Book Review - The Thin Commandments (PART 1)

I've been saying for quite some time that I was going to begin writing about the book I've been reading "The Thin Commandments" by Dr Stephen Gullo. So here we go. This book is one of the most powerful that I have read regarding the psychology behind permanent weight loss. As I've been reading I have had the reaction over and over and over... "well duh!! NO WONDER I HAD TROUBLE!" In reading this book I have come to learn so much about myself, my eating habits, my ups and downs, and how to conquer the self-defeating habits that have plagued me for almost 30 years!!! Paring what I have learned throught my weight loss program and this book, I know that I will have success in my maintenance.

In the book Dr Gullo goes over 10 steps he says are key to overcoming the battle of the bulge. I will cover one commandement a post and insert my own experiences and thoughts as I learn.

The First Thin Commandment: Strategy Is Stronger Than Willpower

I cannot tell you how many times this has been my downfall. The old adage, those who fail to plan, plan to fail really is true. What I never realized is that it wasn't a lack of willpower like I'd accused myself of so many times, but a lack of strategy! WOW!!! I'm not a weak person afterall! Just an unprepared one! ;) LOL How often have you been sitting at home in the evening, watching TV or doing your evening routine and gotten the dreaded "munchies." For me, this was (is) a common occurance! The reason that we have such a hard time when those episodes hit is that we have failed to plan exactly what we are going to do when they come. It will inevitably arrive. You will get hungry, you will be tempted and you will get the cravings. But the key is what you do when those moments arrive.

By developing a planned out strategy for those times you can know exactly what to do and where to go with those cravings without stressing about caving or giving in to the craving! What a load off! "The realm of food is not a big world, but a small village." It is finite. We know what those foods that we crave taste like, we also know that it just doesn't work for us. The same scenarios will continue to come up over and over, but what the difference is THIS TIME is you know better, and have developed a strategy to overcome! "...successful weight control is not about doing what is 'normal' - it's about doing what works for you. You should not be concerned about the norm - that's the preoccupation of the insecure - but about what brings you the success you deserve."

There are a few points that Dr Gullo goes over that are key to developing your strategy (I will expound on these points in later installments.... stay tuned!!):

Food History - You have your own personal patterns that you have developed over your lifetime in regards to your own trigger foods. By recognizing what your triggers are and honoring your past food history, you can develop your own personalized plan in how to deal with those foods when the temptation arises.

Food Desensitizing - Techniques that defuse cravings are a powerful tool in order to develop and maintain a strategy.

Breaking through food "baby talk" - whooo boy. I could take an entire post to talk about this one. In childhood we learned unknowingly already how to talk down to ourselves and self-defeat when it comes to food. "I've been so good... I deserve it... But it's not fair... It's my treat..." Yadda, yadda, yadda.... can you hear the whining??? I love this quote from the book "Where food is concerned, even the most mature adults often act like children - like children who want their way no matter what, blocking out the negative consequences of their eating." Come to think of it... I will dedicate an entire post to this because this is so vital in my mind and one of the key reasons that people fail to keep the weight off once they reach goal.

Containment- There is a fantastic technique that I'll talk about later that will help us turn mess ups into learning experiences so we never again have to face the "I blew it" guilt.

There are so many other good points in this one chapter - my book is turning colors from all the highlighting that I'm doing!

I'll be going over so many other points that I don't have time to go into today, but I believe this is going to be a fascinating topic to continue ongoing discussion about. I'd like to leave with this last thought.... Thin is a lifestyle, not some arbitrary number on a scale. We must remember that even though we lose the weight, we never lose the vulnerability to those foods. Sooooo work on your strategy to overcome! Remember, you don't lack willpower, just planning!