Two different worlds of dieting February 17, 2009
Posted by Brian Shields in Healthy Yummies, Stories.trackback
From reading Mike’s last two posts, about a delicious smoothie that I need to try, and his tofu stir fry, I have noticed that he and I are trying two completely different methods to achieve our goals.
Whereas he is completely solo and in control of 100% of his food choices, I am immursed in a world where some choices are made for me, and where kitchens create drama. The others in the house usually leave my stuff alone, but sometimes one will latch onto something and go at it full force.
For instance, I have been starting my morning off with a bowl of quick cooked oatmeal, about a half of a cup, cooked with 1/3 cup of raisins, and 1/2 of a cup of milk. Microwave it for two minutes, and add milk to create the texture you wish. Sometimes I add a tablespoon of sugar, sometimes I don’t.
Well, two family members have latched onto my idea and started devouring my small canister of oats. After switching to the large one, we have adequate supplies to last us a few days.
I am not avoiding carbohydrates, obviously. I have found that by doing so I am completely hungry 45 minutes after I eat. I do make sure I eat the carbs early in the day if I have any at all. Minimizing the amount consumed, yes, but not completely eliminating them.
I also have to make smart choices when eating in public, because I haven’t gotten in the habit of taking my meals with me yet.
Yesterday I wanted chinese food badly. I had a craving for some chicken and broccoli. Remembering what a doctor said to me once, when i mentioned what i had for lunch. He said that soy sauce is loaded with sodium, and a regular large sodium intake can lead to a raise in blood pressure. He suggested that when ordering, I have the chicken and broccoli steamed, putting the sauce in a cup on the side so you can dip the chicken in and control the amount of sauce on your food.
So I did. I ate the broccoli steamed, which was nice. The chicken tasted better with the sauce, but I only dipped it part way just to get a taste of it. Switching to white rice instead of fried also trims back calories and fat.
I maybe cut an 800 calorie meal in half by eliminating alot of the fat and salt in it.
I have more, but I’ll have to write about it later. Gotta run to work.
Delaware's Big Fat Losers 
You don’t cut calories by eliminating salt, but I know what you mean.
Another thing you can do is just dip your fork/chopsticks into the sauce and then the food. This gets a little sauce on the utensil and on your tongue, but doesn’t use anywhere near as a much as covering your food with it. A coworker does this with salad dressing (which is either full of fat or sodium depending on whether it’s “reduced fat” or not). It’s all about the portion control.
I meant to fix that, I was rushed.
Portion control is one of the largest hurdles I have to face as I start changing my eating habits. Lately I have been following the “little bit more often” rule. Eating small, proportionally controlled meals, snacking on fruits and vegetables between meals to get me through the day.
I have been eating carbs primarily in the morning with my bowl of oatmeal. That gives me all day to burn them off. Lunch has been light, controlled. a mix of protein, fruit, and vegetables. Dinner is focused on vegetables and protein.
LOL, last night everyone thought I was crazy, because we ate at a diner and I ordered scrambled eggs, mixed vegetables, and a side of broccoli. I like broccoli.
It’s the plan so far.. we’ll see how it goes.
Yup. My wife and I look for foods that have portion control built in. Which is why she loves those 100 calorie pack things. They’re kind of a scam, but they do help.
I also look to cut out empty calories that don’t give me anything. I don’t drink regular soda because it’s all empty carbs. Beer has the same problem. When we eat out, I get mixed veggies or side salads instead of potato products. I also try to avoid or portion control carb heavy snacks like chips.
Oh and I work out. Things get a lot less yummy once you get a feel for how much of a work out will be required to burn them off. A moderate dessert is often the caloric equivalent of 30 minutes of cardio.