How I lost 20 pounds
November 9th, 2008Years ago, I used to do Blue Collar work. I used to eat 2500 to 3000 calories a day because I had to. We laughed at White Collar breakfasts, and knew that if we ate a breakfast like that, we’d collapse on the job.
Well, ironically, I became a White Collar worker and now have no reason to eat that much food. No, I wasn’t overweight, but I had no reason to have that extra twenty pounds. So this year, I decided to lose it.
It was easy. I already exercise. I walk everywhere when it’s not raining. I have a pretty good foundation of healthy habits. I really think that’s the secret to weighing what you want - having a foundation of healthy habits.
That doesn’t mean you have to be a Health Nazi. I prefer real butter to margarine and I’ll eat real sugar cane sugar instead of that test tube crap sweetener. That stuff causes cancer. Unless you’re diabetic or never brush your teeth, you’re probably better off eating real sugar.
Losing the weight
Losing the weight was easy. I simply dropped from 2500 calories a day to 1800-1900. That’s it. I still love a 16-ounce medium rare steak as much as the next guy, but I just don’t do that any more. Instead, I’ll have four ounces of it and save the rest for other meals.
Meat is no longer what the meal revolves around. Now, it’s a flavoring. I eat a lot more veggies here, and found that this diet is not only healthier but it’s very cheap. I just got back from the Farmer’s Market, something I go to religiously on Sunday now, and bought these fruits and veggies, and all of them are Certified Organic or at least pesticide free.
All this for under $20. I’ll combine them with rice or pasta, olive oil, red sauce or curry, and a smaller serving of meat and not eat much more. My breakfasts now consist of just cereal, coffee, and milk, because I no longer need those extra calories. Lunch is my biggest meal of the day. I still eat a huge lunch. Then for dinner, it’s pretty small. I’ll snack on an apple or carrots if I’m hungry during the day, and maybe even a candy bar, but that’s it.
Benefits to losing weight
There are more benefits than just looking better. I have more energy now. It’s cheaper too. I can still do my twenty chin ups, so I didn’t lose any strength. You don’t have to be skinny, but besides being good for your health, weighing less is really cheaper. We used to spend $800 a month on food and now it’s probably $400 just because we eat less. Well, Junior still eats a ton but he’s a growing boy (14 years old and already 6′ tall). I still encourage him to eat as much as he wants until he stops growing.
The blanket was made by Tweety, by the way. If you want some quality hand made blankets or throws, contact her. Her stuff is excellent.
here is not Helen, but her mum, http://gardeninfrance.blogspot.com/ she commented on your blog through mine one day and now I can’t change to my name anymore, very often I wanted to comment on your posts but this prevented me to do so, lol.
I understand the way you eat now, It is about the same way of eating as mine, I still have a few pounds to shed and they are the more difficult to loose, I also like cooking vegies, yours on the photos look very yummy and appetising.
I need to start eating better. I’m picky about vegetables though. And I don’t like many cooked vegetables. I suppose if I threw in a salad with every meal that would at least be an improvement.
i do find for myself that it’s all about portion control too. and like you i will take butter and sugar over the chemical alternatives. well, and i use olive oil too.
Yeah, that’s the thing. It’s all calories in vs calories out.
You can speed up or slow down your metabolism with habits. But simply, if you consume more calories than you burn off, you’ll gain weight. And vice versa.
Excellent! I need to cut out all the bread. Bread is my problem. I lost a few pounds in Taiwan because bread isn’t the staple food there that it is here, and of course I gained it right back in Canada.
SME - I love bread. Yeah, if you’re getting too many calories from bread, then just eat less. Easier said than done though when you love something.
that’s my problem, portion sizes
also, fruit n veg cost a LOT here, even the local stuff, but i try to eat more of em anyway…
I knocked our meat portions down years ago, after reading how much protein we actually require. My problem with losing weight is the TIME I eat. Breakfast is important to set-up your metabolism for the day. If you don’t eat breakfast, your body thinks it’s starving and turns down your metabolism. I don’t eat breakfast, because I have to be at work by 5:45 am.
We also shouldn’t eat for 2 hrs before bedtime. Those calories will go straight to fat. I’m a stickler for family dinners, so we eat dinner between 8-8:30, when L gets home. Then I go to bed between 9:00 and 10:00 pm. Then I wonder why I can’t shed those extra 30 lbs I’ve acquired over the years.
I still contend it’s a guy thing. I spent the first half of the year counting everything I hate. I didn’t get anywhere near 1200 calories and even with exercising (I walk everywhere that I can, including work, taking the stairs, etc.), I couldn’t lose a freaking pound. I’m so pissed off. I’m ready to wire my jaws shut as the only way I’ve ever lost weight is by just stopping eating completely. My metabolism is completely gone.
*sigh* …ate… not hate…although maybe if I only ate foods I hated, I’d finally lose weight because I wouldn’t be eating anything.