Diet Progress

It is so hard to change once regular diet after so many years of eating what you ate. I am the first to admit that empty carbs sweets and alcohol are my worst vices. I love breads, my chips, my burgers and fries, and of course my mixed drinks, especially my Jack Daniels Sours and Margaritas. And lately I have been brewing and bottling my own beer, so that was adding to my malaise.

Now of course these things are not terrible if you have them only ocassionally, but I had once again fallen into the habit of too much of a good thing. So we took a real hard look at our grocery purchases and started to shop healther; no white rice, potatoes, pasta or flour and more fruits, vegetables and leaner meats.

Now Linda has been into healthy eating longer than me and is in great shape. She works out often twice a day and is where she wants to be. I had been well under 300 about six years ago and it's crept back up in recent years. So I am changing my diet for the long haul. Yes I will have a drink from time to time, but I am not drinking any alcohol for three months. I am a month into that process and it's going well.

One thing for sure; the beer that I am aging in bottles will taste mighty fine - in moderation - when I go back to having a bottle! It actually has been easier than I thought. I am doing cardio twice a day for an hour total on my treadmill or stationary bike; I am lifting weights (to rehab by surgically repaired shoulder), and really have been watching my calories carefully.

So through September 1, when I started, I am down 15 pounds and feel really good. There are some great aids on the web to help. I am using www.calorieking.com as a great way to keep track of my exercise and what I eat. It is a great database for all kinds of foods, including restaurant chain fare.

I weigh in on Wednesday mornings and Sunday mornings. Can't wait to see what the results will be tomorrow. Now there are lots of hills and plateaus in this process and I know the body adjusts to fat burn quickly. It will be even more interesting to see how I adjust. I will keep you posted.