I’m working on my forth pair of socks since New Year’s and have lost 13 pounds.

Yes, friends, there is a correlation.

I discovered that one of the things that results in my eating too much is wanting something to do with my hands that isn’t work-work in the evening. Popcorn helps, but it’s still food. Water is good, but I tend to OD on it at times. Besides, my stomach fills faster than my hands are satisfied. Then I overeat popcorn or become a sloshing mass of H2O. Not the desired effect.

The knitting diet seems to be working, though.

It goes like this :

• pick out a small pattern or thing you’d like to make (mittens, socks, a hat) and set a realistic weight-loss goal for that project (socks are 2 or 3 pounders for me, depending on complexity).
• get all the materials you need for it and assemble equipment into a ziplock baggie or something equally portable
• take it with you where ever you go
• if you feel like eating something, get a glass of water and knit for five minutes or twenty rounds or somesuch equivalent
• still hungry? another water
• still hungry? eat something that won’t make your hands greasy, sticky or otherwise unfit to handle wool (note that this eliminates greasy food, sugary foods and limits you to things like carrot sticks, crackers, apples or grapes – handle these carefully, the juice is sticky)
• when you feel the need to munch something, get a glass of water or some calorie-free drink
• have a mental list of knitting-friendly foods on hand that are good for you
• when you finish a project, check your weight. If you’ve achieved your goal, go get yourself wool of your choice (or whatever materials needed) for the next project. If you’ve not reached your goal (and if the goal was realistic), you must finish a UFO until you get there. Do not buy more wool until you’ve finished both the project and the weight loss.

There are other factors at play here, too, of course. We’ve been more careful about the meals we cook and the snacks that are on hand. All food is served on smaller plates. John and I have been alternating evenings out so that we each get to work out every second day. I’m drinking a fair amount of water which, in conjunction with the exercise, is really curbing my appetite.

But this knitting diet really rocks.

(Note: I guess you could substitute anything for knitting that involved keeping your hands busy and occasionally treating yourself to some small – under $15 – activity-related purchase.)