PRITIKIN PROGRAM TO STAY FIT AND SLIM: EVALUATING YOUR PROGRESS

Progress - not perfection. This is something to remember - and to remind yourself of frequently. As your goals become clear and you take the first steps to achieving them, you might want to give yourself periodic checkups to see how you're doing. These are not, as we can't emphasize enough, invitations to tear yourself down for not having achieved everything you want to achieve right away. They're an opportunity to see what you have done, and if you're on track - and if you are on track, then celebrate! If you're a little off track, you'll be able to see clearly what to do. That's the spirit in which we offer the following checklist. It's not a quiz you pass or fail - it's just a series of reminders and questions that will enable you to see how well you're doing, and to pinpoint the areas where you may still need some work. Think about these things at the end of each day:

Cholesterol and fat

Did I stay within my guidelines for high-protein foods like fish, lean fowl, and lean meat? Did I stay within my guidelines for dairy products? Did I avoid egg yolks and products with whole eggs?

Salt and sugar

Did I avoid adding salt to my food, as well as food with excess sodium in it?

Did I avoid refined sugars?

Life-style

Did I exercise today?     

Did I take some time out for myself?

Did I avoid regular coffee and tea, and chocolate?

Did I avoid using tobacco?

Did I avoid excess alcohol?

Energy level

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being low energy and 5 being high energy, what was my energy level today?

This checklist will help you steer your own course for the day coming up, as well as give you an idea of the day you've just been through. Remember, too, that you can return to any of our other suggestions - our stress-management techniques, or our techniques for resisting negative self-talk - anytime you want. Use these as a resource when things get tough, and when you have a moment to take stock of what you might need to "engineer your environment" a little more effectively. We want you to achieve all the success you can, and these are some of the ways you can set yourself up for it. Staying on track for a lifetime is the ultimate goal, and it's a goal you can achieve one day at a time. All you've got to do is take the first step - and you're already on the winning path.

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