Buddy’s Top Ten List of Diet Tips
“How I Lost 60 Pounds”
In the fall of 2000
I started “another” diet, and I lost some weight, but not much. In January, 2001, I made a decision to
forever change the way I ate. I have
lost 60 pounds since then AND have kept it off!
Below are the Top Ten ways I lost.
I am NOT an expert in weight loss in any form or fashion; I’m just
telling you what I did. As with any
change of lifestyle, it is wise to consult your doctor.
- Flip the Switch~
It is a long term change of lifestyle in
your eating.
I was reading a mayonnaise jar, and it said 100 calories. Then I saw
calories from fat - 100! I went, “Wow,
this is pure FAT!” That is what got my
attention to pay attention to what I was putting in my body. It really changed the way I looked at eating
everything.
- Watch Fat Calories~
After I flipped the switch, I began reading labels. I started buying anything that was lower in fat calories. I bought things like my favorite crunchy, Cheese Its. I’ll never forget the first time I ate a “low fat” Cheese It. This was before I flipped the switch. I said, “I’d rather eat the box.”
When I began watching the fat calories, I would only eat my Cheese Its with something like a sandwich. Then I got use to them, and now it is my choice to eat them. The regular Cheese Its are the ones that taste funny to me now.
I also went to no fat, low sugar breakfast cereals like Special K. Before the switch, they were not worth
it. Now they are my cereal of choice. I
love them.
One of the very last low fat changes I made was to low fat peanut butter. I love peanut butter and always thought that
peanut butter contained “good” calories.
However, going low fat was another way to cut some of the fat out of my
diet, and now I love the stuff.
Believe it or not you can get used to and enjoy low fat everything. Nachos,
potato chips, milk, etc.
- No
Second Helpings~
Portion
control is a big deal. Here are the
guides that I use:
a. Fix my plate before I start
eating, using common sense with the helping sizes.
b. Then look at it and say, That is enough food for anyone,” and it is.
c. When I have cleaned my plate and
I am still hungry (and this is the hard part) I tell myself, “I remember when I
started. I put enough food on the plate for anyone, so I don’t need any more
now, even if I am still hungry.”
d. Then GET UP from the table. Don’t just sit there and stare at food.
Another part of this new lifestyle is that I will
leave food on the plate. It is OK, no matter what my Mama told me. This is very important when I am eating
out. Most good restaurants give you too
much good. They want you to think you
got your money’s worth. I try always to leave food on the plate when I don’t
have control of the portions. It is a
really cool feeling to do this, too.
- Don’t Go Hungry~
Think yogurt.
I love the “fat-free” yogurts. It
is like a desert and major treat plus NO FAT.
So when I get hungry and I’m thinking it is because I left that food on
the plate, I grab a yogurt and it is very filling.
I also keep with me a no-fat or low-fat fruit bar. This is a good treat when I get a little
hungry, too. In fact, if it is only 30
minutes or an hour before dinner, I’ll have one, and I will eat less when I am
at the table. I do this a lot on
Wednesdays because of our church suppers.
That way I am not as tempted to eat too much there.
5. Deserts
Once a Month Or So~
When I flipped the switch, I did not want to give up
deserts, so I did not. I just changed
how often I have them. Once or twice a
month I will have a special dessert just because I deserve it. BUT, I’ll have a low fat, low calorie
dessert anytime I want one. One of my
favorite treats is a Diet Coke float with no fat, low sugar ice cream. That might not sound good to you, but wait
until you try it. It is as good as
anything
- Slow Down the Fast Food~
I have always eaten like a teenager when it came to fast food. But I just stopped going to them, except Taco Bell, that is. They have stuff that is not fried. I’ll eat a hamburger once a month, maybe, and french fries about that often, too.
- Lots Of Water~
That means NO sweet tea. I have said a lot about the fat, but I have made the same changes with the sugar, too. Once I got use to the water, I will even pay the same price for the water as I would have for tea or a coke and be very happy with the water.
No sugar.
- Hot Sauce~
Hot sauce makes everything better with 0 fat and 0 sugars. I have really grown to love it while loosing
weight. It will take anything that is
bland, without all the salt and fat, and make it delicious. I had to build up to some of them, but now I
use Louisiana Hot Sauce like it is catsup. Oh, another substitute - Pam, instead of
cooking with butter.
- Patience~
3 or 4 pounds a month
Do the math; if you do “flip the switch” and change the way you eat, this time next year you could have 30 - 40 pounds off. How much will you weigh next year if you don't flip the switch?
- Espresso~
I am not sure if this really is a factor. I’m just telling you what
changes I have made, and this is one. I
have given up coffee and cappuccino completely for Espresso. The only time I have coffee is when there is
not an espresso machine around, and I am out of Starbuck’s Double Shots.
This is what I did about my weight, what are
you going to do? Who are you waiting on?