Diet

Diet

Oh my god, this is SOOO me!

Friday fragments

Two weeks in a row now I find that a post comprised of several small topics works for me, so here goes another Friday fragments.

The other day I needed to call our car insurance agency, Progressive.  After my purpose was accomplished and the call was ending, I said to the customer service rep "Say hi to Flo for me!" Apparently I'm not the 1st one to think of this, as the rep responded "Oh, I will" without missing a beat.

On Mon I had my week 2 weigh-in and was encouraged to see that I had lost 5 lbs again.  That makes 10 lbs in 2 weeks.  This Fit for Life is really working for me.  Yes, I sometimes feel deprived when I want to eat a big, juicy burger with fries, but that's what got me in this situation to begin with.  I still eat most of what I like, but not together.  I'll eat a burger without the bun or fries with salad or a veggie.

Spouse & I have been watching American Horror Story Freak Show and this week was the finale.  It was not what I was expecting, but I liked it.  The series was very interesting, albeit gory at times, so now I think we're going to go back to the earlier series (Asylum and Coven) and watch them.  Anyone else like American Horror Story?

I've been letting the top of my hair grow out for the last 2 month, and only getting the sides and back cut.  I'm doing this because I want a new, modern hairstyle called an Undercut.  There is the slicked back version which is better suited for guys like Brad Pitt with straighter hair...

...and there is a more casual, non-slicked back version that is better suited for guys like me with wavy hair...

Not surprising, Spouse is not a fan of this style.  He says its for hipsters and younger guys, but I reminded him that Brad Pitt has this cut and he's only 11 days younger than me.

Diet update

I really don't like to use the word 'diet' because I think of a diet as a temporary measure that yields temporary results.  Once you stop the diet, the weight usually comes back. I'm trying to make my Fit for Life routine more of a lifestyle; something that becomes a part of my everyday life.

So, last Mon I started following Fit for Life, which works on the theory that proper food combining aids in quicker digestion, more energy, and weight loss.  I did really well the 1st week and lost 5 lbs.

The 1st week was kind of rough, I'll be honest.  I had some serious cravings for sweets but I stuck to it and didn't cheat.  From my experience 20+ years ago, the 1st week was the hardest and then the following weeks got easier.  I'm really hoping to keep this 'lifestyle' going indefinitely.

After the holidays

A year or 2 ago in the latter part of June, Thad asked electronics guru Joe P to come over to help him with his cable box and DVR.  Joe P said he would, but not until 'after the holidays'.  The rest of us burst into laughter, thinking he meant he wouldn't be available until Jan!!  But what he meant by 'after the holidays' was after the upcoming July 4th and Labor Day holidays.  From that point on 'after the holidays' has been a joke in our circle, reminding us of that funny misunderstanding. 

This came to mind yesterday as I was taking down the Christmas tree and decorations, since it is literally 'after the holidays'.  Fortunately this task is much easier this year than usual due to the minimal decorations we put up.  Within about 1/2 an hour I had the 4' prelit tree undecorated and back in its box, the 3 wreaths back in their boxes, and the mantle candles and greenery removed and the framed photos back up on the mantle.  It didn't take long to say goodbye to Christmas for another year.

'After the holidays' is when most people resolve to lose weight, myself included.  Honestly, I have been eating like a totally crazy person since early Oct with the justification that I would go on a diet 'after the holidays'.  Well, now it is time to pay the piper.

Last time I lost weight on Weight Watchers.  For whatever reason, I don't feel like going that route again, so I'm going to do Fit for Life.  I followed Fit for Life back in the early 90s and it worked great.  I lost 45 lbs in about 6 months and I felt terrific.  The concept is that weight loss will naturally occur with proper food combining.  Here are the simple rules:

• Eat fruit (and no other food) from the time you get up until noon.  Any kind of fruit; as much as you want.  Fruit and only fruit until noon, and not after noon.
• Combine proteins with vegetables in the same meal, with a desired ratio of 1 part protein to 2 parts vegetables.
• Combine carbs with vegetables in the same meal, with a desired ratio of 1 part carbs to 2 parts vegetables.
• Proteins and carbs are never to be eaten in the same meal, but may be eaten in the same day.
• Avoid processed foods as much as possible.  Natural is always better, even if it has more calories as is the case with margarine versus butter.
• Avoid dairy as much as possible, as it contains fat and calories.  The vitamin D people attribute to milk (thanks to the Dairy Counsel) can easily be replaced by leafy green vegetables.

You can buy the book if you're interested in the specific reasons behind these food combinations.  As with any every diet or lifestyle plan, its effectiveness will vary from person to person.  But I like that the book tells you that you'll get the benefits (weight loss, more energy) to the extent that you follow it.  So if you don't follow it 100% you will still get some benefits, unlike others which are predicated on never cheating in order to remain in ketosis. 

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Dieting

So after a brief hiatus (okay, 6 months) from my diet, I started back on it.  God, it is so boring.

One of the things about dieting that I resent is that I have to constantly think about food!  Friends want to go out to dinner and ask where we want to go.  I then immediately try and think of places that - not taste terrific, but - have low calorie options.  And I believe everyone who's ever read this blog knows how daddy likes him a Cosmo now and then.  Well, alcohol is a definite no-no when you're dieting.

The diet that makes the most sense for me is Weight Watchers.  It forces you to convert food into points and then not exceed the points that match your weight.  It works.  A few years ago I lost 40 lbs on Weight Watchers.  But I guess I'm lazy and I just get so damn tired of constantly watching what I eat and having to think about food.

One of the 'tricks' I've used with success is drinking water.  Its no secret - every diet tells you to drink lots of water.  But sometimes I get so hungry that I feel sick to my stomach.  I don't want to eat something if its not 'meal time', so I will drink water.  That will often quiet down my stomach and carry me over until its time to eat a meal.  And I TOTALLY make use of those chemical-laden, artificially flavored water enhancers because they give water flavor.  I don't care if they contain red dye #5, if they make water taste like a virgin cocktail, I'm in!!

Weekend recap

As a real estate agent, I typically work on Saturdays, and sometimes on Sundays too.  Now that we have another agent on our team we are rotating so that each agent gets a weekend off each month.  This means they aren't scheduled for sales duty (responding to phone and internet inquiries) but may still need to show property to visiting potential buyers.

This weekend was my weekend off, I had no visiting buyers in town, and Spouse & I had no plans that would take us out of town.  So it felt almost odd that I was home with Spouse all weekend.

Click to enlarge

We decided to make good use of this time off together and took down and packed up our Christmas tree and all our Christmas decorations.  It was less laborious than usual since Spouse & I worked together on this.  Just removing and packing up the tree ornaments is a big job since we like our tree to be heavy with ornaments.  I've never counted them but I'm guessing there are 300-400 ornaments on our tree.  And unlike some people who can barely wait until Christmas to take down their tree, we usually leave ours up through mid-Jan.  We only did it this weekend because we both had the time.  Our tree and decorations are so pretty I just don't get tired of seeing them.  In fact, its always a little melancholy for the 1st few days after taking them down.

Sat night we had dinner with Steven & Thad at Miltonian Pizzeria & Wing House.  Spouse & I shared our favorite: the buffalo chicken pizza.  Sun night we had dinner at Steven & Thad's house, as Steven made pot roast, herb roasted potatoes and corn and we brought biscuits and a coconut cream pie for dessert.  Both meals were sort of our "swan song", as all 4 of us were planning to go on diets starting today.

Spouse & I are following Weight Watchers because Spouse feels it is the best way to lose weight.  He lost about 80 lbs about 2 years ago, although he has not kept all of it off.  We aren't going to the meetings but will follow the point system.  To make it easier to calculate the point value of most foods (rather than having to look up everything in a book) he discovered you can take the calorie count and divide it by 40 to quickly get the point value.

Also in preparation for our diets starting today, yesterday Spouse & I organized the frozen food in our chest freezer in the garage.  This helped us not to buy duplicates of things we already had when we went to the grocery store yesterday.  And while in the organizing mood, we bought a plastic shelving unit to put next to the freezer to store extra can foods and such.  We often 'stock up' when we are able to shop at a Trader Joe's, since we love their food but don't have a store near us.  The shopping bags of Trader Joe's foods were quickly organized onto the new shelving unit.

It was a fun weekend that included productivity, time with friends, good food, and preparations for a healthier new year.

Happy New Year!!!

Last night's party at Steven & Thad's was a lot of fun.  There was WAY too much food and plenty to drink and everyone had a great time.  Kathy Griffin and Anderson Cooper were on the TV as we counted down the final hour until midnight.  Spouse & I left at 12:30.

Today we met Steven & Thad and Joe P for breakfast at The Crystal and then we all went to see Joe P's new home.  On Fri he closed on the townhome/condo he was selling and on the home he had built.  The new home is absolutely beautiful and I'm sure Joe will be very happy there.  We were all brainstorming about new furniture for the new home, as he sold much of the townhome furniture to its new owners.

Spouse & I returned home, showered, and got dressed for yet another party.  We only stayed about an hour as both of us were tuckered out.  We returned home at 4:00 and relaxed for a little while.  We're about to head out the door yet again, to eat leftovers at Steven & Thad's from last night's party.

And because I know what you're thinking I'll go ahead and answer your question.  Yes, I'll be starting a diet very soon.

I saw this on facebook and thought I'd share it:

I think this is a neat idea and encourage you to share it with others in your life.

Happy New Year!

Friday fragments

Welcome to Friday fragments, my weekly recap of topics too big to forget, yet too small to be their own post. Let's get started, shall we?

I've mentioned before that Spouse & I started playing team trivia in the fall with Steven & Thad and The Bobs at a local watering hole. Last night we won 1st place again ($25. gift card)! What's funny to me is that we have so much fun doing this. If someone would have asked me "Do you think you'd have fun playing a group trivia game?" I would have smirked. But Steven & Thad and The Bobs got us into it and being with them is a big part of why we like it so much. And its not just about knowing the answers; its also about having a good wagering strategy. In last night's game we couldn't come to a consensus on the answer to a bonus question where you lose the points you wager if you're wrong. So we decided not to answer and lost no points. The other 9 teams all answered, got the answer wrong, and lost the points they wagered.

It snowed overnight. We seem to have gotten about 2-3 inches of the light, fluffy kind of snow. I can see it blowing off the rooftops. We don't get snow here often because of being so close to the ocean. Warmer air off the ocean is pulled up into the storms so we often get rain here when our friends 12 miles inland get several inches of snow. Its very pretty because the sun is shining brightly today.

I saw this over at the notorious j*o*e and just had to swipe it!

It made me laugh out loud!

Today is day 5 of my healthy eating/weight loss effort. So far so good. Lord knows I've done this enough times that I should be used to it by now. I think the biggest adjustment for me is eating breakfast. You should not skip meals when trying to loose weight, but I've been in the habit of simply drinking coffee for breakfast for years. But I've found a few small, nutritional things to eat for breakfast that are fitting in well, like Special K protein breakfast bars and oatmeal. I forgot how much I liked oatmeal! The instant kind (add water and microwave for 90 seconds) is so convenient and comes in many flavor options. Yesterday: banana nut; today: Maple. Warm oatmeal is especially nice on chilly winter mornings. Anyone have other nutritional, tasty, convenient breakfast food ideas?

I decided to watch this week's episode of "Launch My Line" because I heard that Lady GaGa was appearing in it. Unfortunately she wasn't a guest judge nor did she even introduce the challenge. It was more of a 'cameo' for her. You'd think I'd watch this show regardless, since I love Project Runway so much. But I have to confess that I HATE those creepy twins that host the show. I'm not sure what it is; maybe its their mouths or the fact that they dress identically, but they creep me out. I couldn't watch the whole episode.

Speaking of Project Runway, the new season (7) starts next Thurs the 14th! Its back in NYC (thank god) and they promise Michael Kors and Nina Garcia will be in every episode. Let's just hope and pray the 'talent' is there this season.

Part of my New Year's resolution to re-invent my appearance involves experimenting with my facial hair and finding a new hairstyle. Now, experimenting with my facial hair is somewhat tricky for me because my 'beard' is very light in color and does not grow in evenly. I didn't shave for 2 full weeks and was hoping for a cool, scruffy face look, but it just wasn't working. (Hey, I can dream, right?) So yesterday I shaved my cheeks and neck, leaving a 'stache/goatee combo. (Click to enlarge, if you dare.)

See what I mean about the color being light? I'm not sure if I will keep it or not. But since not shaving at all doesn't look good on me, and completely shaving is what I've been doing, this seems to be my only alternative for 'something different'.

(Man, I look tired...)

I'm also letting my hair grow out of the fauxhawk style. I really liked the fauxhawk but I'm tired of it for me. 5 years is long enough. I want something new and different. I'm letting my hair grow out to give me more options. Here is my current hair experiment, minus the fauxhawk.

Considering I've not cut my hair, I don't think this looks bad. I mean, I don't think it looks like I'm trying to grow out an old hairstyle. RIP, dear Fauxhawk.

My friend Jared who often supplies me with gems to share with you on Friday fragments sent me this amazing walrus video. To me, what's even funnier than the walrus is the people's reactions!! Enjoy.

Happy weekend!

Crush du Jour: Ronan Keating

Weight loss

Now that the 6-week food orgy know as "the holidays" (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years) is over, it seems everyone I know is on a diet. Including me.

Now, I don't believe in diets in a general sense. I've said/written it before and I'll say/write it again: Diets are temporary measures that yield temporary results. Most people who go on a diet lose weight, but gain it all back (and sometimes more) when they go back to their regular eating habits.

That is why I'm not really on a diet, per se. I am trying to change my eating habits so I can become more healthy and lose weight. Loosing weight is hard, but actually changing your eating habits is almost impossible!

I'm not a doctor or a weight loss expert, but I'm going to share some tips if you are interested in becoming more healthy, loosing weight, and changing your eating habits for good:

• Reduce your portion sizes. This is probably the easiest to do because it doesn't involve eating or not eating anything, it involves the amount. Serve yourself a typical portion, then put 1/3 of it back into the pot. Only eat 2/3 of what you typically would. Its and it works.
• Reduce your consumption of processed foods. Although the convenience of boxed, processed foods is alluring, they usually contain more sodium, chemicals, and calories than fresh foods. The convenience of boxed and microwavable (processed) foods isn't worth it.
• Increase your consumption of fresh vegetables and fruit. By nature these are generally lower in fat and calories than most foods, and contains lots of vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants your body needs. They also require less digestion so you don't feel tired like you do when your body spends hours digesting complex foods.
• Don't skip meals. Skipping meals causes your metabolism to switch into 'famine' mode and store fat. Eat at least 3 meals a day, and preferably 5 smaller meals a day. Going too long between meals increases your potential to gorge when you finally eat.
• Drink lots of water. Water is good for you regardless of whether or not you're trying to lose weight. It keeps you hydrated and helps flush wastes from your body.
• Don't eat after 8pm. Its best to be active after you eat to promote calorie burning. If you eat late at night your body doesn't have time to burn the calories you've eaten before you go to sleep.
• Stop eating as soon as you feel satisfied. Even if you only have 3 bites left on your plate, listening when your body says its satisfied prevent you from 'filling up' and will allow your stomach to shrink.
• Reduce or eliminate alcohol and soda consumption. Alcohol contains lots of (empty) calories and sodas contain lots of sugar and chemicals. Even diet soda contains artificial sweeteners and chemicals your body doesn't need. Consume less or eliminate completely.
• Exercise regularly. Whether you work out at a gym, in your home, or simply walk a few miles around your neighborhood, exercising regularly burns calories and helps suppress your appetite. It can also ease light depression.
• Stock your kitchen with the right foods. Don't self-sabotage by having ice cream, baked goods and chips in your kitchen. Shop with a purpose and fill your fridge and cupboards with fresh, natural, whole foods. Buy and enjoy healthy 'snacks' like nuts, dried fruit, and fat free pretzels as treats.
• Moderation. Its unreasonable to think you're never going to have ice cream or birthday cake ever again. Its okay to treat yourself once in a while, just do so in moderation. One scoop of ice cream or a 1/2 piece of cake will likely satisfy your sweet tooth without wrecking your diet.
• Replace good items with better ones. Pasta is fine in moderation, but whole wheat pasta is better for you. Peanut butter is a good source of protein, but low fat peanut butter is better for you.
• Make smarter choices. You will likely still want to eat out at restaurants occasionally so make smarter choices. This doesn't automatically mean salads, since salad dressings are often loaded with fat and calories. Look for baked, broiled, or grilled fish and chicken entrees, and substitute the fries with a vegetable.
• Don't give up. If you 'fall off the wagon' by over-indulging, don't think the day (or week) is ruined. Forgive yourself and get right back on the wagon! Sometimes an over-indulgence will not prevent you from losing weight.

These tips have all worked for me. I lost weight and felt more energetic and healthy. My biggest struggle is sticking to them for an extended period, or, changing my eating habits. But knowing I have shared my challenge with you all will help me be strong!

Here's to your health!

Crush du Jour: Alberto Umana

Weigh in

You may have noticed a lack of posting recently on my Non-diet/new eating patterns/lifestyle change. This is mostly because I haven't had anything significant to share.

You see, I started off with a BANG, loosing 9 lbs. after the 1st week. I knew better than to expect this to continue, and figured I'd loose a pound or 2 each week. Slow and steady wins the race, right?

But that's just not happening. Despite maintaining my weekly personal training session AND adding trips to the gym 2-3 times a week for cardio and weight lifting, I seem to be stuck. And not stuck where I want to be.

Here's my progress:

• Starting weight: 204
• after week 1: 195 (-9)
• after week 2: 193 (-2)
• after week 3: 191 (-2)
• after week 4: 193 (+2)
• after week 5: 191 (-2)
• after week 6: 191
• after week 7: 191
  

You may think that 191 is a perfectly respectable weight for a 45 year old man (although I've been told I look 32) who works out, but I don't think I'm tall enough to weigh that much. I'm 5' 9", and at 191 I still think I look 'heavy'.

I must admit that I have 'treated' myself a few times with french fries and desserts. Maybe this is the cause of my plateau. So, I'm going to 'treat' myself less and try to increase my cardio (calorie burning) at the gym. Usually I do 20 minutes on the treadmill, random difficulty at 3.5 speed, followed by 30 minutes of weights. Perhaps I should reverse that to 30 minutes on the treadmill and 20 minutes on weights.

Hopefully I'll have better news to report after next week's weigh in.

I know many of you are also working out and trying to lose weight. How are YOU doing?

Crush du Jour: Alan Valdez

Tuesday tidbits

Yesterday we had snow flurries off and on throughout the day, but none stuck to the ground. Today it was snowing when I got up at 7:45, and has been snowing all day. It is definitely sticking today, as everything is currently blanketed in white. Its our 1st real snowfall of the season, and I think its beautiful. I know you northerners (cb, Tornwordo, Jeff & Brad) are probably already sick of the 2-3 feet of snow you've had on the ground since Thanksgiving, as I'm sure sure I would be, too, if I lived there. But since we don't get snow that often, I am enjoying it today. I find it ironic to see snow at the beach.

I was a little worried about this week's weigh-in today because I knew I'd 'treated myself' too many times during the week. Last Mon I had french fries, last Tues I ate all kinds of stuff at that Inauguration potluck, and on Fri I had birthday cake (a corner piece with icing on the top and 2 sides). However, I still managed to lose 2 lbs this past week. I guess this should serve as a reminder to me that in order to be successful with a non-diet/new eating patterns/lifestyle change, you can't eliminate unhealthy foods. Instead you must limit them. I mean, I know this, but when I treat myself to something bad, I begin to fear that this splurge will undo all my efforts. But I guess its better to err on the side of caution.

Yesterday I finally got Big Ella titled and registered, but it almost didn't happen. After she had her 'physical' at the mechanic's garage, I attempted to title and register her, only to find that the original owner had not signed the title over to the dealer from whom I'd purchased her. I was issued a 30-day tag only. So I contacted the dealer to get the address of the seller, then sent the original seller the title and a letter via registered mail requesting he sign over the title and mail it back to me. All of this took 3 weeks.

So yesterday when they called my number, I presented all my paperwork along with the title, but was told that the dealer did not fully reassign the title to me. I reminded the clerk that the dealer had signed it and provided me with a bill of sale. However, she said she could not process it until it was filled out completely. So I went to the information desk to borrow a pen, and filled out the date of sale and my name, and got another number. When they called my new number I presented all my paperwork and the completely filled out title, and was then told that the dealer was not licensed in the state where the title had been issued. She explained that different states had different rules, yada yada yada, then said I would have to send the title back to the dealer, have him title the car in his state of licensure, then sign that title over to me, and mail it back to me. I could see this process taking another 3 weeks.

I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily, then said in an even, non-emotional tone "I can't believe this. Why should the dealer's state of licensure affect the signing over of the title? The whole point of having a dealer license is to not have to title cars in order to resell them." The clerk asked me to wait a moment, then picked up my paperwork and consulted with a supervisor. After at least 5 minutes, she came back and said "We're going to go ahead and title the car." I smiled and thanked her sincerely. Now Big Ella is titled and has a proper license plate, and her personalized "BIG ELLA" plate has been ordered.

This evening Spouse & I are meeting up with some new female friends. A year ago when I was doing some research for an article I never wrote I interviewed Deb. We sort of 'connected' from the beginning and both thought it would be fun to hang out sometime with our spouses, but we lost touch. Recently we reconnected via email and made plans to meet for an early bird dinner special this evening at a newer restaurant that Spouse & I have not tried yet. I think we'll have a nice time and am hoping this leads to a new friendship for the 4 of us.

Crush du Jour: James Charlton

OMG - its working!

You may recall I shared that Spouse & I were going to try to lose some weight. We started our non-diet/new eating patterns/lifestyle change last Mon, so yesterday was our 1st weigh-in to see how we did after 1 week.

I was shocked! I lost 9 lbs and Spouse lost 10 lbs.

Now, I'm not so naive as to think that we will continue to lose weight at this same rate every week. Its typical for the 1st week's weight loss to be dramatic, followed by more modest weight loss (2-3 lbs) each week thereafter.

Here's the best part about it: We really weren't hungry. Its true, we cut our portion sizes down and reduced between meal snacking. In other words, we minimized our 'unnecessary' eating and were never really hungry. My opinion is that most overweight people eat for other reasons, and are rarely ever 'hungry' when they eat.

Here are my weight loss tips:

1. Place an appropriate amount of food on your plate and only eat what is there. Do not go back for 'seconds'.
2. Put your fork down while chewing each bite. This will cause you to spend more time eating, and will allow your stomach to feel 'full' with less food.
3. As soon as you feel satisfied, stop eating. Regardless of whether or not you have 2 bites left on your plate, stop eating as soon as you feel satisfied.
4. Don't allow yourself to get 'famished' before eating, as this increases your potential to eat fast and eat too much. Have a healthy snack on hand if you think your next meal may be a while coming.
5. Be sure to include some exercise (like walking) as often as possible. Exercise releases endorphins that reduce hunger feelings and improve your mood.
6. Reduce or eliminate between meal snacking. If you need a snack, choose healthy options like a small portion of fruit or nuts. These are natural and have nutritional value, unlike processed snacks that are not natural and have very little (if any) nutritional value.
7. Try to remain occupied as much as possible. Boredom often results in unnecessary eating.
8. Try to make fruits and vegetables 50% of your diet, proteins (meat, fish) 25% of your diet, and carbs (pasta, bread) 25% of your diet.
9. Don't skip meals. Your metabolism needs regular food input to stay regulated. Skipping meals can cause your metabolism to store fat instead of burn fat because it goes into 'famine' mode.
10. Don't give up. If you eat a hunk of delicious chocolate cake, enjoy it and then go right back to your healthy eating. Don't eat everything you want in huge quantities all day long just because you think you 'blew it' with the cake. Get right back on that horse.

I hope it doesn't sound like I'm bragging, because that is certainly not my intent. I'm sharing our 'success' and tips with you in the hopes that you might be inspired and helped. I mean, if WE can do it, so can you!

I know several of you have also been trying weight loss measures. How are YOU doing? Share your successes and challenges in the comments.

Crush du Jour: Ben Cousins

Non-diet/new eating patterns/lifestyle change

Today Spouse & I start our non-diet/new eating patterns/lifestyle change.
No, its not just because the holidays are over and we've added a few extra pounds and inches. We've both been kind of bad about not eating healthy for several months, and it shows. Just before Thanksgiving Spouse said he needed to loose weight, but I suggested he wait until the holidays. I mean, who wants to watch what they eat during Thanksgiving and Christmas?

A few years ago we both went on Weight Watchers (not the meetings, just the point plan) and did very well. Spouse lost almost 50 lbs and I lost almost 40. But here's the problem:

Diets are TEMPORARY measures that yield TEMPORARY results.

After loosing weight most people return to their old eating patterns and gain all the weight back, and sometimes more. In order to lose weight and keep it off you have to change your eating patterns, which requires changing your lifestyle. We all know how hard that is!

So rather than following a specific 'diet' we are going to cut our portions way back (nearly in half), minimize processed foods that contain very little nutrition but lots of calories and fat, and try to eat more fruit and vegetables. Spouse is also going to minimize between meal snacking, too. Snacking isn't an issue for me, as I've never been one to nibble between meals.

We're both going to increase our exercise a bit, too. We're already pretty active (we both work out with a trainer once a week, do cardio at least twice a week, and walk a lot) so I don't know that more exercise will help with weight loss necessarily, but it certainly couldn't hurt. Plus the exercise will release endorphins that help to and improve mood and suppress appetite.

Appetite - that's a whole 'nother story! I have said for many years that I believe lots of people overeat - not because they're hungry - but because eating gives them control in their lives. I know from our own experiences that when situations at work or in our personal lives cause us stress, we tend to eat more. When we feel we don't have control over the work or personal situations, we exert control where we can, which is our eating. I believe many people overeat in order to feel they are in control. Its kind of like anorexia nervosa, only in the opposite direction.

Now, I'm not saying ALL overweight people are such because of stress or lack of control over work and personal situations in their lives. There are many causes of overweight. I'm simply noting my belief that most overweight people are not overweight because they are always hungry. Sometimes they're just bored.

So wish us luck as Spouse & I start our non-diet/new eating patterns/lifestyle change. Hopefully in a few months we'll look less like the photos above, and more like the photo below!

Oh, alright! A boy can wish, can't he?

Crush du Jour: Tyler Kenyon