The Economists’ Diet

The Economists’ Diet: The Surprising Formula For Losing Weight and Keeping It Off by Christopher Payne, PhD. And Rob Barnett Two Formerly Obese Economists       Audio Book:  6hrs., 30 mins         Hardback Book:  320 pages

Great book.   The writers are as mentioned after their names two formerly obese economists.    Each topped 200lbs at one time in their lives.    Each ate with abandon and never passed on supersizing their fast food orders until friendly interventions began good naturedly from family members, colleagues and friends.   That was the first nudge but it took really experiencing not being able to do what they once could due to their weight and lack of any kind of exertion on their parts.   To this day neither man cares for formalized exercise and both say if you follow their diet based on economic theorems you too, will lose weight whether you ever exercise or not.   Both men came to the conclusion it was perhaps time to do something about their weight, both men refused to exercise to do it because frankly it was just too uncomfortable.  They began to work on a formula that would prove the answer for them and afterward many other people to get the weight off and keep it off.   They determined that from a  health factor standpoint it was reasonable to take off the weight but none of that extreme crash diet stuff.   They decided to work on their weight problem as an economic equation.    Whatever they did had to be something they would stay with and also something that would give them significant returns for their investment of time, foregoing snacks and calorie laden treats, no more supersizing their meals.   Together they worked from the supposition that working  from economic principles and keeping data on their progress they could beat their personal battles with their bulges.   When it worked, people began asking them how they did it.    They decided to lay it out in book format and share their successful plan with the world.   Their principles let you eat your favorite foods – you don’t have to give them up you will learn how to equate what you indulge in today with pulling back a little tomorrow.    They call it a feast and fast mentality.      They teach the reader how to maintain your own data and how to maneuver the data to make weight loss happen for you.  They offer a list of behavioral best practices.   The 6 core habits they recommend:  1.) Weigh every day – it keeps you on track and if you keep a food diary along with it – you will learn what foods cause a weight gain from the night before and which ones don’t.   2.) Eat one square meal everyday.   This is your full on eat what you want meal of your choosing be it breakfast lunch or dinner but for your other 2 meals eat moderately.    Fruit or whole grain cereals for breakfast, salad for lunch then your favorite for dinner or eat a big breakfast, light lunch, light dinner or light breakfast hit the buffet for lunch then have a light dinner.    3.)  They do recommend being calorie conscious so on the 2 light meals, you truly are eating light.     4.) They tell the reader do not spend money on fad diets nor diet food.   You’ve got this and you can keep better control fixing your own food (and save money, too).  5.)   They do add that you should limit the variety of food you eat.     You know what you like stick to that – don’t vary a lot – this will also save time on grocery shopping.   Perimeter shop – everything you really need to eat will be along the perimeter of the store – trouble comes in those inside aisles.   6.)  Adopt a mini-feast, mini fast lifestyle.    Sure you can go feast at your Uncle’s Barbecue, next day, hop on the scale check out what adjustments if any you have to make on your food intake that day.    Sure you can go out for beers and burgers with your friends after work, just hop on the scale the next day, maybe 3 light meals that day if you really splurged.   Also they recommend the reader learns the terms, light, square and splurge so you know where you are in your food journal and can adjust accordingly.    They give 25 additional microhabits to make your own like listening to your body’s signals are you still hungry or are you really full but like the taste so much you think you want more?   Stop making excuses as to why you are overweight – if you are ready do something about it.   Don’t drink your calories.   Keep yourself motivated with one reachable realistic long term weight loss goals and several short term ones.   Prepare to spend about 18 months to lose 50lbs.   When you go out eat what you want but opt for the smaller size – no supersizing.   Be skeptical of any food that has the word light listed on the packaging.   And their basic truth is ignore all quick fixes be prepared to eat less food forever.    No splurges at every meal – splurges are for special occasions,   2 light one square every day is the way.  But when you do splurge make sure it is on something you really like don’t waste your splurge on food you don’t really enjoy.   (Not always easy in social situations but work around it.)    Funny, insightful, inspiring and very educational.   These guys are good.