Half Way There, Che The Dog, Boston and Stats

I weighed myself Saturday just for the hell of it. My jeans were feeling especially baggy and I found that I had dropped another 10 lbs. in the last 4 weeks. That gets me down to 220 pounds, 34 pounds off my goal of 70 pounds. I did it in four months also, two months ahead of time. The most I have ever been able to loose through the years of trying other "diets", or life style changes if you will, has been 25 pounds. I think I found a plan that is sustainable.

The other interesting change is that I'm not obsessed with food or the lack of it. Everything else I've tried for the last 15 years I was hungry all the time and I was always thinking about eating. Then I would do the classic junkie thing, buy the candy bar, eat a piece and then go back to the hiding place and finish it off. It would take me a couple of trips but I'd get it all down.

I'm still obsessed with the wonder of food, growing, nurturing it, and cooking it. There's nothing better than feeding people, good, healthy, tasty food. It's very rewarding to me. I catered this wedding last summer in a stand of redwoods in the East Bay Regional Park and before we put out the entree the place was loud and buzzing. Then we served dinner, everyone got something to eat, and my buddy Pete who was helping me cook turned to me and said, "Listen man, it's quiet, we made the whole place silent."

But, I think I'm getting to a more mature relationship with food. My relationship with food was dysfunctional at best. I was a food junkie. I abused food, like I've abused drugs, sex, alcohol and rock & roll. When I started this turn in my life I really was like that photo I posted on the first blog. The one of me shooting up with a pepperoni stick. I'm getting to that sweet spot, the moderation spot. The same one my college nutrition teacher Mr Tracaro use to talk about and say, "You can eat anything you want. You just can't eat it all, all the time."

What I've essentially done is combine three elements of dieting together that work for me.

First, I upped me exercise routine. Some of it was via my pet sitting business  and some of it was motivation to feel better. I tried jogging, but the old right hip let me know right away that this exercise was not acceptable. So, I stayed with my tried and true exercise du jour, walking and hiking.

Secondly, I changed my eating habits. I cut back on salt, sugar, and fat. I've cut out most red meat, but I'll have more in the future I'm sure. The thought of a porter house steak doesn't seem all that appealing to me. A burger on the other hand can wet my whistle. I increased my intake of fresh veggies, and fruits. I cut back on my intake of carbohydrates, especially bread, &  pizza. The same is true for cheese, butter and other milk and fat related products. I'm being very careful about the layering of these food ingredients. I avoided places and situations that tempt me to eat more. I'm more careful not to snack in between meals.

Thirdly, I incorporated Intermittent fasting into the paradigm. The plan for this is to fast two 24 hour periods a week, Mon. and Thursday. These are non-party days, with very limited social obligations.
On Tues., Wed and Fri. I fast in between breakfast and dinner. If I get hungry I got my old hippie chef blue agave drink to get me through. On the weekends whatever happens happens. The truth is I don't have any desires to binge eat.

If I was to incorporate anything else it would be to watch my drinking. Alcohol is a lot of calories, but it's a great stress reliever. I still love the reefer of course, and that's just never going to change. I accept what I can't change, or in this case what I won't change.

Note that with my eating habits I haven't cut out any one food item or category completely. You don't have to, that's the great thing about this diet. I hate that word, but I might as well get use to using it. It's less syllables and less pretentious than lifestyle change. I'm not running to the cupboard or the fridge to eat something, just to eat something.

Best of all I feel pretty good. I know my liver feels better. I need to get the fat off that liver. I think I made it through the wall this time.

This is good news, but I'd rather be fat and have my dog.

My heart goes out to the city of Boston today.

That's it.


Peace,

Make Food/Not War

What I ate today;

Breakfast; 1/2 banana, black tea, 2 egg fried and one large potato pancake

No lunch

Dinner; Baked chicken, mashed potatoes, bread, salad

Exercise: 5 miles walking/hiking