I never thought I would be putting out a post on dieting. Will wonders never cease! But I finally came to the realization that I have been rationalizing about my weight for some time now. I have said I weigh the same as I did 10 years ago, so everything is fine. In reality, I have been losing muscle mass during those ten years, especially the last few. To put it bluntly, I have been gaining belly fat while losing muscle tone. I know that is not unusual for us older guys, but it is something that troubles me.
I am determined to do something about it! The first thing to accomplish that is to take control. Due to a half-dozen severe compression fractures in my back my exercise options are limited. I do 2+ miles each day walking and power walk once a week at the local mall. I use the dumbbell that is close to my vegging couch daily. But obviously that is not enough. But that part of the equation is not what this particular post is about. Instead, it is about what I eat.
I think I am pretty much a typical guy when it comes to eating. I just don’t pay much attention to it. I eat what I like and how much I like. There are likely many of you guys out there who are doing the same. On a quick side note here I admit that I have two pretty serious prejudices in my life. One is people who are proudly ignorant and the other is obesity. So, how could I let myself get into this condition?
As with almost every other topics these days there are dozens of dieting apps on the market. It took days of reviewing different ones to choose Lose It to count my daily calories and all my Apple Watch is automatically added to the daily info! For these past four weeks I have limited myself to 1500 calories per day and have lost about 5 lbs and have a target of 9 more pounds. Some day I hope to actually see my feet again. 🙂
I now think that keeping track of my diet will be a daily thing even after I have hit my target weight. It’s just too easy to get carried away with eating this and that, if there is no inner voice telling me to watch what I eat. I especially have trouble with that during the winter months. The app makes it very easy to keep track of what I eat. I don’t want to be one of those people who keep losing the same 15 lbs again and again. Once is enough.
Anyone out there have any suggestions that might help in this area?
RJ's Corner 
I find that “Lose It”is more effective if I post every day – not so much when I miss. It all comes down to discipline.
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Hi Paul, and welcome to RJsCorner. I have been using Lose It for about a month now and I do enter everything I eat on a daily basis. I am a list keeper to my depth so I think that will be pretty easy to continue. Yes, taking control is what it is all about.
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Many years ago I gained 20 pounds. I couldn’t understand it- I thought I was eating a healthy diet and exercising. I started writing down everything I ate. It turned out that I was drinking 1000 calories of orange juice every day. Now I always keep track of what I’m eating. If I gain 3 pounds I eat a little less- if I loss 3 pounds I eat a little more. I never diet and I don’t drink my calories. One glass of juice is enough.
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Hi Donna, and thanks for the thoughts. I too was surprise where I was abusing my diet and what causes weight gain for me. My wife is a “Sweetaholic” but it seems I am allergic to the stuff. Just staying away from her constant regimen of cakes, cookies, candies is a big step for controlling my weight. But then again, sometimes it is just about volume.
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You might search for info on intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating. It can save on your food bill, too:)
Maybe check your library for a copy of Bert Herring’s Appetite Control book. Basically, eat to satiety within five hours. He’s on YouTube, too.
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Thanks for the suggestions Denise.
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