Cha-, Cha-, Cha-, Changes

Ever since my moments of Inspiration, I had been toying with the idea of making a dietary lifestyle change.  I had become tired of yo-yo dieting, could not justify hiring a personal chef, and simply needed to make lasting changes.  


Several people were influential in helping me get some direction: 
one, a vegan foodie who helped me realize the pitfalls of eating fatty meats; 
a second, an in-shape orthopedic surgeon who decided to cut out processed foods and eat lean meats and lost 20 lbs.; and,
another, a sales rep who basically starved himself to lose 40+ lbs. in 6 months to catch the eye of a girl.  


The first diet was too regimented for me, the second seemed to offer some promise, and the third was an example of what I DID NOT want.


But, how do you even begin to formulate a plan?  In the back of my mind, I was thinking...okay, I have the motivation today, but I've been here before.


My stack of books to read had been piling up for a long time.  With vacation coming up, I figured that the best thing to do was read something.  The book in my stack that had come highly recommended was "On Target Living: Nutrition" by Chris Johnson.  (Buy it here. It will change your life!)  Over the next couple of weeks, I poured over the book and eventually formulated the plan below.  Over the last 8 weeks, things have evolved to fit my lifestyle better.


1. Whole foods are good.  And, they don't have to be more expensive.
2. Fats are actually good. Good fats, that is. 
3. Never count calories.  
4. Eat 6-7 meals per day.  
5. Many, many foods are available in substitution for bad foods.  (Ex. agave nectar over sugar)
6. Where possible, eat organic foods.  
7. Eat lean meats like fish, ostrich, buffalo, wild game, venison, and organic chicken over more common meats like deli meats, beef, steak, etc.
8. Never drink a soft drink, sports drink, or energy drink ever again.  Coffee, milk, green tea, spring/mineral water are my drinks.
9. Building muscle will burn fat.  Don't watch the scale.
10. Follow these principles 4 out of every 5 days.  The 80/20 rule.


Since July 4th, I have lost 18 lbs. to arrive at my current weight of 220!  During that time, my exercise has been inconsistent and my eating habits have been good overall.  There have been a couple of times that I've stretched the 80/20 rule (i.e., eating bad things is easy on the weekends sometimes).  


I am following my plan, but it does not feel restrictive, especially during weekdays.  There are many foods that taste great and are easy enough to find that meals are not a problem.  More on that next time...