My Diet Philosophy

I thought I would lay out my diet philosophy since I am trying to lose weight. Now I am not one that can follow strict diets like a lot of people do. You know the ones - you can't eat bread. Or you can't eat meat. Or you can only eat bread and meat if you eat 2 pounds of pineapple with it. Whatever.

I can't follow those diets. Basically, I can't follow any diet. The second I tell myself that I am on a diet, I am hungry. No, I mean I AM HUNGRY. And that hunger will not be denied.

So I have finally landed on a weight-loss philosophy that I think will work for me. I picked it up from my step-brother, Home Brew. I think he is fairly qualified to give this advice for several reasons:

1. He's an engineer. And to be an engineer, you have to be pretty smart. Yes, they can be a little on the odd side but smart. (Apologies to any engineers out there but you know engineers are an odd lot!)
2. He's fit and trim. This reason speaks for itself - it obviously works.
3. He's a runner. So he's "into" the health and diet and exercise crap.
4. His wife is a nutritionist. Yeah, really. Like a college-trained, board certified nutritionist.
   

I am talking simple weight loss, not eating for heart health or for lowering cholesterol. Simple weight loss. It all boils down to the simple physics of two things:

1. gozoutas (calories going out)


2. gozintas (calories coming in)

If you have more gozoutas than gozintas, you will lose weight. If you have more gozintas than gozoutas, you will gain weight.

See! It's simple.

Now the actual application of this can get sticky. So I have adopted my application philosophy from my Dad. Here's why I think he is qualified for this advice:

1. He is an engineer, too. So that makes him pretty smart.
2. He is 73 so he is living proof that it works.
3. He has always been fit and trim.
4. He has rarely (and I mean RARELY) been sick. Never been in the hospital. Never had surgery. He is the picture of health.
5. He eats dessert after dinner every night.
6. He always eats a snack before bed.

So what is the magic application philosophy? Everything in moderation.

He eats dessert every night but he does not eat the entire pie. He eats a snack before bed, usually cheese and a couple of crackers or a small bowl of cereal. And on occasion, a bowl of ice cream with chocolate topping! But he doesn't sit and eat an entire bag of chips while watching TV.

See, it's simple. More going out than coming in and everything in moderation.

So here's the truth about what I am doing to lose weight.

1. I have chocolate milk with my breakfast. My world is not right unless I have this. I will not give it up. So I have weaned myself off of the hard stuff and currently drink 1%. Or 1/2% if I can find it. Can't quite do skim yet. I don't know if I ever will.
2. I get hungry mid-morning. Instead of diving headlong into a bag of chips, I eat a 90 calorie granola bar or something like that.
3. I try to stick with Lean Cuisine or something for lunch.
4. I get hungry mid-afternoon. So I make myself a smoothie with fruit and a couple of tablespoons of yogurt. I also add a scoop of protein powder which makes the "full feeling" last longer.
5. For supper - I try to add a salad. I have switched to ground turkey instead of ground beef. I grill instead of fry. I look for low fat and low calorie substitutions for my normal things.
6. I get hungry before bed. I try to have things on hand that will satisfy that hunger without going completely nuts. Like the 100 calorie cups of pudding or Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches, etc.
7. I drink lots of water. Usually 1/2 to 3/4 of a gallon per day. Yes, I pee a lot.
8. I drink soda. This cannot be helped but I have switched to diet. I have Diet Sun-Drop or Diet Mountain Dew with lunch and a Sprite Zero with supper.
9. I exercise. I ride on my bike trainer, usually 4 days per week. Vol Fan and I go to the gym for cardio and weights, usually 4 days per week. I do small things like park far away from the door to make me walk further.

Now let's see how good this works.