Here’s the thing about weight loss — most of us aren’t lazy. We’re just human. Motivation comes in waves.
Some days you’re unstoppable — meal-prepping, tracking your food, smashing a gym session, and feeling like you’ve cracked the code.
Other days? You’re scrolling Netflix with snacks and wondering why the scale hates you.
And that’s fine. The truth is, you don’t need to be motivated every single day. You just need a system that keeps you moving forward even when you don’t feel like it.
These are the 7 rules I’m following right now to lose 100 pounds — not influencer advice or “internet hacks,” but actual, lived-through rules I’ve been testing and tweaking on my Rice Diet journey.
👇 If you’d rather watch the video version, it’s right below 👇
Track Your Calories (Even When It’s Boring)
This one’s not glamorous — but it’s the backbone.
I used to roll my eyes at calorie tracking. Back in my keto and carnivore years, I didn’t need to. A pound of beef meant around 1,000 calories, add 100 grams of butter and you’re basically done for the day. Simple.
But when I switched to rice, things changed. Six cups of cooked rice? That’s already 1,500 calories — before lentils, orange juice, or veggies even show up. Rice seems light and harmless, but it quietly piles up.
That’s why tracking hits differently now. It’s not about obsession — it’s about awareness. Like checking your bank account before you overspend.
I don’t do it perfectly. Some days I forget, some days I estimate. But over time, it trains your eye. You start recognising that “healthy” doesn’t automatically mean “low-calorie.”
If you’re curious about how the Rice Diet works calorie-wise, check out Rice Diet Myths Busted: What People Get Wrong. You’ll be shocked how misunderstood this way of eating really is.
Ditch the Snacks (They’re Silent Saboteurs)
Snacking is my biggest trap. Always has been.
It starts innocent — a spoon of Ben & Jerry’s, a handful of nuts — until suddenly, you’ve eaten 800 calories and barely noticed. Every lean person I know eats proper meals and moves on. The rest of us graze all day and then wonder why nothing’s changing.
And here’s what I’ve learned: snacking isn’t about hunger. It’s about boredom, stress, or chasing a dopamine hit.
So now, my rule is clear: no snacks — just meals.
If I want something, I plan it. I log it. I eat it as part of a real meal.
It’s not glamorous, but it’s one of the most effective mindset shifts I’ve made.
When you remove “grazing,” your energy and hunger cues actually stabilise. And the cravings? Way easier to manage.
If food cravings are something you struggle with, you’ll love my post How I Deal with Food Cravings on a Strict Diet — it’s one of the most honest breakdowns I’ve written about willpower and routine.
Log Every Cheat Meal (No Pretending It Didn’t Happen)
Cheat meals used to be my kryptonite.
I’d crush it all week, feel proud, see the scale drop — and then Friday night would hit. Suddenly it was pizza, snacks, dessert… and Saturday morning, the scale would slap me back with five pounds of “what happened.”
But it wasn’t fat — it was salt, carbs, and water. Still, it felt like failure.
Now, my rule is simple: if I cheat, I track it.
No shame. No pretending. Just honesty.
Logging those meals takes the emotion out of it. It’s data. It’s not “I failed,” it’s “here’s what happened.”
And honestly, that’s been freeing.
Because one high-calorie meal doesn’t ruin progress. Pretending it didn’t happen does.
Use Fasting (But Don’t Be Extreme About It)
Intermittent fasting can feel like a secret weapon — until it backfires.
I’ve tested every version of fasting: 16:8, 18:6, 20:4, even OMAD (one meal a day). For me, 18:6 is the sweet spot. Two big meals in a 6-hour window fits perfectly with my Rice Diet setup.
Any longer, though, and my body starts pushing back. My thyroid slows down, I get cold, sluggish, and borderline nauseous. That’s my signal to stop.
So instead of chasing the “fasting badge of honour,” I treat it like a tool, not a religion.
I’ve found it keeps me focused — fewer meals, fewer decisions, fewer chances to mess up.
For more about how I approach structure without burnout, you might enjoy Dieting Doesn’t Work (Do This Instead) — it dives into why habits always beat willpower.
Focus on Food Quality (But Don’t Worship It)
I used to think “clean eating” meant guaranteed weight loss. Spoiler: it doesn’t.
When I went plant-based, I didn’t wake up glowing or levitating. My energy didn’t suddenly skyrocket. But over time, the benefits crept in — steadier energy, easier digestion, less joint pain, fewer cravings.
Food quality matters because it influences hormones, sleep, and appetite. It doesn’t replace the calorie equation, but it helps make it sustainable.
Right now, my Rice Diet keeps my meals predictable, affordable, and clean. White rice, lentils, fruit, juice — simple, repeatable, and easy to adjust.
And that simplicity? It’s been a game-changer.
Separate Maintenance from Fat Loss
Here’s something I never understood before: maintenance isn’t just “less strict” weight loss.
They’re totally different modes.
When you’re losing weight, you need tight structure. Small slip-ups — an extra veggie dish, a splash of juice — can bump you 400–500 calories higher than you think. Suddenly you’re maintaining, not losing.
Once you’ve reached your goal, then you can relax. Until then? You have to stay focused.
I treat maintenance like a reward — something I earn by sticking to my rules long enough to see the results.
And it’s paying off.
Don’t Obsess Over the Scale (Trust the Trend)
This one’s probably saved me the most mental stress.
If you’ve ever stepped on the scale after doing everything right — tracking, fasting, eating clean — only to see it go up, you know the frustration.
But I remind myself daily: that’s just water, sodium, and digestion. You can’t gain five pounds of fat overnight. It’s literally impossible.
So now, I weigh myself every morning after using the bathroom, same conditions every time. Then I watch the trend, not the daily noise.
When it moves down over time, I know I’m winning. Even slow progress is progress.
When the Motivation Isn’t There
Let’s be honest — not every day feels like a “go-getter” day.
Some mornings I wake up tired, stiff, or just mentally done with dieting. That’s where my system saves me.
I don’t rely on motivation anymore. Motivation is unpredictable. Systems are reliable.
If I can’t bring 100%, I bring 40% — because 40% still keeps the streak alive.
Even if all I do is track my food, skip the snack, or go for a short walk, I count it as a win.
Momentum > motivation.
When I was carnivore, I lived on extremes — all or nothing. Now, I’m learning that showing up halfway is better than giving up completely.
My Takeaway: Systems Beat Motivation
None of these rules are sexy. They don’t sound like the “one weird trick” thumbnails you see on YouTube. But they work.
They keep me grounded, especially on days where I’d rather do anything but diet.
These rules — track calories, skip snacks, log cheats, fast smart, focus on quality, know your mode, and trust the trend — have become the backbone of my 100-pound journey.
The Rice Diet fits perfectly into this mindset. It’s cheap, simple, repeatable, and free from decision fatigue. There’s no endless recipe planning or overthinking. Just rice, fruit, lentils, and results.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything right but still spinning your wheels, you might relate to The Lazy Way to Get Leaner (That Actually Works). It’s all about working smarter, not harder — and giving yourself permission to simplify.
Because honestly, that’s what this journey’s taught me. You don’t need to master willpower. You just need to build systems that do the heavy lifting for you.
Final Thoughts
This is how I’m losing 100 pounds — not with perfection, but persistence.
I’m done chasing motivation. I’m done looking for hacks. I’m choosing structure, patience, and consistency.
So yeah — no shortcuts, no secret supplements. Just one rice bowl, one gym session, and one honest log at a time.
And if you’re on your own journey? Remember: it’s not about being perfect. It’s about not quitting when it’s messy.
That’s the rule that matters most.
