22 Jun 08 The Daily Plate

I’ve decided, due to a few factors, that the time has come to make a little more than a cursory attempt to lose a little weight. I’ve been asked more than once, when the baby is due.

I did the BMI thing, and it tells me I’m obese. Not clinically obese, but obese nevertheless. It still conjures up in my mind, pictures of huge huge people, and I don’t think I’m huge, but I know I’m overweight.

Until I got into my mid-thirties, I always looked underweight if anything. In my mid-twenties I can remember asking an older friend how I could put weight on, and he suggested I eat more potatoes. Well, I’ve always enjoy potatoes in their many forms.

Thing is, it all seems to be down to portion control. I read about this in a number of articles. I don’t eat as bad as many folks I read about online, and talk to. I don’t drink soda of any kind; don’t take sugar in coffee; don’t drink that much alcohol; seldom eat dessert; don’t put more than a real drizzle of dressing on my salads; almost never eat take-out food.

However, I do like a good plateful of what I do eat. Mostly we cook and eat at home, and if I go out during the work week to visit a client, I will usually take sandwiches with me, or get a sandwich somewhere.

Well, I’ve been pointed in the direction of The Daily Plate. It looks like a useful aid to achieve my goals.

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My goals are this. I want to lose 65 lbs. I’m not going to start one of the many diets about; they’re all theory, and I’m cynical. I want to lose weight, not put dollars in someone else s pocket so they can tell me their idea of dieting. I don’t want to jump on the fad of the week. Diets go in fashions, and I’m about the most anti-fashion, anti-follow-the-crowd person I know.

So I’ve started this new regime from last Friday. Today is day three. As I said, it’s normal food, none of this overpriced lean cuisine style crap ( I don’t eat prepared processed packet food now, and I’m not going to start).

I’m still going to the pub from time to time. I’m just not going to have seconds, or finish other people’s plates anymore. I’m going to quit being the house dustbin, and put the leftovers in the refrigerator, or even freezer for another day, and not have seconds.

I’m supposed to lose two pounds a week, so this will take me about nine months. I guess by the time I’ve finished, if I succeed, I won’t get asked if I’m pregnant anymore, and I might look like I did just eight years ago

Tags: alcohol, bmi, coffee, crowd, cursory attempt, dessert, diets, drink soda, drizzle, fad, fashion, mid thirties, mid twenties, portion control, potatoes, progress bar, salads, sandwich, sandwiches, thumbnail