23 Apr 12 Still Making An Effort.
I see, hear and read about so many people who go on a diet to lose weight and fail. They try all sorts of things, but fail each time. My theory is that many folks fail not because they set their goal too high (well OK, low in the case of weight), but, like the story of tortoise and the hare, they go hammer and tongs at it for a short time, don’t get quick results, and get disillusioned and quit.
So, I’m not going to go down that road. I’m just going to keep making an effort to follow that Daily Telegraph diet – ‘Eat Less, Move More’.
I’m doing fairly well on the first part. I’ve stopped eating the blueberry muffins at the airport coffee shop, and am even more resolved not to buy them in future, when I found out that they’re a whopping 500 calories each!
I’ve not had a Full English Breakfast all last week, or even over the weekend. Nope, I’ve eaten scrambled egg or oatmeal instead.
Dinner time, I’ve been good and eaten more salad, and cut out the potatoes.
Less red meat, more fish.
Now, it can’t be all work and no play, so Saturday evening, with two days off work ahead of me, was spent in the local pub, where I had ham, egg and chips, and a few glasses of beer. Should I feel guilty about that? I don’t think so, because as long as I’m sensible for the rest of the week, a day off the new regime doesn’t hurt in my view. I’m not suddenly going to regain any weight lost with one evening at the pub.
On Sunday, we had a traditional roast, but not a great deal else to eat all day, so although I find it better to eat two or three smaller meals than one large one (and I know that’s recommended by doctors and nutritionists alike), I found I was full for the rest of the day.
It’s the ‘move more’ bit I have trouble with.
I’m not really a couch potato armed with a remote. I practically never watch TV. However, I do spend way too much time online, reading, and working in Lightroom. Right now, I’ve a backlog of photos to catalog and process, and then I really must get out and do more photo-walking instead of processing!
Not having a car helps to a point, as I have to walk on those short trips, such as to the local stores. Going further afield, I at least have to walk to the bus stop!
Talking of walking reminds me that I have to do that now – walk to the local stores.
More to follow.
Tags: blueberry muffins, coffee shop, couch potato, daily telegraph, diet to lose weight, dinner time, full english breakfast, hammer and tongs, local pub, nutritionists, red meat, rest of the week, tortoise and the hare
13 Apr 12 Not Eating The Pudding
I know we can all talk about what we’re going to do. Make resolutions at New Year or any other time of the year come to that). Thing is, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Or in this case, NOT eating the pudding!
When I returned to the UK, I think most folks here thought that I’d have put on several pounds.
Actually, I did, but I had lost it, and more besides, by the time I returned. At one time I was topping the scale at just over 17 stones (around 240 lbs). I started making an effort back then (around 2008) to lose some of this. No need to go crazy, and cut out everything you like eating that adds to your weight. You just end up being miserable, and soon giving up, and scoffing twice as much ‘bad’ food. I’m no nutritionist, but I reckon if you just cut back some that’s got to be a step in the right direction.
Diet plans? Nope, not for me. I reckon most of them just make your bank balance slimmer. Fads. Drink the juice of the lesser spotted oomegoolie tree three times a day, and you’ll lose 10 pounds a week. Yeah right. Pull the other branch, mister.
I think that the diet plan that the Daily Telegraph published some years back was about smack on track.
“Eat Less, Move More”.
So, I put one potato less on my plate at dinner time. Had two sausages instead of three for breakfast. One less sandwich for my lunch break. I still ate what I enjoyed eating.
I guess I’m lucky in some ways. I don’t eat sweet foods much. Cupcakes don’t appeal to me. Nor doughnuts, or sticky buns. I don’t take sugar in my tea or coffee. I rarely eat fast food take outs. I don’t drink any kind of soda, pop, or fizzy drinks (whatever you call it in your part of the world), as I simply don’t like the stuff.
I found a new tool online that really does work though. The Daily Plate. The most discipline you need here is to find a few minutes to log everything you eat, and be truthful to it. Set a sensible goal – whatever the diet ads say, you’re not gonna lose more than about 2lb a week on a regular basis. Some weeks your weight might go up a bit for no obvious reason. Keep at it. You can’t give up rowing just because the current gets stronger on that bit of the river. Row past it, keep going.
I got down to just under 190 lbs back in September 2010. I was walking regularly, albeit around the large back yard where I was living at the time. I was eating smaller portions too. I still had a burger every so often, and a few beers too.
So what went wrong?
I moved.
Back in the UK, I was a bit like a kid in a candy store.
Real cask English ales were again available. There are some wonderful American craft beers these days, and I miss those right now, but I’ve always enjoyed good beer (as well as good food). I indulged. For a few weeks I wasn’t working, so I had too much time on my hands. I re-discovered all the English foods I liked. Scotch Eggs, Sausage Rolls, British bacon, Meat pies and so on. It was winter time, so platefuls of stew were in order, as were mountains of mash too.
I have a sedentary job. I sit on my backside all day. Shift work means I go to work, and get home at weird times. I’m often tired because of the strange hours. So as I started doing the Daily Telegraph
So, it’s time to act.
I’m going to make an effort. I’m going to walk a bit more. I’ve ordered a pedometer today, so I can try and get more of those 10,000 daily steps in. I’ve rejoined The Daily Plate, so I can actively check my munching, and my exercise. I want to get down to my original target weight of 170lbs. I’m now 220lbs.
Today, I went out for a brisk walk, and at the grocery store, I bought salmon and chicken breast, salad, and couscous. I resisted the sausages, and the crusty bread rolls.
It’s a start.
Tags: bank balance, daily telegraph, diet plan, fizzy drinks, nutritionist, proof of the pudding, resolutions, sausages, sensible goal, step in the right direction, sticky buns, sweet foods, three times
01 Apr 09 Too Much Gas
(seen in The Daily Telegraph)
Commenting on a complaint from a Mr. Arthur Purdey about a large gas bill, a spokesman for North West Gas said, ‘We agree it was rather high for the time of year. It’s possible Mr. Purdey has been charged for the gas used up during the explosion that destroyed his house.’
Tags: arthur, daily telegraph, explosion, gas bill, purdey, spokesman, time of year
