Snakes and Ladders

One of the biggest diet killers is hopping on the scale every day. Your weight naturally fluxuates throughout the week. You will have some days when you hold more water than others. Some days you may gain more muscle than fat. If you weigh yourself every day, you will see every little blip of your weight fluxuation. You'll feel like you are yo-yo'ing when you really aren't. Your body is just doing what it needs to do to adjust as you lose.

To help you stay away from the scales long enough to see the weight loss, play Snakes and Ladders, or Chutes and Ladders -- whatever it is called where you live. You may have the game in your closet. If not, look for one at your local thrift store, print out a board found online, or make your own board.

Here's how you play the Lose It version of Chutes and Ladders.

1. Write the date you start playing the game on the first space and record your starting weight on that space.
2. Each day, write the date on the next space on the board.
3. When you get to a space with the head of a snake (top of a chute) or the bottom of a ladder, weigh yourself.
4. If you have lost weight since the last time you weighed and you are on a ladder, climb the ladder. If you have gained weight since the last time you weighed and you are on a snake (chute), slide down the snake. Where ever you land, record your weight.
5. Keep playing until you reach the end of the board.

You may have more than one date or weight on a space. That's ok. Just keep going. The game will provide motivation and give you a record of your results. Don't give up till you reach the top. And if you haven't lost all you want once you get there, start all over again. Use the same board so you can continue to watch your progress.

If you want to find  a copy of this board game online, I have some  links on my Squidoo site including a few links to eBay where you can buy vintage and new versions of the real game.