6.

Starting the Alternate-Day Diet

Given everything we know about human biology and psychology—particularly about our deeply ingrained drive to eat when the eating is good and to turn to food in times of emotional stress—it makes sense to be as prepared as possible before you begin this or any other diet program. Remember that the primitive, reptilian part of your brain is going to be telling you to eat, eat, eat! So you need to use the higher, thinking brain you’ve been given as a human to counteract and control that primitive urge—you need to be educated. Following are a few simple things you should know and do before you begin.

DETERMINE YOUR CALORIE NEEDS

On the down days of the Alternate-Day Diet, you will start by eating approximately 20 percent of the calories you require to maintain your weight. What that means, of course, is that you need to determine how many calories you’re consuming right now.

There are a number of ways you can do that. If, for example, your weight has been steady over a period of time, you could keep a food diary to help you figure out how many calories you’ve been taking in on a daily basis. The trouble with this method, however, is that it requires you to know exactly how many calories are in the food you eat and to be extremely vigilant and completely honest with yourself. Most people just can’t or won’t do that.

You may not mean to cheat, but chances are you’re not going to stop and make a note each time you “have a little taste” of something or eat a couple of chips out of someone else’s bag or a couple of fries off your dinner companion’s plate. And having to figure out the calorie content of everything you put in your mouth can be daunting, if not impossible. Maybe your broccoli was sautéed in a little bit of oil—but how much? And exactly how much broccoli are you actually eating? These days many of us eat many of our meals outside the home. If you’re in a restaurant, will you have a food scale with you? Will you take the broccoli off your plate and put it on the scale before you eat it? Surely you can see how easy it is to eat more (or less) than you think you are. So how do you avoid the inaccuracies that come with this kind of portion distortion?

DETERMINE YOUR RMR

One way to determine how many calories you need to maintain your weight is to figure out your resting metabolic rate (RMR), which is similar to your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Your RMR is a measure of how many calories you burn just by staying alive. In fact, the energy (that is, calories) required to perform your bodily functions—breathing, pumping blood throughout your body, and maintaining your body temperature, for example—can account for up to 70 percent of your total calorie intake.

The most accurate way to determine your RMR is through a series of tests that require specialized equipment to which most of us do not have access. Several mathematical formulas have been developed to estimate RMR, however. The one that is generally accepted as the “gold standard” is called the Harris-Benedict equation. It requires a bit of simple arithmetic (or you can use an automatic calculator found online at several websites). Here’s the equation.

HARRIS-BENEDICT EQUATION

RMR for Men = 66 + (6.23 × weight in pounds) + (12.7 × height in inches) – (6.8 × age)

RMR for Women = 655 + (4.35 × weight in pounds) + (4.7 × height in inches) – (4.7 × age)

For example:

A 30-year-old man who weighs 150 pounds and is 6 feet tall would figure his RMR this way: 66 + 934.50 + 914.4 – 204 = 1,710.90

A 30-year-old woman who weighs 125 pounds and is 5 feet, 6 inches tall would figure her RMR this way: 655 + 543.75 + 305.5 – 141 = 1,363.25

The Activity Factor

The Harris-Benedict formula requires that you factor your activity level into your daily calorie allotment. Harris-Benedict figures activity levels this way:

Sedentary (little or no exercise, you work at a desk job): RMR x 1.2

Lightly active (light exercise or sports 1 to 3 days a week): RMR x 1.375

Moderately active (moderate exercise or sports 3 to 5 days a week): RMR x 1.55

Very active (hard exercise or sports 6 to 7 days a week): RMR x 1.725

Extra active (hard exercise or sports daily, working at a physical job, or training for a marathon or other competitive sport twice a day): RMR x 1.9

Note: To avoid having to do the calculations above, you can use the online Calorie Calculator tool at johnsonupdaydown
daydiet.com/how-to-do-the-diet.html to estimate your normal calorie requirements and your down-day calories.

But with all due respect to Harris-Benedict, I’ve found that just as there’s a problem letting people figure out how many calories they consume in a day, there’s also a problem with allowing people to determine their own activity level. Just as most of us underestimate how much we eat, we also tend to overestimate our level of activity. In fact, if you’re overweight, you’re probably doing both right now. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1992 indicates that people who are trying to lose weight (and most overweight people are perpetually trying to lose weight) may underestimate the amount they’re eating by as much as 47 percent and overestimate their activity levels by 51 percent. I’m not saying this to make you feel bad; it’s just a fact of human nature, and one of which I’ve been as guilty as the next guy.

It’s not unusual to hear a woman who is five-foot-five and weighs 200 pounds say that she does vigorous aerobic activity 60 to 90 minutes six days a week and “hardly eats anything.” While this is probably not impossible, it seems unlikely. So to help counteract this natural tendency, I recommend that you calculate your RMR using the activity level that is one below the level you think applies to you. Activity level can have a significant effect on our daily caloric needs. If you exercise very little or not at all, exercise little, or are sedentary (no exercise), the activity factor multiplier is 1.2, which I have found is probably the best factor for most people. Of course, there will be the rare case of a mountain climber doing a traverse of Mount McKinley in February who is burning 8,000 to 10,000 calories per day and for whom a high activity multiplier is justified—but that’s clearly the exception rather than the rule.

As a “real life” guideline the National Weight Control Registry, which studies people who have lost weight and maintained long-term weight loss, has shown that the men eat 1,700 calories and the women 1,400 per day, and that on average they burned 400 calories a day in aerobic exercise.

THE HARRIS-BENEDICT MARGIN OF ERROR

Because of multiple factors, including the ratio of fat to muscle and variations in metabolic rate from one individual to another, there is a standard deviation of 14 percent above and below the number of calories determined by the Harris-Benedict equation. This means that if the equation estimate is 2,000 calories, there is a 95 percent chance the actual number you require may be anywhere from 1,440 to 2,560. The good news, however, is that if you are calculating your down-day requirement, 20 percent of the calories you require could be anywhere from 288 to 512. The average of these figures would be 400 calories, which is a good enough estimate. Consuming 100 calories more or less on your down day will not change your results.

THE VALUE OF SELF-MONITORING

Keep a Journal

I strongly recommend that during the first two to three weeks on the Alternate-Day Diet, you use a commercially prepared canned shake or bar on the down day to make sure that your calorie intake is no more than 20 percent of normal. Everyone appears to lose weight if they adhere to this level on the down day. At around three weeks, however, you may find your weight loss is slowing. This may be because you are unconsciously increasing your calorie intake. At this point it is, therefore, important to begin monitoring your eating.

Based on everything you’ve read so far, it should be quite obvious that our appetites exceed our caloric requirements. Or, as I’ve said, our appetite-control mechanism is broken. As a result, if we want to lose or maintain a healthy body weight, we have to employ external measures of how much we are eating. We do this commonly by getting on the scale. Another method of self-monitoring is to keep a food log. Many studies have shown food logs to be effective for weight loss and weight-loss maintenance. Recording what, when, how much, and why we eat produces both immediate and delayed feedback by keeping us consciously aware of what we are eating and, later, what we ate.

Seeing what you’re putting in your mouth written down in black and white right before your eyes makes it harder to fool yourself. And knowing that you have to write it down may also make you think twice before you eat when you’re really not hungry. How often have you had the classic self-delusional experience of planning to eat one potato chip and discovering half an hour later that the bag is empty? Would it have happened if you had written down each potato chip? Of course not. Writing down each chip you eat may sound ridiculous, but it works. There are other good reasons for keeping a journal as well.

If you weigh yourself (as you should) before you begin the Alternate-Day Diet and write the number down in your journal, you’ll always remember where you started from. Then, as you continue to weigh yourself at regular intervals, you’ll see how much progress you’ve made. Nothing succeeds like success. And there’s no better way to keep yourself motivated than to see how much progress you’re making. If you see, written in black and white, that you have lost weight, you will feel better and you will be more likely to stick with the plan.

There is one caveat, however. Don’t weigh yourself every day, because your weight will fluctuate considerably between up and down days. Always weigh yourself on the morning after a down day and preferably at 6-day or 8-day intervals, because doing that will give you the most accurate picture of your true progress. And you don’t want to make yourself feel bad by weighing after an up day.

A third reason to keep a journal is to track the improvement of any health issues you might have when you begin the diet. I strongly suggest that you have your fasting cholesterol, insulin, and glucose levels checked at the outset—particularly if you already know that any or all of them are elevated.

If you have asthma, you should use a peak flow meter to record baseline levels of peak expiratory flow and if possible have pulmonary function studies (FEV1) done. Then monitor the changes in these levels at regular intervals. If you have arthritis, record the range of motion in your affected joints and the amount of soreness you are experiencing.

The various conditions for which my colleagues and I have seen improvement in people on the Alternate-Day Diet include insulin resistance, asthma, seasonal allergies, autoimmune disease (rheumatoid arthritis), osteoarthritis, inflammatory central nervous system lesions (Tourette’s syndrome, Ménière’s disease), cardiac arrhythmias (frequent extrasystoles, atrial fibrillation), menopause-related hot flashes, and infectious diseases of viral, bacterial, and fungal origin (toenail fungus, periodontal disease, viral URIs).

And, finally, keep track of your quality-of-life issues, as my colleagues and I did with the patients in our Asthma Study. Are the symptoms of whatever health issue you have improving? Are you able to do more on a daily basis than you did before beginning the diet? Do you feel that you have more energy? Are you in a better state mentally and emotionally than you were starting out? Once you see how much progress you’re making, you’ll have the positive reinforcement that will help you stick with the program.

One of the few long-term weight-loss studies available was done by Dr. George Blackburn at Harvard Medical School, in which participants consumed either a meal-replacement shake or bar for one or two meals each day for ten years. Compared to a control group who ate normally, there was an average 33-pound difference in weight. The diet group lost 7 pounds and the control group gained 26 pounds. This study is important because it demonstrates (1) that people who eat without restriction are going to gain weight over time if they do not control their intake; (2) that daily self-monitoring works; and (3) that meal-replacement products are effective aids to facilitate self-monitoring.

The key to compliance with any kind of diet or health plan is to self-monitor. I learned this many years ago at the University of Michigan when I was working with Edwin Thomas at the School of Social Work to treat a man with Tourette’s syndrome, an illness whose symptoms consist of involuntary tics and vocalizations. We gave him a small counting device and instructed him to click it every time he became aware of a tic or of making an involuntary sound. After just two days, the incidence of his tic was decreased to one ten-thousandth of frequency before treatment began, and remained at that lower level for the duration of our study.

This outcome was remarkable, because the tics that are characteristic of Tourette’s syndrome had always been considered completely involuntary. Being able to decrease them so profoundly, simply by taking an action to record their occurrence, therefore documented the effectiveness of self-monitoring with relation to this disorder.

In terms of this diet, writing down what one is experiencing is a physical action that promotes self-monitoring in the same way that young man’s clicker helped him to monitor his Tourette’s symptoms by making him more aware of when they occurred. The very act of enhancing awareness leads in turn to a reduction of the symptoms (or, in this case, unconscious eating habits) themselves, which then reinforces new behaviors. Once you become aware that something is working because you have concrete, written proof of your progress, you will be that much more likely to continue what you’ve been doing.

HOW MUCH ARE YOU REALLY EATING?

In addition to keeping a journal, there are other simple tools you can use to become more aware of your consumption.

• Learn to read a food label.

Food labels tell you not only how much is in a package but also how many portions the package contains. Many of us suffer from what I like to call “container eating,” which means that we tend to consume whatever the package contains. This can be as many as four or more portions, and the calorie count on the package is for only one of those portions. Reading the label will help you to become more aware not only of what a single portion should be but also of how many calories you’re actually consuming.

• Use measuring tools to control your consumption.

Measuring spoons, liquid and dry measuring cups, and small food scales are inexpensive and readily available. Buy them if you don’t already own them, and use them to keep yourself honest. Many diet books will tell you that a “portion” of meat is the size of a deck of cards or that a tablespoon of butter is the length from the tip of your thumb to the first joint. But I find that these approximations are often an excuse for overindulging. Not only is using calibrated measuring implements a much more accurate way to self-monitor but also the simple act of measuring will make you much more aware of what a proper portion actually is.

KEEP YOURSELF HYDRATED

More and more people these days are walking around with water bottles in their purse, briefcase, or backpack—maybe you’re one of them. But did you know that some studies indicate that up to 75 percent of Americans still suffer from some degree of dehydration every day?

The specific amount of water you need to remain appropriately hydrated depends on many factors, including your health, your activity level, and where you live. On average, you lose two quarts a day through your sweat, breath, urine, and stool. When you perspire you lose more, up to a quart per hour when you exercise vigorously.

Even minor dehydration can make you feel out of sorts, headachy, and lightheaded. You may feel fatigued and find it difficult to think clearly. Chronic mild dehydration can lead to kidney stones and even bladder cancer.

Getting enough fluid means that you have to drink throughout the day. If you drink a cup of liquid between meals and a cup or more with each meal, you should stay pretty well hydrated. One easy solution is to keep a one-quart container with you during the day and drink it between meals.

You can’t just wait until you’re thirsty, because by then you’re already somewhat dehydrated. Older people in particular can become dehydrated because they often don’t realize they’re thirsty. Beyond that, we often think we’re hungry when we’re really thirsty and might decide to eat when we should really be drinking. When you feel hungry, your first response should be to drink a glass of water.

The type of liquid you consume is also important in terms of weight control because of the sugar and empty calories so many drinks contain. Nondiet soda, which is full of sugar and, therefore, empty calories, makes up one-quarter of all the liquids Americans drink! If you are serious about long-term weight control, make it a habit never to drink sodas that contain sugar. They have been implicated as primarily responsible for the rise in obesity among children and diabetes among women. Diet sodas, however, are fine in moderation. There is no good scientific evidence to support the purported negative side effects from use of artificial sweeteners such as saccharin, aspartame, and sucralose, but the long-term high-volume use of such products by children has not been studied yet.

YOUR ALTERNATE-DAY DIET JOURNAL

Create a journal along the lines of the sample above. Recording what, when, and how much you eat will automatically reduce your intake and mindless eating. It is important to enter the food and amount immediately after eating. At a minimum record what you ate and the estimated calories. If you consume more than you planned, write it down anyway. Cheating doesn’t help you. But noting your hunger and food levels, on a rough scale of 1 to 10, will reveal patterns of emotional eating. The more detail you write down, the more effective the program will be for you. Adapt the journal to suit your personal needs.

Coffee, Tea, and Caffeine

Coffee has long been blamed for a variety of ills, but more recently it has been shown to be a very safe beverage. Drinking up to six cups of coffee a day reduces the risk of kidney stones, gallstones, and Type 2 diabetes, and, as a bonus, suicide rates are 70 percent lower among coffee drinkers than non–coffee drinkers. One commonly held myth is that caffeine causes dehydration. In fact, up to six cups of coffee per day does not increase diuresis (water loss through the kidneys) any more than plain water.

So caffeine-containing beverages can make up at least part of your daily fluid requirement. When you follow the Alternate-Day Diet, however, you may find that your energy level is very high and that you have trouble falling asleep. For this reason you may want to limit your consumption of caffeine, especially later in the day.

Tea has enjoyed a recent upswing in popularity because of the putative benefits of the polyphenols it contains, especially EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate). Tea may reduce the incidence of cancer and heart disease, but the evidence to support this is to date not convincing.

Black tea is made with leaves that have been fermented, whereas green tea is made with unfermented leaves. Both types contain caffeine and have the same benefits as coffee, including a mild antidepressant effect and a reduction in the risk of kidney and gallstones.

One of the most effective ways to reduce calories is to drink sparkling water, perhaps with a squeeze of lemon juice or lime juice or an ounce of fruit juice added.

Also, you may be surprised to know that—contrary to what the dairy industry would have you believe—there is no good health reason to drink milk. Dairy fat is saturated, which means that it promotes atherosclerosis and adds superfluous calories, and there are many safer and easier ways to obtain additional calcium if necessary. (For more on this, see Chapter 7.)

Finally, many plant-based foods also contain a lot of water. Think of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, melons, and peaches, for example. Interestingly, these are also foods that are generally low in calories. And as I’ve already said, there is evidence that eating foods with a high water content, which means that they have fewer calories with relation to volume, is also an effective way to reduce overall calorie consumption.

As with calories, the most important factor is awareness during the day of the need to maintain hydration. There are a thousand appealing varieties of bottled water available. Buy a case or two and put the bottles where you will drink them during the course of the day—in the refrigerator, at your desk, in your car, and so forth.

GET YOURSELF MOVING

Exercise protects against

• heart disease

• high blood pressure

• high cholesterol

• cancer, especially of the colon and breast

• adult-onset Type 2 diabetes

• arthritis

• osteoporosis

• constipation

• depression

• weight gain

Exercise also builds muscle, which is a critical component of weight control. The more muscle you have, the more energy your body uses, the more calories you burn. As we age or if we are inactive, there is a shift in body composition from muscle to fat. The way to counteract that shift is through exercise, and it is never too late to begin. Studies show that elderly people gain great benefits from exercise programs.

The best way to build muscle is through strength training, also called resistance training, which generally requires some kind of equipment. The equipment can be as simple as handheld weights or elastic bands, or as complex as the machines found in professional gyms. It is based on working specific muscles or muscle groups to “failure” (the point at which you can’t do another repetition) in order to increase their mass and strength.

In addition to strength or resistance training, it’s also important to do aerobic exercise, which improves heart function by increasing its pumping efficiency.

CARDIO VERSUS STRENGTH TRAINING— FINDING THE BALANCE

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that you do strength training no more than three times a week to give your body the time to repair the microscopic muscle tears this kind of training creates, but also states that you can do cardiovascular exercise every day. I would add that you should do cardio exercise at least five times a week. A standard recommendation for an effective but not overstrenuous exercise program with which I agree is 30 minutes of cardio five times a week (doing more will further decrease your risk of heart disease) plus a minimum of 30 minutes of strength training three days a week, with a day off between each session.

I’m not going to recommend or illustrate specific strength-training exercises here because there are many books by professional trainers that do just that. What I do suggest is that you consult a good trainer at a local gym to determine how much exercise of what type you should be doing, depending on your health and your normal level of activity. It’s easier, in any case, to do strength training at a gym, with a buddy, or with a trainer. If you have to be somewhere because you’ve made an appointment, you’re more likely to do it, and working with a professional will ensure that you’re doing the exercises correctly so that they produce the best results and you don’t inadvertently injure yourself.

The key to successful strength training is, as I’ve said, to attempt to work a particular muscle or group of muscles to the point of exhaustion—called muscle failure. The problem is that many people, especially women, don’t like the feeling of muscle exhaustion and therefore don’t try hard enough to get the maximum stimulation, which is what causes the muscle to grow.

Each muscle group in the body needs to be trained. Usually these groups are broken into legs, chest, back, arms, and shoulders, with one or two groups worked on different days. Here’s my own routine to use as an example:

Monday: legs (leg press, squats, leg curl, and calf raise)

Wednesday: chest and back (lat pull down, seated row, shrugs, bench press, flies, and inclined bench press)

Friday: arms and shoulders (overhead press, front and lateral straight-arm dumbbell raises, curl and triceps cable pushdown)

In 45 minutes I do four sets of 15 repetitions for most of these exercises. Overall, I enjoy the process more than I enjoy aerobic exercise. I like the social activity of going to the gym and the challenge of doing my personal best. In fact, I find that there is something inherently physically satisfying about lifting weights.

Whether aerobic or strength training is more valuable for health is unclear. Strength training increases muscle mass and is essential for counteracting the natural age-related loss of muscle and increase in body fat with which we all contend. Studies show that even as little as 10 to 15 minutes of resistance exercise for each muscle group (1 to 2 minutes per group) three times a week is effective for maintaining muscle mass. Of course, more is better, and anyone can do it.

The simplest form of aerobic or cardiovascular activity is walking, which confers many of the same benefits of more vigorous activity. Almost anyone can walk, and even in bad weather there’s usually someplace you can walk. In some places, for example, there are groups that meet regularly to walk in a local indoor mall. Again, it would be best to hook up with a buddy with whom you can walk. If you’re walking with a friend, it will go that much more quickly. As you gain strength and energy (and you will), you can begin to alternate running and walking—run for a few minutes, then walk a few minutes, then run again. After a while you might even give up walking altogether for running!

Also, if you enjoy a particular sport, you can satisfy your cardiovascular exercise that way—playing a game of tennis, even a round of golf—as long as you walk the course and don’t take a cart. Making a date and playing a game with a friend is a good way to increase the chances that you’ll actually get out there and do it.

WHEN YOU FEEL BETTER, YOU’LL FEEL MORE LIKE MOVING

The good news is that people on the Alternate-Day Diet almost universally report feeling more energetic, as did the participants in our Asthma Study, and when you have more energy, you’re also inclined to become more active.

George, for example, had suffered from severe asthma since the age of five. It was so severe that it had prevented him from joining the military. When he signed up for the study, his wheezing made him sound like a harmonica. His triglycerides were at 1064 milligrams per deciliter (normal is less than 150 mg/dL) and his blood looked as if there were globules of chicken fat floating on the surface. During the eight weeks of our study, not only did George lose 30 pounds but after just two weeks his triglycerides went down to 292 and the “chicken fat” disappeared. His asthma symptoms as well as his mood and energy levels also showed marked improvement. In fact, George felt so much better that he began to lift weights. His strength quickly increased and he reported feeling much more energetic on both the up and down days than he had before starting the diet.

Edna is another success story. When she first came to see me, she weighed 290 pounds and suffered from a constellation of more or less serious conditions including adult-onset asthma, Type 2 diabetes, toenail fungus, and impaired balance as the result of a bout with bacterial meningitis that had destroyed the hearing in her left ear. At the start of our study Edna was exhausted after walking 50 feet and found it almost impossible to climb a flight of stairs.

Get More Joy Out of Exercise

The most important characteristic of any exercise is how often you do it, and that depends on how much you enjoy it. Many people simply hate the idea of exercise in any form. To make it tolerable or even enjoyable, try the following.

For Cardio Training:

• If you start a walking program, don’t pressure yourself to walk fast. Just show up, and over time you will automatically increase your speed and duration.

• Go to a park or a shopping mall where other people are walking. That way you won’t feel alone.

• Find a workout partner with whom you meet at least one or two days a week. You are much more likely to show up if somebody else is expecting you.

• Use a Walkman or an iPod. Take the time to record the music you like or listen to an audiobook. Studies show that people do more exercise when listening to music with a personal listening device.

• On weekends, schedule a two-hour walk with a friend or a partner. Carry a backpack with some fixings to make it a picnic.

• Get a treadmill. Sturdy models are now available for less than $1,000.

• Watch TV while walking or running on the treadmill.

For Weight Training:

• Hire a trainer. A skilled trainer can get you started and keep you safe if you are new to strength training. Trainers can also provide essential encouragement and make sure that your form is correct.

• Go to a gym where there are other people. You are much more likely to actually work out if you’re committed to a gym than if you stay at home.

• If you don’t use a trainer, get a workout partner. Social interaction is perhaps the most important contributor to regularity of exercise. Use the Internet to find like-minded people.

After just two weeks on the Alternate-Day Diet, she was experiencing a tremendous increase in energy. After four weeks, her asthma symptoms improved to the point where she was able to decrease the amount of medication she was taking. At the end of eight weeks she had lost 30 pounds, and her balance had improved so that she was able to walk easily and could even climb four flights of stairs. Her blood sugar levels returned to normal within ten weeks, her cholesterol and triglyceride levels declined dramatically, and and so did her markers for inflammation and oxidative damage. As a result of these marked improvements, Edna was literally transformed from a fatigued older woman to an energetic, joyful person who now loves walking several hours every day.

THE EFFECT IS SYNERGISTIC

When you’re engaged in physical activity, you’re also less likely to be thinking about being hungry. Have you ever noticed that when you’re sitting on a plane for a long period of time, you tend to eat whatever food is offered—if it’s offered—no matter how terrible it tastes? That’s probably because you’re bored and there isn’t very much else for you to do. You’ve no doubt heard that when you’re trying to diet and are tempted to eat you should engage in some kind of activity to take your mind off your stomach. The truth is, it works. When your mind and body are otherwise engaged, you’re less likely to be eating or thinking about food. In fact, it’s almost impossible to think about two things at once.

The bottom line is this: Any kind of physical activity has intrinsic health benefits, but it also has the ancillary benefit of giving you something to concentrate on other than your hunger—or your perception of hunger.

WHAT’S YOUR EXCUSE FOR NOT EXERCISING?

The biggest problem most people have with following any kind of exercise program is simply getting themselves to do it. It seems that we can be incredibly creative when it comes to thinking of reasons not to exercise.

The number one reason most people give for not exercising is lack of time. I know that we’re all very busy these days, but we seem to find time to do the things we want to do. Surely there are 30 minutes in your day when you could be getting some exercise if you weren’t watching television or solving the crossword puzzle, or doing one of the other things that have so far kept you from exercising.

Other commonly perceived barriers to increasing physical activity are health concerns, weather, cost, and availability of facilities. All of these are really just other ways of saying that people simply don’t believe they’ll be able to organize and execute an exercise plan.

To overcome all these reasons not to exercise, it’s of paramount importance that you understand and accept the reasons why you should. Regular exercise will:

• Increase lean muscle mass and reduce body fat.

• Help maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints.

• Increase the number of calories you burn at rest (your RMR).

• Reduce your risk for coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and some cancers.

• Improve your mood and feelings of well-being.

• Increase mental alertness.

GATHER YOUR TOOLS—IT’S TIME TO GET STARTED

To recap:

• Determine your current calorie intake.

• Get yourself a journal and start to use it.

• Learn to read food labels.

• Make sure you have the proper measuring implements.

• Remember to drink (and eat) plenty of liquids.

• Exercise more.

Now turn the page and learn some of the basic nutritional principles that will enhance the effects of the Alternate-Day Diet.