
diet, without consuming too many calories. Ask yourselves if you really want to spend your money
calorie in that way, rather than in something to eat. If you struggle to take a
decision, fill out a form with the list of your advantages and disadvantages related to drinking and then
talk to your diet coach.
Whatever you decide to do is fine, as long as:
don't skimp on food;
plan when and how much to drink;
calculate in advance the caloric content of the drink;
do not allow alcohol to lead you towards an unplanned diet.

Tip: If you decide to drink, sip your drink very slowly, enjoying every
a single sip and making it last as long as possible. When you finish it, order
suddenly a calorie-free drink, to avoid the temptation of ordering another drink.

Thirty-second day: prepare for when you are traveling

If you are afraid of gaining weight when you travel for both vacation and work,
plan a strategy before departure. Plan how strictly you want to adhere to it
the diet, how much you will allow yourself and how much weight you allow yourself to gain. These decisions
They are individual. If your dietary rules are too strict, you risk giving up.
completely the diet.
Here are some strategies to adopt:
allow yourself a few hundred extra calories a day
follow your usual meal plan every day but add small
exaggerations on some occasions.
follow the diet every day except for a 'blowout' on the last day.
By using these strategies, the weight gain will be reasonable and you will feel better about yourself.
the same. if instead you tried not to gain any weight at all, you wouldn't feel good and you would end up
to eat more than you have planned.
To better understand which strategy is best for you, think about which foods and which
drinks you wish to consume more while you are away. Do you want to sip cocktails or
Do you prefer dessert after dinner or trying unusual dishes that you have never eaten?
Write your strategy in the diet notebook and read it every day before the
departure in order to keep it well in mind.

How to avoid gaining too much weight

Try to think of specific situations that could arise and how to solve them.

Do more physical exercise. It will help you offset small dietary excesses.
Have a brunch instead of breakfast and lunch if you wake up later than usual.
Bring some food with you if you have a long journey ahead. during the journey
be careful not to eat out of boredom and pay attention not to consume more meals
reason for the change of schedules. When you arrive at your destination look for a
supermarket to buy planned snacks.
Use all the strategies you have learned so far. Reread all the
your sheets and make the most of all the exercises you have done so far.
During the return journey

When you return home, give yourselves credit for all the things you have done right and
do not be afraid to step on the scale: you have already planned a small increase in
weight. Do not try to quickly lose the weight gained because it will expose you to danger of
overeating within a few days. Restore your eating habits
productive.

Sabotaging thought: I have been so good. I should be able to eat whatever I want while
I'm off. If I can't eat what I want, I won't have fun at all.
Helpful answer: it's not all or nothing. I shouldn’t deprive myself of everything. I can eat some foods.
that I like. I will not give up all the pleasures of the table. I will not give up everything
divertimento. Also, when I return home, I will be happy when I step on the scale and not
I will have gained 3 kg. It will be worth it.

Thirty-third day: eliminate emotional hunger

Most people who have weight problems eat for emotional reasons.
Since it's unpleasant to feel distressed, bored, anxious, or sad, people calm themselves with food. But
eating does not solve the problem that has led to anxiety or boredom etc. etc., but produces a
another problem is feeling bad for having transgressed the diet. For example, Pat, after
it was the third evening in a row that her boss had asked her to stay at work late,
went home full of rage, with many negative thoughts and had abandoned his plan
feeding on an entire tub of ice cream. If he had faced the situation
By using problem-solving, he could have seen the situation in a more ...
objective and could have politely declined the boss's request or even without a
good resolution of the problem would not have needed to eat. Compare
this behavior with those of people who do not have weight problems does not
They would never eat when they are upset, they do not rely on food to help them feel better.
Better. There's nothing wrong with negative emotions, do you think you can't tolerate them?
But negative emotions are not dangerous. Nothing bad will happen to you. With a certain timeframe
Over time, negative emotions, as well as cravings for food, will diminish on their own. The
The best way to face them is to respond to negative thoughts and solve the problem.
associated with emotional turmoil. How to do it will be tomorrow's lesson. It is certainly difficult.
to go to the solution of the problem when you are used to immediately resorting to food
when you are disturbed. First of all, you need to reduce negative emotions by not correlating them.
to food. You have already developed the technique to manage emotional hunger (12th day) so
use it to reduce the impulse to eat.

Use mental attitude techniques

LABEL HOW YOU FEEL Tell yourself 'I'm just irritated..... I don't have
fame
DO NOT GIVE IN to the fact that you absolutely will not eat just because you are anxious and
Think about how eating would undermine your self-confidence regarding diet compliance.
DO NOT GIVE YOURSELF A POSSIBLE CHOICEIf you say "certainly not
I will eat
I can bear not eating.
IMAGINE THE CONSEQUENCES OF GIVING IN imagine yourself while eating.
How long does the pleasure of eating actually last? Remember how many times in life you
Did you promise not to break the diet? Look how you are becoming increasingly sad.
discouraged and disappointed in yourselves. Look at how you are suffering for having given in. now that
Have you seen everything that is better to eat or not to eat?
READ THE ANSWER SHEET ON THE ADVANTAGES considering all the reasons
for which you want to lose weight. Don't you want to gain all those benefits even now? It matters.
Is it worth reinforcing the muscle of surrender by eating now?
You need to learn to manage negative emotions without resorting to food as comfort.

Use behavioral techniques

Distract yourself to eliminate discomfort when you have negative emotions, in case of
if TV and reading are not engaging enough, read your card of
distracting activities (13th day).
DRINK A SOOTHING BEVERAGE relax, sit down, and drink slowly.
RELAX listen to a CD that teaches relaxation techniques or do
slow breathing described in previous days.
The more you put into practice the techniques of mental attitude and behavioral techniques and
the more you will be able to master them. You will start to master the lighter emotions first.
through the strongest ones. When you start to feel emotionally disturbed, apply the various
techniques and when emotions pass, work to solve the problem that generated them.
Instead of saying 'I am upset, I eat,' you should say 'I am upset, I will try to solve the problem...'
If I can't concentrate on problem-solving, I can first use my techniques.
mental and behavioral.
Thirty-fourth day: Solve the problems.
Today you will learn to solve problems more effectively. To think clearly about a
problem, even if you don't know how to solve it, can help you feel more under
control, more relaxed and therefore you will have less chance of falling into emotional hunger.

Identify the problem.

To solve a problem, one must first be able to identify it. Sometimes this is
simple, for example if at work your boss puts pressure on you, if you can't
to pass an exam, if someone makes a negative comment about you. At other times, however, you might
recognize the negative emotion, but not fully understand what caused it. You could help yourselves
talking about it with a friend or with the diet coach. Once you have defined the problem,
make sure to identify the negative thoughts that cross your mind. Then use the
technique of the seven questions to respond to negative thoughts. Think about the following
(learned on the 27th day). Dena, a person on a diet whom Dr. Beck has had in
treatment, when she was tired after a hard day at work and stressed by
family responsibilities, inevitably sank into the sofa and began to think about everything
the tasks she still had to take care of. The thought 'I will never manage to do everything' made her
feeling anxious. To manage her anxiety without eating, Dana used the technique of
seven questions, as illustrated below:

1. What kind of mistake am I making? Mind reading.

2. What evidence is there that this thought might not correspond to reality or
Only partly correspond to you? I had this thought in the past and in a way or
In the other, I have always managed to take care of the most important tasks.
3. Is there an alternative explanation or another way to look at it? Maybe I shouldn't.
don't even try to do everything tonight.
4. What is the most realistic outcome of this situation? That I will be able to do some things, but
not all, I will have to postpone the rest to another time.
5. What is the consequence of believing this negative thought? What could it be?
What would be the consequence if I changed my way of thinking? I feel really overwhelmed and
paralyzed. If I changed my way of thinking, I would feel less anxious and could
start doing something earlier.
6. What would I say to a friend who found herself in this situation and had the same?
What kind of thinking? I would tell her to get up right away and start with what seems easiest to her.
It is one thing at a time to do what one can.
7. What should I do now? Should I start with a washing machine right away and then call?
Jennifer for help.
You cannot solve all problems.
One must also be realistic, there are things that may be beyond your control.
Your partner may have a problem with alcoholism. You could have a serious issue.
of health. You could be very disturbed. What can you do?
First of all, it's normal to feel bad about this kind of thing; you wouldn't be human if you didn't.
you were disturbed. If you draw unrealistic conclusions about these life problems
daily, you may still be unable to respond to your way of thinking
negative. For example, you might have the thought: "Because of this problem, I will have life
"unhappy". In this circumstance, the technique of seven questions might be useful.
Whether you have drawn unrealistic conclusions or not, make sure to seek
help. You need to talk to other people. Ask them to listen to you and what they can
do to help you concretely. For example, they might have some ideas about what you can do
to make your life better, despite unfavorable conditions. If you notice that
still going through a difficult time due to your feelings, take
consider the possibility of seeking help from a mental health professional. Let yourselves
help.
Thirty-fifth day: Prepare to weigh yourself.
Tomorrow marks the end of your fifth week with the Beck method. If you have followed all the
steps of this book, there is a good chance that tomorrow you will see indicated on the scale a
lowest weight.
Before stepping on the scale in the morning, remember that any number that appears is just
one piece of information. If you are nervous or think you might have gained weight, before
repeatedly reread the pages of the 28th day.
After weighing yourselves, calculate the weight change and place a point on the graph of the decrease.
weigh and connect the points. Contact your coach for the diet to inform them of the change.
of weight. If you have lost a few grams, that’s fantastic! If not, don’t get discouraged,
Wait a week and if the weight remains unchanged or increases, try to resolve it.
the diet problem by consulting with your coach. Consider the hypothesis of
always bring with you the chart with weight variations, so you can see at any
moment your progress. A patient of Dr. Beck had recreated in miniature a
a chart of her weight loss on the back of a business card she kept in her wallet and
every time he opened the wallet and consequently saw his progress he had these
thoughts: "Look what I've done! I love the way the line on this graph continues to
Get down! I'm so proud of myself! It's absolutely worth doing what I'm doing.
doing!
TENTH CHAPTER

6th week

Perfect your skills

Congratulations, you have completed the first five weeks. Now you know how to behave.
when you want to eat but you know you shouldn't. You can decide whether to eat or not,
how to follow your meal plans if you have cravings, if you seek comfort, if you are driven to
eat or if you are tempted by food.
This week you will improve your cognitive therapy skills and reinforce your confidence.
you will recognize that you have lost weight thanks to yourselves, to your efforts using
these new behavioral techniques.

thirty-sixth day believe us

B. had to lose many kilos but was convinced that she would never succeed. She had been on a diet for
many years but instead of losing weight continued to gain weight. Even during the visit with the
Dr. Beck continued to be skeptical about her ability to implement the method.
I am the type of person who can lose weight" but started to try. As time went on,
time was slowly losing weight but continued to be skeptical. She said to herself, 'Not
It lasted. "After the first 10 pounds, I was confused, after 15 I was very confused." "I don't know how I...
It's just a stroke of luck. "After losing 20 kg. It's only because you, Doctor, are ...
helping
Dr. hasolo taught B. cognitive therapy but only B. was using it with
Constancy is why he was successfully losing weight. You need to stop doubting yourself.
the same. Now you are different. Now you have essential skills that you did not possess in
past and you can use them successfully. Your weight loss is not a stroke of luck. For
changing the perception of oneself from a person who cannot lose weight to a person who can
to lose weight, read (or create one suitable for you) the following sheet every day:

Believe it!!!
I am losing weight because I have learned how to do it. Now I know:
1. what should I do (eat slowly, plan, use anti-anxiety techniques);
2. what I have to remind myself (hunger, cravings are not emergencies. "not
there is a possibility of choice
3. how to motivate myself (seek support, read the notes, give myself credit every day)
4. how to remain sincere (report weight changes to the coach every week)
Build greater trust in yourself

Remember how you were before starting the program, your behavior before:
How often did you eat while standing?
How often did you eat mindlessly?
How often did you eat too fast?
How often did you eat because of emotions?
How often did you overeat?
How often did you deceive yourselves?
It is important to continually check what you have learned and the progress you have made.
you have done.
Below is what B. wrote in her diary to remind herself how much
the road had made.

Before starting the program, I couldn't consistently do the following things:

leaving food on the plate
to be hungry and not stress about it
tell myself "there is no possibility of choice"
stop eating when the plate was empty
make physical activity a priority
respect the diet
to refrain from unplanned eating
stop nibbling from the pan while I cook
eat slowly
eating while sitting
recognize and respond to self-sabotaging thoughts
give me credit
to limit myself when eating out
putting myself first in order to eat correctly
self-sabotaging thought: if I acknowledge my progress, I will become too confident and start to
let me go.
useful answer: I will be able to notice it, as long as I fill out the lists of things every day.
fare.
thirty-seventh day
reduce stress

Three steps to lower the level of stress that you will eventually have to face.
Step 1: solve the problem
If you are stressed because you are too demanding or have too many responsibilities, go to the card.
of priorities (chapter six) and divide your activities into 'essential' 'highly
"desirable" and "desirable". Use the technique of 7 questions to respond to thoughts.
negatives.
Step 2 relax
Stress can keep the body tense. Take a CD that teaches relaxation techniques,
muscular or guided imagery. Slow breathing is also useful beforehand.
described.
3rd step change your mental attitude.
Many people are stressed because their behavior follows unreasonable rules.
like the following:
I should always do my best
I should always prevent problems from happening.
I should never rely on others.
I shouldn't disappoint people.
I shouldn't make others unhappy.
To reduce stress, you need to change your rules.
IDENTIFY YOUR RULES probably when you try to solve some
Problems will arise if your rules are too strict.
You might avoid reasonable solutions to your problems.
UNLEASH YOUR SELF-IMPOSED RULES Use these tips to
change it
Think of someone who has less rigid standards than yours. Based on what?
rules act?
think about the advantages related to changing your rules
eliminate the words 'always' and 'never' from your rules
introduce the word "reasonable":
1. I should always do my best will become 'I should try to commit myself in a way
reasonable most of the time
2. I should always prevent problems from occurring will become 'I should try to '
take reasonable precautions
3. I should never rely on others it will become 'I should rely on'
others when it is reasonable to do so
LIFT YOUR RULES AND YOUR EXPECTATIONS TOWARDS
OTHERS
Do you believe that:

Should others always be perfect?

Should others always be able to read your mind?
Should others always be grateful?
Others should never make you unhappy?
others should never treat you unfairly?
others should never misunderstand you?
Your 'should' and 'should not' manifest when you have rules.
unrealistic ideas about the way others behave.

You acknowledge that you simply do not have control - or at least not much - over others. The
the only ones you truly have control over are yourselves. You can change your way of
Think about your behavior but you cannot change others.
Appreciate someone you admire who has less rigid ideas about how things should be.
the others. What rules does it have?
weigh the advantages related to the change of your rules
try to eliminate the words "always" and "never" from your rules
change the shoulds and should nots with 'it is realistic to expect that...'
It is realistic to expect that others will make mistakes.
It is realistic to expect that others do not know what I want or what I need.
need unless I say so
It is realistic to expect that not everyone will be as grateful as I would like them to be.
ditch
sabotaging thought: I have always had these rules. How do I change them?
useful answer: now I have the skills to analyze my rules and my ideas in a different way.
I can also decide what is reasonable to do on a case-by-case basis.

thirty-eighth day
Face the phases of stagnation
Some phases of stagnation are short-lived. One week you might step on the scale and not
to see no weight loss but the next one does. These brief plateaus are normal.
They could be due to water retention, hormonal changes, or other variables.
biological. Or simply you have consumed more calories and exercised less.
If you expect the scale to drop every week, you will encounter
delusions.
As time goes by, you may find that you have stabilized at a certain weight for
several consecutive weeks. Numerous studies have shown that those who need to lose more than 10 kg.
hits a dead end after the first six months of the diet.
When stagnation lasts more than a few weeks, it is likely because your body does not have
more need for all the calories you are taking in.
In this case you can:
continue to do what you are doing and see if the weight loss resumes
reduce the caloric intake by about 200 calories (check with your doctor first if
it's reasonable to do it)
increase physical activity by 15/20 minutes
establish that this is your weight goal and move to maintenance.
Thirty-ninth day - Continue physical activity.
When Claire presented herself to Doctor Beck, she was completely out of shape. She had a
sedentary work and his favorite hobbies were watching TV, browsing the internet, and reading.
She didn't like sports, she had never practiced any. She said she was rather weak in
constitution and that he could not exercise physically like the others. To make matters worse
there was the fact that his physical endurance capacity was very low and that at times
she suffered from back pain. Just as she does with all patients on a diet, the doctor talked to her about the
benefits of physical activity and advised to start with just 10-15 minutes a day.
Claire was skeptical and asked if it was not possible to lose weight simply with diet, without
must necessarily engage in physical activity. The doctor then continued speaking to her about various
studies and research on physical activity, weight loss, and maintenance, until she
she agreed to take a walk for 10-15 minutes at least four times a week. When
She returned the following week to the doctor and reported that she had walked all four.
she felt, but she did not like it. Then the doctor asked Claire what thoughts
she had had before she started to walk and she replied that her thoughts had been:
"I really don't feel like going for a walk, I'd prefer to watch TV" while then
he walked he had thoughts like: "It's boring... Why do I have to do it?" Even after the walks.
I kept thinking: "I don't like it and then 10 minutes won't be of any use, I'm too..."
"Few..." It's no wonder that Claire had never engaged in physical activity in
in the past, his sabotaging thoughts hindered him...
Come Claire, you too might be skeptical and hesitant about physical activity.
Why don't you like it, because you're too busy or stressed or because you have a problem
Physical. You know the benefits of planned spontaneous physical activity, but are you doing it?
Have you increased your physical activity over time? Engaging in physical activity is still at the top of the
your priorities? Do you have a positive attitude towards physical activity? If you answered no
even just to one of these questions, you need to respond to your sabotaging thoughts and
solve some problems, doing like Claire.

How Claire changed.

To encourage herself to engage in physical activity, Claire did the following:

she asked her neighbor to walk with her twice a week;

took from the audiobook library and downloaded music to listen to when
he was walking on the treadmill or in the nearby park;
during the walks, she would call her best friend on her cell phone;
before starting to walk, he would read through his answer sheets to remember the
benefits related to losing weight, which he had listed at the beginning of the diet, and benefits
related to practicing physical activity;
after exercising, she read a response sheet that reminded her why she
she deserved so much credit for her walks...
These strategies were sufficient to convince Claire to walk at least three days a week.
week, however, they were not enough to make her adopt a completely positive attitude. Then
it happened that she had an accident that caused her back pain and her doctor advised her
to do physiotherapy. Initially, she was a bit worried, but she was also very motivated to
he could recover and so the therapy began. The physiotherapist started her slowly, he was encouraging and
motivating and Claire also did the exercises at home that he taught her. Slowly she began to
look better and felt proud of herself for having the perseverance not to miss the
sessions and having done the exercises at home. He realized he felt much better before, during and
After the exercises, she changed the way she saw herself and began to think: 'Maybe I can do it.'
I am becoming stronger.
After finishing physiotherapy, the therapist advised her to go to the gym, but she was a bit scared to do so.
this perspective, then she decided to visit a gym and slowly began to
attending courses. After a few weeks, Claire began to feel a strong sense of
she transforms her idea of being a weak person, lacking vigor.
physical, unable to sustain a physical activity program, to that of a person who
was becoming stronger and was sure it would continue to do so for the whole
life.

How you can change.

CONCENTRATE ON HOW YOU WILL FEEL AFTER DOING THE ACTIVITY

PHYSICS, not how you feel right now, remember that the hard thing is
start!
PUT PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN THE CATEGORY "THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY OF
CHOICE!
MEET A FRIEND OR A TRAINER. Start together with a friendly person or who
can help you carry out the exercises will keep you committed.
GIVE YOURSELF A LOT OF CREDIT. Every small step in the right direction deserves a lot.
credit. Reward yourself for doing physical activity, but not with food.
planned!
FOCUS ON YOUR PROGRESS. Can you take a walk for a
minute longer than you were used to doing? Can you do some physical exercise in
more vigorous than before? Remember during every session that you are becoming more
stronger and more physically fit.
END THE SESSION ON A POSITIVE NOTE. If you like a certain
type of equipment or exercise, plan to do it at the end, this way
you will end the exercise session satisfied and you will be more likely to complete the exercises
and the next time to execute them again.
MAKE SURE TO ENGAGE IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF YOUR CHOICE. If that
What you are doing bores you, change.

Forty-first day
make a new to-do list
Now you have learned all the techniques and you will have to put them into practice more and more, especially if
you have reached your weight goal. In fact, you will need to use these techniques to
all life.

Do these activities daily:

eating according to a low-calorie diet
think about what you are eating before putting it in your mouth
eating seated and slowly with awareness
eat only until you feel slightly full
monitor your diet throughout the day
give credit
engage in spontaneous physical activity
respond to sabotaging thoughts
Do these activities once a day to once a week
weigh yourself at least once a week (but if you prefer, even once a day)
discuss your experiences and weight variations with the coach
engage in planned physical activity at least three times a week
continue to ensure you have time and energy for the diet
read the answer sheet on the benefits as needed
 use techniques to combat food cravings
use the technique of the seven questions when you are upset
prepare psychologically when you have to eat on special occasions
to do problem solving to reduce stress
take steps to enrich your life
Do these activities when you need to.
Plan and monitor what you eat (This is the most important exercise
of the whole program). If you find yourself in a tough moment, do it especially in writing.
Read the answer sheets (even if you know them well by now, in moments
it's difficult to start reading them again every day
sabotaging thought: It's too annoying to keep doing all these things
useful answer: for me losing weight is very important. Doing these things requires effort, but
the reward is exceptional.
Forty-second day
practice, practice, practice