Excuse #2: "I'll start eating right tomorrow."

Raise your hand if you're guilty of procrastination. Me too. But, as I have learned, telling yourself that you are going to make a change at some distant future date is only a crutch. January 1, our birthdays or after vacation are popular future change dates. Trouble is that there's not much different about those dates than any other date, like today. We're just letting ourselves off the hook, trying to ease the pain and guilt of our actions today for making a promise to ourselves that deep down we know we won't keep.

Ben Franklin said it well, "You may delay, but time will not." I constantly remind myself of this. Even though I've achieved my weight goal, keeping it there means that I have to stand guard against my procrastination demon.

Don't get me wrong. I do enjoy food and treat myself often. However, as I mention in my book, I can enjoy food without eating mass quantities. But, my procrastination demon tries to convince me that I can eat mass quantities and cut back on the portions next week. I have to make the decision every time I eat to eat the right portion.

I'm not sure what other advice to offer you to ward off your procrastination demon except to stop lying to yourself. If you are not able to make the change RIGHT NOW then you probably won't be any better equipped to make the change then. I made my change on February 7, 2002. There was nothing special about that date, except that was the day that all the pieces came together for me and I figured out, or at least had a good idea, of what I needed to do. I wasn't certain yet, but I gave it a try and started to see immediate results. There simply was no reason for me to wait until some special day in the future.

And, when I do find myself starting a trend of increasing my portions and thinking that I'll get back on the portion control next week, I just shake my head (to loosen the grip the procrastination demon has on my brain) and say to myself, "no, I don't need the eat the whole thing right now."

So, I strongly encourage you to stop telling yourself that you'll make a change sometime in the future.

Do it today.