More stubborn than my fat

(This post is written specifically for my friend Mary, but I figured that others may benefit from this.)

I'm slowly closing in on a milestone that seemed outlandish a few years ago -- a weight under 200 pounds. I am already at a weight that I haven't seen since high school. How is it happening? I haven't bought any of the numerous diet books on the bestseller lists, not have I ordered any of the miracle diet pills you see advertised on late-night TV. So what am I doing?

1) I'm eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
This is my first fundamental eating strategy. I'm not interested in going totally vegetarian, but the more of these I eat, the less hungry I am for calorie-dense foods. On my "all-star" list are raisins and bananas (for their portability and no need for refrigeration), romaine lettuce, spinach, snow peas and sweet potatoes (fiber and vitamins), strawberries (taste and vitamin C). On my "meh" list are white potatoes and iceberg lettuce, which lack nutritional "punch" versus other choices.

2) I pay attention to portion sizes and make calories count.
This is my second fundamental eating strategy. In particular, restaurant portions are way too big for a single meal. This is one area where pre-packaged meals from the freezer section can really help by meting out defined portions. My rough rule of thumb is to try to keep meals to single helpings that cover only a nine-inch lunch plate.

By "making calories count" I mean that there are a lot of foods out there that will pack me with calories yet can still fail to make me feel full or deliver significant nutrients. These include anything fried, mayonnaise (yummy, but 100 calories/tablespoon!), and foods with refined sugars. Now keep in mind that I haven't stopped eating these entirely, but they have become only occasional choices.

3) I'm staying active.
In case you haven't read any other posts on my blog yet, I guess I should tell you that I run. Not everyone likes doing that, but there are so many other things that people can do now. Even video gamers can burn calories with Dance Dance Revolution. I try not to let more than two "rest days" go by without any physical activity. Swim, bike, run, basketball, tennis, dance -- there's gotta be something out there for just about anyone.

At this point I'm aiming to make 20 miles (four to five hours) per week a standard. Keep in mind that I've been working my way up to this point. If you are a non-runner that is interested in giving running a try, get fitted for shoes at your local running specialty store and check out a beginner's program like the popular Couch to 5K on the Cool Running site. The Beginners forum on Runner's World is also chock full of inspiration, support and advice.

4) I am more stubborn than my fat.
I can give myself permission to indulge in the occasional burger (no mayo, no cheese) and fries or skip a running day if I'm not feeling well. It doesn't mean I've thrown it all away and need to start over again. I just keep myself steered back into good habits. I don't stress about being a perfectionist and getting every detail right. I just keep myself steered into good habits. If I don't see any weight loss in a week, it's OK. I just keep myself steered into good habits. See a pattern?

Americans love to think of things in terms of projects. That's why advertisements proclaiming "lose X pounds in Y weeks" are so enticing. By definition, a project is a temporary and unique sequence of events that are aimed towards a specific goal. (Hey, I actually pay attention in my masters degree classes!) What I realized was that a healthy lifestyle is not a project, it's -- well -- a lifestyle. I am making choices on a daily basis, and if I make good choices at a high-enough rate, I get healthier. If these daily choices are sub-par, I get less healthy. This means that there is no real beginning and no end. This is a discouraging truth to people that are project-oriented. But if you are willing to be more stubborn than your fat and make those long-term choices about diet and exercise, the excess pounds have no choice but to yield eventually.

TYPICAL FOODS I'M EATING LATELY ON A WORKDAY:

(I'm not trying to hold myself out as a model, but part of this request was to detail out my typical diet these days, so here goes....)

Breakfast: various combinations of .... Clif bar (250 Cal), banana (90 Cal), strawberries (45 Cal for eight), string cheese (70 Cal), hard boiled egg (75 Cal)

Lunch: Healthy Choice Cafe Selections series (200-300 Cal for an entree and a side vegetable) augmented with Mrs. Baird's whole grain wheat bread (140 cal for two slices) and fresh leaf spinach (like 10 Cal for an entire cup!), Coke Zero or water (0 Cal)

Dinner: Meat portion (200 Cal for a roasted chicken quarter), a cup of cooked rice (170 Cal), vegetables (more spinach with Italian dressing works for me)

Typical snacks between meals: Box of raisins, peach, bag of Orville Redenbacher Smart Pop, additional Clif bar . . . and there's still room for things to slip in treats like an ice cream or a single 12-ounce can of actual Coca-Cola.

Actually, as I read the above, I think I might benefit from more whole-grain items for more good carbs to fuel my running. It's always a work in progress. Now here's something you may expect to see in this type of post.....
Eating out at McDonald's: Homestyle Burger (400 Cal - no cheese, no mayo), medium fries (400 Cal), Diet Coke (0 Cal). As an occasional meal, even fast food can find a place in my day.

Hope this helps!