Seems as everybody has been on some form of diet. Also seems as nobody has ever told me that they actually finished the diet they were on; I never did, but I’m finally on my way. Suppliers of diet tools like books, special foods, etc. are happy about these failures, like really happy. They should be as it’s a multi-billion dollar business and I really don’t have a problem with that.
The human framework, also known as the skeleton, is constructed to carry a limited load of muscles, fat, skin, internal stuff (Yuk!) and whatever. It has been determined by those who know that a handsome and charming male as yours truly, with a height of 6 foot 1 inch (approximately 184 cm.) should weigh between 140 to 190 pounds (for those of you living on the metric system: 64 to 86 kilos). I don’t know if I weigh too much, because I can’t see the read-out on the scale – my stomach is in the way (only kidding). Pound-wise I’m a bit in the dangerous area, but I’m on the way towards the healthy zone, slowly but surely; fascinating stuff, if you ask me.
Thousands of diet books, diet-plans, classes, nutrition experts and so forth constantly bombard us with the new and ultimate end-all-diets, with a new end-all-diets coming out just about every day. And we obviously buy all this junk again and again because we are naïve in believing that one of those plans will eventually work. So we buy boxes of crappy food that stinks up the house after two minutes in the microwave oven, smells like the burning cardboard/foam box it came in and the box probably tastes better than the food inside – just add a dash of ketchup or ranch dressing. All we are getting are smaller portions, packaged for the big money.
To me DIET is just DIE with a T. But here’s my free solution to any weight you want to lose. The magic word is DISCIPLINE, that’s all it takes – and it’s one we have a terrible time taking control of.
We decide to go on a diet because we need to for whatever reason. We can buy a diet-plan, we can read about diets or make up our own plan – it is actually very simple. The main reason we decide on a diet is primarily because of the way we look, though the priority to any diet, any weight loss attempt should be because of health. Our skeleton is built to carry a certain weight. Any excess poundage is simply adding strain on bones and joints, heart, lungs and other internal (Yuk) stuff that need to function with the highest efficiency.
Technically dieting is when we deliberately select certain foods to control our body weight or nutrient intake – but primarily to drop some pounds. So when we apply that discipline thing, plan our meals according to suggestions we can easily get from the Internet, we will lose weight – guaranteed. Another free advice is, that eat what you eat now, but cut the portions in half. Yes, it’s Hell in the beginning, but you teach your stomach and brain to acknowledge the smaller portions and they pretty much adjust accordingly, getting full faster by not expecting more. Of course you have produce, all that green and leafy stuff, as well as fruit to fill up the “hungry” spaces and it’s healthy too. Exercise is essential and something we can never get enough of. But I don’t want to be another end-all-diets guru - other than just mention that discipline thing again.
When I arrived in the USA in 1975 I weighed in at 165 pounds. I pretty much kept that weight till about 10 years ago. I biked a lot at the time (200 miles per week), but suddenly became afraid of getting hit by a car, so it wasn’t a pleasure biking anymore – and I stopped. Early last year I hit 227 pounds (Yuk again) and decided that was more than plenty, way enough, unhealthy and utterly ugly. So I disciplined myself with even more exercise, dog-walking and by watching the sizes of my food intake. I’m at 211 now and will by the end of this year reach 192 pounds. It will still be a bit high according to my bone structure and height, so I’ll see how I feel, and especially see how I look at 192 – probably more handsome if that is even possible…
As with most adjustments we make in our lives, more or less drastic changes, do not set impossible goals. Don’t plan on losing those 50 pounds by next Saturday’s barbeque (as it can only be achieved by cutting off a limb you are not using a lot – that would be an arm or a leg – or both? Duh), but attack you weight loss using small baby steps, one pound at a time; be disciplined and stay positive.
It’s actually easy to lose weight when we determine to do so, but the tougher part is that we for the most part find it again. But what has really worked for me and is still working, is that when I have lost yet another pound, then I concentrate on not getting it back. Sure it’s an up and down battle, but the more I practice it, the lighter I get – baby steps and discipline.
My main thing is the smaller portions of what I eat. Sure there are more green stuff and fruit in my diet than I inhaled back in the wild calorie days, but I’m not going totally diet-wacko as I do like ice cream and the occasional three pounds of Redvines (that’s a candy thing around here).
Of course I do not recommend trying to lose weight following the advice on the list below – but wouldn’t it be diet-heaven if it worked?
PETER’S TEN RULES OF DIETING
Never put off till tomorrow what you can eat today
Eat every meal as if it is your last
Chew your food at least once
Avoid fruits and nuts. After all, you are what you eat
Snack ONLY between meals
Don’t save your dessert for last. Eat it first
Never go back for seconds. Get it all the first time
Set your scale back 5 pounds. On second thought, make it an even 15
Vegetables are essential: so we have carrot-cakes and pumpkin-pies
Last but not least: Hang around people who are fatter than you
Okay, I used to be much more concerned about my looks (for obvious reasons) than any form of “health” issues. But when I got bigger my looks started to fade in importance, to where it was much more important that I took care of my health.
And that is what I’m doing now; not just for me anymore. Now it’s part of respecting my wife and my children. I don’t look like the 165 pounder anymore (lucky me, really), but even in my heavier version I’m still utterly adorable. Smaller portions, somewhat healthier food without going crazy, exercise and that discipline thing; yeah, I’ll reach my goal – I have no doubts… How about you?
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