Diet

Reading yesterdays post makes me think I'm probably a bit depressed.  Yah, I sure am quite a bit depressed, but this too shall pass.  I hope.

I've been working on a diet for the last few weeks, averaging about one pound per day weight loss over the last four weeks.  I've also been studying up on diets and nutrition, something I've not bothered with in the past.  And I think I've learned a few things.

1. Calories are important, but not as important as timing.  Research shows that maintaining an even flow of calories during the day is extremely important.  When you eat just "3 squares" you body gets hungry in between.  When the body gets hungry it goes into "famine" mode, and starts storing fat and slowing down the metabolism to conserve energy.  If you eat less but more often the body never gets hungry and the metabolism actually ramps up, burning more calories.

2. Stay away from the center of the store.  Most of the "good" foods are usually found on the perimeter of the grocery store:  Meats, Dairy, Vegetables.

3. Get some exercise regularly.  I'm trying to walk at least 30 minutes per day and not while I'm working but when I can focus on a brisk walk.  It's difficult right now because of my foot problems, I'm hoping that problem will get better after my podiatrist appointment next week.  And jumping to conclusions is NOT an acceptable exercise.

4. Can the soda pop.  This may be the hardest part for me.  For 30+ years I have consumed between 1 and 3 liters of Coca Cola every single day.  I like my Coke.  It keeps me going.  Here's what I'm trying to do.  I drink an 8 ounce glass of Coke in the morning, and once or twice a week I allow myself a double Rum & Coke.  The rest of the time I'm drinking water with Crystal Lite Energy.  Crystal Lite is cheaper than Coke anyways.  This way I still get my daily fix of Coca Cola as well as getting enough caffeine to keep me awake, at least some of the time.  Yeah, it's not as good an answer as totally cutting out the Coke, but I'm hoping it will work as an acceptable compromise, at least for now.  Maybe later I can cut the Coke down to just Special (Rum & Coke) Occasions.   I have noticed that with my reduced consumption of soda pop that my night time leg cramps have vanished, which should help me sleep better.  Right.  I think I got three hours sleep last night.

I've found a couple of useful items during my research.  One is the www.my-calorie-counter.com website, subject of an earlier blog posting.  I use it mostly to count calories and journal my weight loss.  Yes, I am counting calories, but mostly because I've never noticed them before and I'm trying to learn how to eat a more nutritionally balanced diet.  But, I may not be using it much longer.  I have found the "Abs Diet" which combines diet and exercise, and they supply a huge list of recommended foods.  I'm planning on ordering the book in the very near future, along with the "Eat This, Not That" Supermarket Survival Guide which compares and contrasts the nutritional values of foods.

An interesting factiod I just picked up:  Drink a high protein shake just before exercise.  It will give you more energy to exercise with and will also help increase your metabolism during and after the exercise.

One of my problems is that I have alway been a "3 Squares" person, that's how I was raised.  And, that is how work is structured.  But, with the help of info from the "Abs Diet" I'm going to figure out a shake that I can drink at work for the snack times.  Since I'm on an 1800 calorie per day diet I am trying to average at about 360 calories during each of 5 meals or three 400 calorie meals and 2 300 calorie meals.  I want to see if I can do two of these meals with shakes, the thicker the better.  And take my walk after I consume one of the shakes.  We'll see, I need to do some more research and need to be able to buy some groceries before I can do this stage of the diet.  I'll let you know what happens.