After the First 4 Days...

So, as I promised, I'm writing an update about the "Flat Belly Diet". After completing the initial four day anti-bloat "detox", my mom is happily reporting a loss of 4 pounds, and my dad is proud to say he's dropped 9 pounds! Not bad, eh?

As I touched on before, the next phase of the program is focused on the incorporation of MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids) into each meal. They recommend eating at least every four hours and consuming three 400 calorie meals a day and one 400 "snack" (bringing the total daily allowance to 1600 calories, a healthy total for most women). The meals should be healthy, balanced, and of course include a MUFA.

For breakfast today, my mom had a breakfast BLT - turkey bacon, lettuce, tomato, a slice of muenster cheese, with olive tapenade on a whole wheat English muffin. My dad enjoyed a toasted egg and cheese sandwich with tomatoes, lettuce, and basil pesto...Yum! For myself, I prepared a delicious bowl of cereal - Kashi Go Lean Crunch, pecans, and raisins with cinnamon, nutmeg and skim milk. Sounds pretty good, right? (*All the MUFA are in bold.) As you can see, you can really mold this diet around your specific likes and dislikes - there's a lot of flexibility.

The key with this, or with any lifestyle change for that matter, is that is has to be manageable. If your diet, exercise regimen, or any goal you set is too rigid and strict, you're setting yourself up for failure (or at least feeling like one). This program is working so well for my parents because it's not a huge deviation from how they normally eat. It incorporates foods they really enjoy, and they never feel deprived. Also, since we're all working together, it gives us all additional support and sets us up for success. Having people who believe in you and back you up is invaluable when you're attempting to change your life for the better. But remember, the first step is believing in yourself!

Best of luck with your goals for this year! Let me know how you're doing as the month progresses.

For more information about Cailen Ascher Design or my upcoming book, Well-Designed Living, visit www.CailenAscher.bravehost.com or email CailenAscher@gmail.com.