David Diet

The David Diet - Preparation

PICK A START DATE

The best day to commence the David Diet is on a Monday if you work or study during the week and have weekends off. You want to begin the diet when you are busy and in a "routine," so you will be less distracted by free time, which can lead to hunger pains. Make sure you do not have a vacation planned shortly after you begin the David Diet, and most particularly, not a cruise ship vacation! Help yourself make the David Diet work for you.

FIND A BUDDY

A key element to successful results from the David Diet is the buddy system. Find another person who will participate in the diet with you or give you positive reinforcement, also known as moral support. This may be someone in your household, a relative, neighbor, co-worker or a member of a religious or community group to which you belong. It may even be a person whom you have met on the Internet but not in real life. The reason you should seek out a buddy is to reinforce your own willpower and resolve, while perhaps helping the other person to reach their goal as well, if they feel the need to lose weight. With two-thirds of Americans at or above the overweight level, there are plenty of people who may be able to partner with you. And even if your buddy is slim and trim, the David Diet concepts could be something they would find of interest to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

EXERCISE PREPARATION

The first item on the list is to locate a good pair of athletic walking shoes. I prefer the New Balance brand due to their lightweight and advanced technology construction. New Balance is the fourth largest athletic footwear and apparel company in the world. You can find them online at www.newbalance.com which has a retail store locator by zip code, or you can purchase online via www.onlineshoes.com. New Balance shoes are also sold locally in 120 other countries around the world. If you live in New England, the factory outlet store at 20 Guest Street in Boston is worth the trip. Hint: if you find the right shoes, buy several pair. While the shoes themselves will last for a long time, the cushioning flattens after six to nine months of daily use. At that point, you should change to a new pair for exercise, to protect not only your feet but your knees and other joints as well.

If you live in an area which has a high crime rate which threatens your personal safety, or where there are frequently icy wintertime conditions, you will need a folding walking treadmill. There is one unit at www.walmart.com (search word: "treadmill") which is under $80 and uses your feet and a flywheel instead of a motor to power the treadmill belt. Motorized treadmills of the basic variety are priced in the range of $299 to $500. I use a Horizon Fitness unit (the current T20 model is priced as low as $799 via some online retailers) due to its hefty frame construction, durability and ten year warranty on the motor.

OUTDOOR EXERCISE CLOTHES

Exercise clothing should be comfortable. A long sleeve light colored heavy cotton sweatshirt and light colored full leg cotton sweatpants with exercise sports bra (for women) will do just fine to help you sweat while protecting you from ultraviolet rays, some of which are prevalent even in early daylight. The light colored clothes will help make you visible to vehicles in early morning conditions. Socks should be very heavy and a 65% acrylic/20% wool blend such as the Remington Wingmaster Wick-A-Way brand available in the sporting goods section at Wal-Mart. For a softer touch, there is a 77% acrylic/13% merlino wool blend alternative from the same company at the same store. You want as much cushioning as possible for your feet. Buy half a dozen pair for six days a week of exercise. Buy a walking hat. A bright "hunter orange" style may help you avoid being hit by a car. If walking in twilight, you can also obtain a light nylon hunter orange vest at Wal-Mart. For outside cold weather conditions, utilizing layers is the trick. Add a high neck fleece pullover and a wool and/or acrylic beanie cap to protect your head and ears, plus Thinsulate gloves or mittens. (And yes, you can obtain these items at Wal-Mart as well!) If it's cold and very windy, simply add a thin nylon top (with hood)and bottom (with draw string) to block the chill, and you will feel as cozy in freezing weather as in your living room. But even if you are in excellent health, do not go for your daily walk in temperatures below ten degrees Fahrenheit. Below that temperature, there is a risk of respiratory problems. If you are not in excellent health, consult your doctor on cold weather outdoor exercise recommendations. Your physician may tell you to stay indoors, in which case, the treadmill is your backup plan.

DIET PREPARATION

Remove all the "nasty" food from your kitchen pantry and refrigerator/freezer. This includes (but is not limited to) the following categories: baked goods (including cakes, cookies and donuts), snack foods (including chips and crackers) and ice cream.

Purchase the following items at the grocery store:

1) The largest bag of pre-packaged lettuce you can find, which may be the three pound store brand size of American-style lettuce. If you want to "do it yourself," then purchase two heads of your favorite lettuce, whether it be iceburg, romaine or both

2) One large bag of carrots (and celery if you wish)

3) Two packages of raw spinach (baby spinach is an easier to prepare alternative)

4) Three large clusters of fresh broccoli

5) Six large tomatoes, as you will need one from Monday through Saturday

6) One package of fresh mushrooms

7) Two cans of medium sized black pitted olives

8) A one pound package of the store brand 97% fat free turkey slices (at approximately $3.99/lb) or one pound of thin sliced turkey from the delicatessen counter, which will cost you closer to $6.99/lb in most locations. When I say thin sliced, I mean about as thin as they can cut it.

9) One 32 oz bottle of store brand red wine vinegar

10) One 101 oz metal can of imported Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil (at approximately $13.99)

11) One box (4 envelopes) of powdered Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing Mix (or equivalent)

12) One oil/vinegar glass mixing bottle with the lines to indicate the level of vinegar, water and oil required to create the correct results (this may be accompanied by the Salad Seasoning Mix)

13a) One 42oz container of Old Fashioned Quaker Oats (NOT the "5 minute" variety)

13b) One 16oz box of Quaker Squares crunchy oatmeal cereal (blue box)

14) Half gallon of 0.5% milk if available or 1.0% milk or skim milk if you don't mind the taste. If you are lactose intolerant, a rice or soy milk equivalent is fine.

15) One box of ordinary granulated or brown sugar for your breakfast

16) One 11.5 oz bag of Ghirardelli double chocolate morsels (in the bakery section). If you are not a hardcore "chocoholic" who can tolerate bittersweet chocolate, substitute with Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate morsels. Do NOT use milk chocolate and try hard to find the Ghirardelli brand, which is available in most large supermarkets.

17) One 64oz bottle store brand Red Grape Juice One 64oz bottle store brand Prune Juice One 64oz bottle store brand Apple Juice Two 45oz bottles V8 Low Sodium Vegetable Juice

18) One 12 pack of Diet 7UP in 12oz cans

19) Decaffeinated tea as follows: One 48 bag box of Lipton tea decaf One 20 bag box of Twinings Earl Grey tea decaf (or another decaf flavor of your choice) One 20 bag box of Salada 100% Green tea decaf

20) Salted Butter (one cube is ideal)

21a) Light cream (half pint is ideal)

21b) One 1lb bag of white or brown rice

21c) One bottle of ReaLemon lemon juice

Purchase the following item at a Liquor Store (restricted sale due to high alcohol content):

22) One 3 Liter bottle of Taylor New York Port (18% alcohol) if you are 21 years of age or older

Purchase the following items at Wal-Mart or equivalent:

23) Four quart glass mixing bowl (available as part of a set)

24) Nordic Ware compact microwave bacon rack

25) A square resealable container for oatmeal storage in refrigerator (5 cup size)

26) One bottle of Dawn dishwashing liquid soap

27) Six small wash cloths

28) Can of air freshener and/or book of matches

29) A Datebook to monitor your diet progress

30) The clothing items detailed near the top of this section

OATMEAL PREPARATION

Bring almost five cups of water to boil, slowly add two cups of old fashioned Quaker Oats, cook on low heat stirring regularly for twenty minutes (to maximize smooth texture). Turn off burner. Let stand uncovered until all moisture is absorbed, which may take an hour. Stir again to break surface skin and pour into the five cup square plastic sealable container and place in refrigerator. Makes four daily servings. Do not add salt. Use slightly less water on an electric stove.

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