I was asked on a couple of occassions about losing weight. Here are some thoughts.
What to avoid: My doctor advised that I read about carbs and starches. After reading, I decided to avoid rice, pasta and bread. That being said, I will eat whatever my wife prepares for dinner.
What to eat: My advice is to create a menu of atleast one day of healthy, low carb food. We can diversify and make more days, but get atleast one day. I start off with a banana for breakfast. At midmorning I have a can of veggies. I like canned corn, lima beans, green beans and peas. I will have another can if I get hungry. I eat plenty of fruit. Here are the ones I like: apples, dates, figs, oranges and dried apricots. I have a salad for lunch with canned tuna or canned chicken sprinkled on top. Lastly, dinner is usually healthy, but not always. There are many times throughout the week when we have leftovers. At these times, I’ll make soup. Go through the canned soup isle and you’ll find plenty that are low carb, no rice. These foods provide plenty that are interesting for me.
Snacks: If I have a sweat craving, I have fruit. I have come to see fruit as God’s candy. My favorites are pitted dates and dried figs. If I want something crunchy, I eat baby carrots. I go through two bags of carrots a week. Learn to rely on labels and eliminate anything above 15% fat or carbs.
Seek opportunities for advances: There are several times in the week that opportunities arise to cut calories. Soup for dinner is a big one for me. If I go out to dinner, have only one big thing. It’s probably the entree, so try to skip the bread and the sweet drink. If I eat mexican, sometimes I’ll just have chips and a drink. I eat out about once a week. A hot drink can fill you. I do this atleast twice a day. If I’ll be out all day, I’ll pack enough food to keep me from fast food.
This has helped me lose about 1/2 to 1 pound per week. I realize it doesn’t sound impressive, but I’m never hungry. It’s a lifestyle. You’ll be surprised what you can do without. I realize my eccentric tastes aren’t for everyone. Find what you like and get your “one day” menu. You can redo that day multiple times in a week. Ten pounds could be dropped in six months.