Here is the fourth post on the original Top Ten Things Not to Do written by Marie Ann Bailey and me. It was posted in July 2013. I think it might still be helpful.

Top Ten Things not to do When Trying to Lose Weight

10  When trying to lose weight, do not go on a 24-hour fast because it is the “in” diet and then break it with a Chinese buffet binge just because fasting and the sign at the buffet reads, “All you Can Eat Low Cal.”  The rapid transition from empty stomach to a stomach brimming with hot and sour soup, General Tso’s Chicken, spring rolls, crab rangoon, snow peas in garlic sauce, fried rice, and chocolate pudding can be hazardous and explosive.

9  When trying to lose weight, do not mistake the South Beach diet for endless daiquiris and tapas in Florida. If you do, you’ll never get into that sleek little bathing suit and could jeopardize getting into the big ole one-piece as well.

8  When trying to lose weight, do not sign up for your very first triathlon if your only familiarity with exercise is being able to juggle multiple remotes for your TV, DVD player, and sound system.  You want to lose weight, not your life, which you will likely forfeit in the first five minutes of the competition.

7  When trying to lose weight, by all means, purchase a scale for weighing your food so you can be sure of the size of your portions.  Just don’t bring it with you to restaurants; weigh the food served to you.  If you do, at best, your friends will find the activity of watching you trying to weigh a dollop of mashed potatoes rather boring.  At worst, your food will be unappetizing after the weighing.

6  When trying to lose weight, do not buy spandex for casual wear EVER!  No explanation is necessary.

5  When trying to lose weight, do not try to curb your appetite with bottomless cups of coffee, bottles of diet pills, or any other substance.  These have less to do with suppressing appetite and much more to do with making you so hyper that you never sleep, ironically giving you more hours to eat.

4  When trying to lose weight, do not take diet pills that promise to block your absorption of fat (e.g., Alli).  Yes, they do work, but they work at all the wrong moments–in the middle of a business meeting, during a long commute, or while sitting in the window seat of an airplane with Chris Christie next to you.

3  When trying to lose weight, do not hire a trainer who looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s poor cousin, whose sales pitch is “I want to pump you up!”  What you might get “pumped up” with may not be legal.

2  When trying to lose weight, do not take up colon cleansing.  As with most of the items on this list, the result of too much of a good thing can result in frequent and expensive calls to your plumber.

1  Finally, when trying to lose weight, take a good, long look in the mirror and ask yourself which is more important:  fitting into those skinny jeans you wore in high school or feeling strong, healthy, and happy, even if you are a little soft around the edges.