Good news: Losing weight just got easier! You’re about to reacquaint you with foods you enjoy. Yes, really. I know you’ve been conditioned to punish yourself with spray butter and fat-free mayo, but that nonsense stops here and now. This plan is all about working with what is—your likes, your lifestyle, your time and energy. You’re going to choose your foods and learn to shop for them, prep them, and eat them in a way that will work for you and get you at your best weight. So let’s get going!

STEP ONE: CHOOSE IT!

Yes, this step is pretty much as simple as it sounds. Just list the foods you like to eat and the foods you don’t! Make a top 10 or top 15 list so that you can stick to the foods that really matter to you.

Don’t be surprised if this feels a bit weird at first. If you’ve ridden the ol’ Diet Merry-Go- Round a couple dozen times, you may have become completely disconnected to even knowing which food you enjoy! Writing it down will help you kick-start your feel-good relationship to food.

However, I do have a caveat. I want you to ground this list in reality. In other words, if your top five foods are mashed potatoes, steak, fried chicken, pizza, and ice cream, then you’d better be either a sumo wrestler or a farmhand. So when I say choose food you like, keep it to proteins, vegetables, fruits, and carbs.

Remember, the whole point is to build a healthy and sustainable relationship with food No one can sustain a healthy relationship with cheese-in-the-crust pizza. (And if Froot Loops or fried chicken really has to stay on the list, I’ll show you how to deal with that lat- er. We’ll have choices that will satisfy your cravings without pushing you off your goals.)

Now, for each food on your “like” list, ask yourself these questions:

1) Does eating this food make me feel lousy, or good?

2) Is this food in line with my intentions and goals?

3) Do I enjoy eating this?
4) Does it taste good?

*This is an excerpt from my book The Right Fit Formula. For an exact plan based on your lifestyle, pick up a copy!