After watching Oprah with guest Kirstie Alley, with her falling off the wagon and looking like the way she used to before the Jenny Craig stint, I sat down and re-evaluated my own diet regimen.

I know that with all the diet fads, trends, and myths that we have to deal with, we have to make sense of our own diet and not rely on what’s hot. I took it from Kirstie as she mentioned that she is planning on having her own type of diet – an action that she is taking because of the failure of her well-publicized weight loss.

I come up with my very own diet code which I call My Thin Manifesto.  I know that losing weight is basically about eating less or eating sensibly. Food is directly the factor on how our bodies look like. Of course, exercise helps but only in toning our muscles. Unless we really sweat it and get really tired, we cannot lose the fat from working out. And that’s coming from my own experience.

Having my own diet rules in words makes me more feel how real they are. I attach this manifesto on the refrigerator so every time I to get food or get near the kitchen, I get reminded of what I set to do.

My Thin Manifesto

1.  Don’t start eating unless you’re really hungry. It’s hard to stop once you start eating so if you are half-full and can wait until the next meal, don’t snack on chips and other little bite-sized food.
2. Little food makes big tummy. Yes, they do and that’s because once you start eating them, you can’t stop. Take for example chocolate covered raisins: they are so good that a handful is not enough. As a result, you end up eating more than you planned on eating and that makes you fat in the end. 
3. Enjoy your meal and be thankful with every bite. My mother told us when we were young that that eating a meal (breakfast, lunch, supper) especially with the family and on the dinner table, is like having a mass. Each meal should be treated with respect. Chew your food, eat slowly, savor every bite, and yes, be thankful because every food comes from God.
4. Serve yourself small. If you have small portion, you would not be eating more once you’re full. The thing is, people eat everything on their plate like they’re supposed to do it even if they’re not. 
5. Your tummy is not a trash bag. Stop eating once you’re full. This is easier said than done. Just think that you will be better off having the food left on your plate thrown in the trash than your stomach. 
6. No second helping. Once you are done, you’re done. No second thoughts and no excuses. You are full but still want more? Drinking a glass of water definitely helps. 
7. Don’t feel obligated to eat. You don’t have to eat if you are full even if it’s time for a meal. If you have to sit at the dinner table, let everyone know that you just had a snack and would eat a little than normal. 
8. No food, no temptation. Don’t stock on food that you think are making you fat. If you don’t have chips and sweets in the pantry, then you would not eat them. 
9. Don’t eat in front of the TV or the PC. Eating on the side while doing another thing makes you eat more. When you’re eating, you’re eating. Multi-task anything but not with food. 
10.  Food loss is weight loss. Everything that you eat, no matter how small it is, adds up to the total calories that you entered your body in a day. You may think a single chocolate chip cookie that you ate would not affect your body weight, you’re wrong. 

I think everyone should have diet rules that she thinks would work for her. That’s because each one is different: body types, food cravings, living conditions, and lifestyles. Hey, whatever rocks your boat; whatever makes you thin.

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