Counting Calories

I was on USA Today and found this article that talked about trying to find your right diet. Let’s face it, dieting is hard and trying to stick to the “fad diet” of the moment usually will end horribly. Sure you may lose the weight, but once your body hits that “shock” point many people will start eating more and gaining it back.

It is all about discipline and finding what you like to eat and how you can incorporate that into a healthier way of living. There is no trick diet. Sure you can have help with supplements but you can’t solely rely on them to make you thinner. It will always be eating healthier and moving one’s fat ass. This article Is a great way to figure out where one can find the right type of diet for themselves. The article has great links that can start you off in the right direction.

But I think what we all have to do is get around that negative link the word diet has to itself. We can’t think of dieting as evil, but a way to live and live better. So what I am doing, is

1. Write in this blog as a way to see what and how i progress.
2. do a calorie count diet – try to stay under 1500 calories a day along with my atkins style meal plan
3. Take my lunch to work each day – cheaper and I know what was put into the dishes.
4. Exercise each day for at LEAST 15 minutes on the bike if I can’t walk for 45 (weather is crappy this time of the year)
5. Watch what I put in my mouth, take responsibility for what goes in.
6. Keep saying my mantra “It’s for my brother”
7. DRINK WATER – cut out soda lose a lot of weight

Now I think that is enough for the list, too many on a list you tend to forget or give up. It’s just called keep it simple. Find the type of meal/diet plan that is easy to stick to and I think not only me but everyone can be successful.

Excerpt from the article

Ask yourself		Consider the following	Resources
Do you want to develop some healthy lifelong eating patterns, plus good physical activity and stress-management patterns?		You may need a plan that focuses on behavioral or lifestyle changes.	• French Women Don’t Get Fat byMireille Guiliano • Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole • Best Life Diet by Bob Greene • You: On a Diet by Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz
Do you enjoy breads and other carbohydrates and have a hard time cutting back on them?		You may enjoy a plan that includes whole grains, rice, pasta, breads and lots of vegetables and fruits	• TheMediterranean diet pyramid • Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet • MyPyramid.gov
Do you prefer fish and lean meats more than breads or pasta?		A plan that modifies the amounts of proteins and fats in ways that favor your food preferences may work well for you	• Secrets of Good Carb/Low Carb Living by Sandra Woodruff • The South Beach Diet by Arthur Agatston • Atkins’ New Diet Revolutionby Robert Atkins
Do you find it easy to substitute a beverage, such as a smoothie, for a meal?		You may enjoy and be able to have a meal replacement at noon time	• Slim-Fast plan
Do you dislike cooking or find it difficult to prepare meals?		Temporarily using commercially prepared meals until you can develop some quick prep techniques	• NutriSystem • Jenny Craig • Weight Watchers
Do you want a plan that provides occasional treats or wine?		A plan that is based on food groupings or exchange systems for may work well for you	• Weight Watchers • Eat, Drink, and Weigh Less by Walter Willett and Mollie Katzen
Do you enjoy preparing and eating some savory and filling “soup or one-pot” dishes with different foods?		Try a plan that emphasizes meals and dishes with volume and fiber that are filling but lower in calories	• TheVolumetricsWeight-Control Plan by Barbara Rolls and Robert Barnett
Does having a diet or record-tracking system, buddy or friend to provide encouragement make it easier to stay on your diet?		A plan that includes keeping food records or a support and check-in system would work well for you.	• Fat is Not Your Fate (records) by Susan Mitchell and Catherine Christie • Weight Watchers (supports) •sparkpeople.com(records and supports)
Do you like trying different ethnic cuisines as part of your regular meals?		All ethnic cuisines have some healthy choices you can enjoy	• Asian diet pyramid • Latin American pyramid • Mediterranean diet pyramid
Do you like to emphasize less refined foods and like a large variety of colorful fruits and vegetables?		The plans that include many different colors tend to have a wide variety of nutrients and be healthy	• Eat, Drink, and Weigh Less by Walter Willett and Mollie Katzen • DASH • Vegan diet • Mediterranean diet

Tags: Dieting, healthy living, weight loss