SLIM FOR LIFE
by Gillian McKeith

The Theory
Staying on top of what you eat with a food diary is good—but you can do even more to pinpoint your bad eating habits. McKeith, a holistic nutritionist, recommends stashing the packaging from every food and beverage you consume for a week in a box so you see what you really eat. The diet is long on fruits, veggies, and beans; contains small amounts of fish, chicken, nuts, and healthy fats; and requires you to cook—using McKeith’s recipes—at every meal. Wheat, refined sugar, caffeine, red meat, and cow’s milk products are discouraged.

The Expert Take
While the tone is supportive, McKeith comes across as a healthy eating drill sergeant: “It’s my way or the highway,” she says. If you like rules and structure, though, her plan might work for you. One of best things about her book is the recipes—such as chickpea-vegetable stew and salmon and savoy cabbage lasagna—which show you how to use veggies in delicious and filling ways.

Weight-Loss Trick
See your success. Instead of simply writing down your intended action (such as making a healthy snack to take to work), draw a picture of yourself actually doing it. You don’t need to be Rembrandt, says McKeith— use stick figures and place a caption underneath the image (“This is me, making my low-cal snack”). It may feel silly, but doing this will solidify your intention and help move you one step closer to action.