Steps for meeting my goals:

• Use the word "binging" to describe my eating instead of "snacking." Adler colorfully described this technique as "spitting in the soup." I don't want to think about myself as "binging."


• Rather than either eating chocolate or skipping a snack in the afternoon, eat a "healthy" snack such as an apple or a Nutrigrain bar regularly.


• When I notice myself thinking "warm" thoughts about a binging food, replace these with "cool" thoughts about the food.


• Remind myself of my goals when I am thinking of engaging in "problematic" behavior.
  
• Don't start! Find something else to do, go into a different room. It's easier for me to avoid than engage in "dangerous" behaviors in moderation.


• Counter self-statements that suggest that I shouldn't waste food. Find other ways of using leftovers.


• Counter self-statements that if food tastes good that means that I should eat it. Counter my belief that my body's set point is so accurate that small discrepancies will be compensated for. Remember that set point shifts up with richer diets, down with leaner diets.


• Put leftovers away quickly, especially ones that I tend to snack on.


• Cook at least three meals per week other than those that come in a box, especially those that emphasize grains and vegetables.


• Engage a buddy. Randy is also beginning a similar plan, although different goals. Although his methods are different, we can remind each other of our commitment to our goals. My children are also good at reminding me of my goals.


• Chart my cooking, exercising, binging, vitamin use and weekly weights on the refrigerator.


• Compliment myself on commitment and progress made.


• Note how good it feels when I have a good exercise day (3.9k +) and how slight hunger feels good. (Beginning 2/2/97, change goal to 4.1k+.)


• Beginning 1/23/97, take a vitamin so iron intake is no excuse to snack. (I had become afraid that I was losing weight too rapidly and was also developing a sore throat, the latter and associated symptoms I attributed to poor diet.) Take vitamin when putting in contacts and record with other behavior changes.


• Beginning 2/2/97, monitor difficulty of avoiding problematic eating. I've discovered that avoiding "binges" is more difficult on some days than others, yet I've also learned to control my behavior enough that it falls below the "binge" criterion, but my snacking still isn't as I would like it. I will rate my difficulty in avoiding problematic eating on a Likert Scale -- one for no difficulty at all, two for minor difficulties, three for major difficulties, four for a binge.


• Post my progress on my page weekly and solicit your (positive) feedback. Not meeting my behavioral subgoals will be a minor embarassment. Getting positive feedback will be a positive reinforcer. Empathize with me when I have a rough week -- I expect I will have them later in the semester.