My Bright Line Life

So what do I eat to continue losing weight and love doing it? I’ll tell you exactly what I do as long as you promise to keep reading to get to all the benefits I’m also going to list.

I follow several boundaries referred to as “bright lines”:

• No flour of any kind including almond meal, coconut flour, etc.
• No sugar of any kind including artificial sweeteners including stevia, honey, syrup, agave, dried fruits, fruit juices and alcohol.
• Three meals per day comprised of bounded quantities eaten at roughly the same time each day; never skip a meal, no snacks.
•  Plan and commit to my meals for the next day.
• Time meals to allow for an overnight fast of at least twelve hours.

So while these bright lines might strike you as overly restrictive, there are some key benefits. And unlike other times I've diet, staying on plan is actually getting easier and easier with each passing day! I've even given up my Diet Pepsi habit with a smile on my face.

I don’t, for example, count calories or carbs or eat meal replacements, but I do eat wonderful and filling meals. 

I don’t run into situations where I’m staring into the refrigerator trying to figure out what I’m going to have for dinner or waste money on fast-food.

I engage in physical activities and exercise to improve my overall mood, increase body strength and balance, and for the enjoyment of it, not for the sole purpose of losing weight. I walked to and from work several times a week all summer because I found it was a great way to start and end my workday!  I now average 8,000 steps per day, go to a fitness class once weekly, and do strength training at home once or twice weekly.  I'm planning on trying yoga soon.

I don’t worry whether I’ll need a seat belt extender on an airplane or if there will be enough room for me to slide into a tight restaurant booth. And I do still eat in restaurants.

I don’t have achy joints, headaches or heartburn, nor have I had so much as a cold. 

I’m no longer constantly on the prowl for the next weight loss solution be it a pill, a diet or therapy.

I can go to any clothing store and find something in my size; and I’m doing that a lot lately because I’ve got to replace all my clothes from last fall and winter.  How fun is that?

And I don’t worry what my doctor is going to say about my weight or blood test results when I go in for a check-up; in fact, when I last saw her in July she hugged and congratulated me!

Bright Line Eating is about so much more than just what you do and don’t eat or how much weight you can lose.  It’s how to set yourself up for success over the long-haul by creating a healthy lifestyle with emphasis on development, self-care, emotional health and, most importantly, and being part of a supportive community of others who also finding success in managing their food struggles and addictions.  I participate in twice monthly coaching calls led by Susan Pierce Thompson. I’m in touch with a small group of women on a near-daily basis to share successes and challenges, and I participate in a very active Facebook group comprised of hundreds of women and men across the globe.  I have access to tools and materials to help me learn and be prepared in case I cross one of my bright lines.  I can reach someone on Susan Pierce Thompson’s staff with any question or need; her staff of 22 is very responsive.

I cannot emphasize enough that this is not a diet. I don’t worry about when I’ll reach my right-sized body or exactly what weight that will be, but I do know that the Bright Line program will be there to guide me forever as I maintain a happy, thin and free life.

**  Update October 9, 2016:  the video series is no longer available, and the registration for the October bootcamp has closed.  I'll update here when the video series is available again. The next bootcamp is likely to be January or February 2017.  **

If you’re interested in learning more about Bright Line Eating I encourage you to get it straight from the founder, Susan Pierce Thompson, in her video Rewire Your Brain For Food Freedom.  This is the 3^rd video in her series The Psychology and Brain Science of Sustainable Weight Loss.  She’ll explain more about the Bright Line Eating and why it works. She also provides info about the quickly approaching October bootcamp which is how I got involved and kicked off my weight loss.  

The bootcamp registration will be open for only a few days beginning Monday, September 26^th.  The registration period is short because the bootcamp is an intense, high-touch program that can only accommodate a certain number of participants.  

You might be wondering about the price to get started; I’ll let Susan deliver that information.  I didn’t know it when signing up of course, but seeing where I am today compared with February, I would have gladly shelled out three times this much! So realize it might be the very last time you spend money on a weight loss solution. In addition, since I’m now a “Bright Lifer” I’m able to offer any family, friend or acquaintance a $150 discount; just get in touch with me before the registration deadline. I'd love to be your buddy as you start your bright life!

The Food Freedom Quiz which includes the 1^st video in the series and the 2^nd video are still available for a few more days; I’ve included links to them in the right siderail of this blog page.