[CHANGES] The Build-Up Plan

[Sandra Ahten]

The Build-Up Plan

Dieting is hard. If it wasn’t, we would all be thin. Wouldn’t we? But just 
for today, let’s step up to the challenge and do what we can. Let’s focus on 
what is possible and Build- Up on that success.

“But,” you say, “My in-laws are coming this weekend.” Or “I’m going to 
Europe in three weeks.”

This is not about what dieting obstacles you have in your life. This is 
about what you can do today.

“But,” you say, “I’ve lost weight before, I know I CAN do it, I must just 
not be ready.” Or “I think that when I do start again I’ll try the South 
Beach diet.”

This is not about which diet will ultimately work for you sometime down the 
road. This is about what you can and will do today.

“But” you say, “Why start today? I know myself, and my schedule, and my lack 
of motivation well enough to know that I’m not going to be successful until 
(I join a group) (get fruits and vegetables in the house) (also have time to 
exercise) (heal from this surgery) (ball season is over).”

But, again I say: This is not about how dieting will ultimately work for you 
sometime down the road. Because frankly – No, you don’t know that. Life is 
too uncertain, and you are too human, and so subject to change. But you do 
know what could work for you today and this week. And through taking that 
action, you’ll have a better idea about what will work for you tomorrow and 
next week. You’ll know what will work for you in real time in real life.

Dieting is not some big all-or-nothing thing. Dieting is what we put in our 
body, how we move our body, and how we feel about our body. Dieting is how 
we live our life. It is what we do.  It is thought and action.

Dieting is not something you’ll do for some set period of time. It is not a 
6 week plan. It is not a 20 pound plan. It is not a size 11 plan. Your diet 
is your daily life.

Will the steps that you decide to take today lead to weight loss? Yes, Even 
if you eat more than you did yesterday. Yes, even if your day is so hectic 
that you are eating fast- food and not exercising. This is because you will 
be making conscious choices. You will be providing information about where 
your obstacles are. You will be noting when and where your resistance lies.

Yes, the steps that you take today, no matter what they are will lead to 
weight loss, OR they will lead to a quieting of the voices that says that 
weight loss is what you should be doing. You will be losing weight or not 
losing weight based on your decisions You will let go of the need to 
constantly tell yourself that you should be doing something more.

This is the build-up approach instead of the let-down approach. You already 
know the let-down approach. It is where you find some plan to follow; you 
follow it absolutely faithfully for X period of time; and then let yourself 
down. You just throw up your hands and abandon it all together. It is often 
the plan that leads to the “and then some” pounds. (I gained it all back, 
and then some).

Here are the three guides that you can adapt that will lead to your success.
a) Write down a plan
b) Evaluate your challenges & successes
c) Change your thinking


My next three messages will expound on these topics using the Build-Up 
approach. I can hear you now, “I’ll wonder what she means by writing it 
down? Does she mean journaling? I think I’ll wait until I read that so I 
know how to proceed.”

No. You don’t need to wait. Write down what you are going to do for the rest 
of the day. It doesn’t have to be the plan that you are going to follow for 
the rest of your life. It can be a quick note on the back of a napkin. It 
can be as sketchy or as detailed as you like. Think about your challenges as 
you write down this plan. Make it realistic.  Then tell yourself, “This is 
enough. This is possible. I’m happy with myself for making this plan.”

The Build-Up approach works with any diet. You can do it to help follow your 
Weight Watcher diet. You can do it as a life style change diet. You can do 
it so that you don’t have to “diet.”

More soon. Start today.

Take Care,
Sandra

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