Tip for Tuesday - Custard Dish Diet

The key to the "Custard Dish Diet" is NEVER EVER fill the custard dish with custard. Not under any circumstance!

The custard dish diet is my own little invention. Please note VERY IMPORTANT, I am not a dietitian, nutritionist, expert on dieting by any means. I put this out there as my medical disclaimer. I am not responsible. I mean....I am not responsible for you or your health! You cannot sue me!

So as I have been dieting and exercising I have observed my passionate cravings. The largest one for me is cheese!!! I love cheese. love love love cheese. When I try to ignore my cravings, they just get worse and I get crabby. So I figured out a way to "have my cheese and eat it too."

I read a study once about weight. The study was interesting in that it followed people who were overweight trying to lose weight. But it also followed thin, healthy people who never dieted. They found the healthy fit people would crave something with high calories then eat it. (with portion control) The overweight people would crave something with high calories then try to avoid that craving by eating something else and then eating something else. The third thing they ate ended up being what they were originally craving. Then they would be satisfied.

Okay so I start with a healthy breakfast (oatmeal, cereal) and a healthy lunch (salad, turkey sandwich) and a smaller size dinner. My husband is the best cook and he makes fattening stuff (fettuccine Alfredo) so I really have to limit my calories during the day and then limit my portions at night. I drink lots of water. Anything low fat, low calorie that I can tolerate without feeling like I am denying myself I use (low fat mayo, ranch dressing, etc).

Now my big problems have been the in between meals hunger. And cravings.

So I decided to satisfy my cravings. I have found that eating a small amount of what I am craving actually will satisfy the craving.

Now I am allowed 3 snacks a day. In fact three custard dish size snacks.

Examples of some of my snacks are:

Cottage cheese
Two tablespoons of any light dressing or light dip with 15 small stick pretzels. (satisfies my dipping need)
2 pieces of cheese with two crackers.
small piece of chocolate with a little peanut butter
cut up cucumber with a tablespoon of light dressing (if you take out the seeds it won't give you gas)
cut up red pepper with light dressing
Yogurt
Banana with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
Baby Carrots dipped in light dressing

Now if we are having something very fattening for dinner I may cut out 1 snack. Or if it is a day I will not get to exercise I may cut out 1 snack.

Another key to this working is to prepare your snacks and don't eat one bite until you have put all the ingredients away. I used to eat a piece or two or three of cheese while I was cutting it up. Or I would leave the cheese out. Oh so easy to cut off another piece!

Now I have been doing this about three weeks, I have lost 8 pounds. I am rarely hungry and I feel satisfied. The hardest part of this is dinner time for me. Such yummy meals and I want to keep eating! and eating and eating.

I know everyone is different so what works for me may not work for you. But I thought I should share this since it's different and it is working for me.

Joytobe