Saul's Dietby Saul Bryan13th May 2005 © 2005, All Rights Reserved |
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My Story
This is what happened to me..
I am a male in my mid 30's, married with 2 kids. About 6 months ago I looked in the mirror and didn't like what I saw. To put it bluntly, I looked overweight. My face was puffy, my gut hung out in a way that I could not suck it in if I tried. This was my turning point, where I decided I had to do something about my weight, before it set me on a path which caused permanent health problems. The scales tipped at over 91kg.I am not a serial dieter. I have not been on any diet in my life, because I've never felt the need. I was a skinny teenager and only started to fill out when I got married. I think happiness makes you fat! Anyway, I started thinking about what exactly I needed to do, and noted fairly carefully what I ate on an average day. Then I made some changes, and stuck to them as much as possible. This is not a rapid weight loss program, but a fundamental and permanent change in diet. 3 months later I have lost 6kg and feel and look better. I figure I have another 5kg to go before I am at the right weight. I can still "grab a slab" at my tummy, so I'm not going overboard with this.
I think a very important point to make about the diet I have found is that it is customized to my life and my body. You have a different body (obviously!), a different life, and different tastes. I think there is plenty of room for variations here, so you can think about what you would substitute for ingredients if something doesn't appeal to you. The basis of the diet is, of course, to "eat less, eat better" and to simply get you to think about what you are eating.
My background
I think it is best to declare my training as a dietician : I have no training, and I am not in the health profession in any way. I am not a doctor either. My profession is in IT, I work with computers for a living. I sit at a desk making computers do what I want them to (or at least, try!). So, if having a dietary certified background is important to you, then you may wish to look elsewhere for advice. I have no problems with this, in fact I recommend it. Does this invalidate my diet and experience? I don't think so, but if you do, that's fine. I'm just an average Joe who's found something that works and wants to share it. This goes hand-in-hand with my no-guarantee policy. I can't watch what you eat anyway, it's entirely up to you.The Diet
What you need to start
The single biggest thing you need is commitment. Without it, you are destined to fail. May people only last a few days in diets, and I think the leading cause is a lack of commitment. Think about this : if you fall back to the diet you have now, you will return to the weight you have now, or even more. You have to honestly be able to say to yourself "I am going to do this" and mean it. If you can't do that, then please, don't try this, there is no point. How do you get this commitment? This is not an easy thing to answer. It's a determination that comes from within to stick it out, to make the changes that need to be made. It's a bit like love, you will know it when you have it but it's fairly hard to describe how you get it. You will need commitment, at some point, to fight temptation, such as standing in front of the vending machine, or deciding to have second servings or not. Once you start to lose weight, you will need some commitment to stay true to the cause and not get sloppy and fall back to old ways. Consider that the only person putting food into your mouth is you, so you are responsible for what you eat. If you are currently overweight, then you have to change what you put in your mouth!The other big cause of failed diets is that the food is sometimes so far away from what you normally eat that it's practically impossible to make the change permanently. Who wants to eat cabbage soup every meal? Any lasting diet has to integrate with your normal life, be close to what you like to eat even if in a limited amount. The food has to be easily obtained. For me, the biggest issue was lunch, which is a take away meal at work. I was eating chicken and chips, salads laden with mayonnaise etc. What I have worked out is a basic diet and some eating rules, which I follow. These are based on what I already ate, but controlling the quantity and eliminating some of the obvious excesses. You can analyse your own diet and do the same, or follow the diet below as is.
The Daily Menu
The idea is that on a "normal day" you eat more or less the same thing for breakfast and lunch. You probably do anyway, even if you don't think so right now, and if you don't you probably should. Of course, if you are "bored" with something you can try another flavour or vary the ingredients a little. For example, in a sandwich at lunch you could add avocado and take out the cheese. If you are a vegetarian, you will of course substitute meat in the sandwich for something like sliced mushroom.Breakfast
Breakfast is light and fairly fast. It is based on fruit. No toast or bread! No cereal, no milk.- A weight watchers branded fruit tub. Any of them : Peaches, Tropical Fruits, Two Fruits. You can use non-weight watchers at a pinch (not as good, as they have a lot more sugar and I don't think they taste as nice anyway) or fresh fruit if you like. Avoid bananas as a daily breakfast fruit though.
- Black coffee or black tea. I used to have white tea/coffee with 2 sugars, for 15 years. You can change if you want. The switch to black with no sugar was quite something. Coffee is good in the morning because it gets you going and also suppresses any hunger. If you don't want tea or coffee, it's got to be water.
- Snack before 11am. If you get hungry before 11am, you can have a small packet of sultanas. The supermarket sell these for kids school lunches. Buy them and take them to work. If you get hungry after 11am, you have to wait until lunch!
Lunch
Lunch is a bit more substantial. No fried or hot food, although you can toast the sandwich if you like.- A sandwich. I often have sliced Turkey, Cheese and Tomato. Any sliced meat is ok, but do not have "hot meat" such as roast beef or hot chicken, which often has fat with it. Chicken breast is ok, as long as there is no skin. You can have avocado or cheese, but not both. One sandwich only, and have a sandwich not a roll. Rolls come in various lengths, and can be really big. You can have brown or white bread, and butter is ok but you will be doing better if you don't have it. No mayonnaise (includes coleslaw), and no fried ingredients like Chicken Schnitzel.
- Medium tub of Fruit Salad OR a yoghurt (small tub, diet). Fruit salad needs to be just that - chopped up fresh fruit. You can do this yourself or buy store prepared (which tends to be quite pricey). Alternatively, you can have a yoghurt. Just make sure it is not full fat. This can be good if you are concerned about your calcium levels.
- Small Fruit Juice. I suggest apple juice - it's low GI but still sweet.
- Tea at 3pm. I have a break mid afternoon and get some tea or coffee. As for breakfast, it has to be black with no sugar. All other drinks are water.
- Snack before 5pm. Sultanas again, but you probably should not need this. If you get hungry after 5pm, you have to wait until dinner!
Dinner
Dinner is perhaps the trickiest meal. In my case, as with many others, it will be prepared for you along with the rest of the family. This is effectively a "free meal" where you can have anything that is reasonably going. There are however a couple of rules to stick to.- Do not serve yourself. This may not be possible, if you live alone, but the idea is that someone else is more likely to give you what you should eat, not what you want to eat. If they ask you if you are hungry, just say that you are "just normal" or thereabouts, rather than say "yes, I'm starving!". In other words, do not try and influence the server to give you a bigger helping!
- No Seconds. It is fairly easy to eat a plate of pasta, then go back into the kitchen and serve yourself another plate the same size. This is not allowed!! Even if it seems "a waste", don't do it. Put the leftovers in a Tupperware or something, and someone else can have it later.
- Limited Beer or wine. If you like beer, beware. 2 Glasses or wine or 1 beer per night is the limit on this diet. A regular beer intake will make you gain weight on it's own, so it's best avoided completely. I don't drink beer regularly, even thought I like it, for this reason. It also makes me burp a lot!
- No Pre dinner nibbles. Many people like to have a snack before dinner, such as a small bowl of nuts or even chips. No. Wait for dinner. Cook it a bit earlier if you find yourself hungry.
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Desserts. This diet does allow for desserts after the main meal, as long as you follow the same rules - don't serve yourself and no seconds. Also, if you've caved during the day and say, had some sweets at lunchtime, then desserts are out.
- Things to avoid. Try not to eat any fat that comes on meat (eg the fat on steak). Cut it off and put it to the side of the plate. Do the same for chicken skin. Do not have baked chips or deep fried food regularly. Avoid creamy sauces, or fatty sausages or cured meats. See also note below on Fast Food.
- Things to have. A typical meal might have some meat (eg chicken. Lamb or beef), a starch (rice, potato or pasta) and two or three vegetables. If you are not feeling particularly hungry, a tin of soup with some toast can go down well. You can buy very nice tinned soups these days which are also largely fat free. If you are in a hurry, or don't feel inspired to cook, Weight Watcher frozen meals are all acceptable and taste alright. I like to spice them up with a little pepper and in some cases parmesan cheese, as long as it's just a little. They can be ready in under 10 minutes, so it's quick and easy.
Special Occasions
Sooner or later an unusual event will occur which will make adhering to the diet above difficult or even impossible. I believe that it is fine to "break the rules", without guilt, for such occasions. Don't make an absolute pig of yourself, but yes, you can have a second slice of the wedding cake or eat an Easter egg (or two).Note that I do not count "work birthdays" as special occasions. Even in a small office, this can mean a weekly cake in the staff room.
Now, please understand that if you are breaking the rules more often than keeping them, you will not lose weight at all, or may even gain weight. There is a point where you will start to go backwards. Make the special occasions really special (eg once or twice a month maximum) and you will not have this problem.
Positives Effects on this Diet
Obviously, losing weight is the most positive effect of the diet above, but there are others. One perhaps unexpected side effect is that food tastes really good! When you are a little hungry, food simply tastes better.When you have started to lose some weight, you will find that you have more energy as well. This is not surprising, your body has literally less to lug around. In my case, I can pick up 2x3kg exercise weights and feel how much I have lost so far. It's a powerful thing to be able to lift the weight you have lost, it makes you realize how well you are doing.
There is the whole "self image" thing which I don't think you want to get obsessed over, but is a factor. People will comment that you look good, and this is always nice to hear. You will feel in control of your own weight, and this can also be liberating if you have struggled with this before. You will probably find that clothes, particularly pants, become lose and you may even have to buy new ones. You might consider this a negative!
Negative Effects on this Diet
The top negative effect is the feeling of hunger which you will get sometimes. It can feel a bit like and itch that you can't scratch. Consider that the human body is very efficient at getting energy from the food we eat, and if you follow the diet points above you will not starve. If you can't shake the feeling of hunger, my suggested solution is a small packet of sultanas. If you are in an "abnormal" situation, it can be hard to find food that is suitable. Just do the best you can.Know Your Enemies
I am HUNGRY!
Critical to the success of any diet, is thinking about hunger. Do it now, before you've even started any diet. Is it good to be hungry? To a point, yes. Before a main meal, it is right for you to be hungry. Your body is ready for food. I think I was overweight because I started to eat at the first hint of hunger, usually between main meals. Let me state this again : I believe that if you have a healthy diet that you will feel slightly hungry before main meals.You should not, of course, feel hungry just after main meals. That is not to say that you don't feel like eating more. Eating more because you are hungry, and eating more because the food is tasty are two different things. Learn to recognize this. You don't eat a great bowl of ice cream because you are hungry, do you? You eat it because it tastes nice.
Try to think about and understand your hunger, without getting fixated on it. Hunger is a funny thing in that the more you think about it the more it grows. In some ways, if you can be distracted from the whole eating issue, you will find mealtimes come around sooner and the mid-meal hunger is not an issue. Note that hunger is not a black and white affair, and has many levels. A little tummy rumble is different to not eating all day (that I don't for one minute recommend). The point is that you may start to feel a little hungry and declare to someone that "you are starving!" when in fact, if you think about it, you can wait until the main meal. Hunger is also evidence that the diet is working, that you are not eating too much.
Vending Machines
Never will your commitment and determination be as tested than when you are standing in front of a vending machine. There is a rumble in your stomach, the coins burn in your pocket, and the chips, drinks and sweets hang there tempting you. You may also have a routine going - such as an "11 o'clock chocolate bar". This has to stop. Vending machine food is essentially banned in this diet. Of course, one bag of chips or chocolate bar will not kill you. It's the routine just mentioned, the constant temptation and easy availability that is so destructive. Vending machines have to be avoided as much as possible. You will feel so proud of yourself when you walk away empty handed. It's hard to do, but you will know that you have done the right thing. You will have beaten the temptation.The "Fridge/Pantry Round"
Similar to the vending machine, people that spend most days at home may have a routine involving the fridge or pantry. I know that when I am at home for the weekend or holidays, I find my head poked in these places between meals without me even thinking about it, looking fro snacks. It's a subtle thing that your subconscious does to you.Fast Food (McDonalds, KFC, Taco bell, Chinese Take away etc etc)
Despite millions of dollars of advertising that I have seen, I do not believe that fast food is healthy food. However, a lot of people eat this food daily. Clearly this is not part of the diet above, so this is not allowed. I would say that one fast food meal a month is about all you should have, and consider it a "treat". For McDonalds, have the small meal size, and avoid the chips if you can. In Australia, McDonalds is now selling salads and other low fat meals. These are ok, but still should not be a regular meal.Other Snacks
You should not eat anything one hour in advance of a main meal. Try and eat meals at regular times, such as 12:30 for lunch and 7:30 for dinner. Without this, working out an hour before becomes somewhat difficult!Watching your Weight
The weight fallacy
Do not expect to lose weight in the first few hours or even days of the diet. If you do lose weight, it's likely to simply be fluid. It's taken you years to put on the weight you now carry on your body, and it is safe to assume it'll take a little while to take it off again. I strongly suspect it's the only safe way to do it anyway.At home we have an excellent set of scales which measures to 100g. The thing to consider is that your weight is made up of body mass and also the food you are currently processing in your intestines. You will weight differently before and after going to the toilet. How much different? Well, quite a lot, up to half a kilo. So measure yourself, if you feel the need, at about the same time each day, for example, after your shower. Don't be disheartened if you see you have gained 200g since yesterday. Over time, it's the Kilograms you need to take notice of, and the measurement around your waist. These will tell you if the diet is working for you. Also, if you are exercising as well, the muscle gained may weigh more than fat, so weight gain is possible. In this case, it's a good thing!
Too Much Weight Loss
It may seem absurd now, but once you get going with weight loss, some people find it hard to stop. There is a certain power in controlling your body to lose weight, and once you get a taste of it, you might find you like it. Who determines what is your "ideal" weight anyway? I am not going to do it, but I suggest you speak to your family doctor about it, probably before you start any diet. There are charts which look at your height and sex, age etc and tell you the "normal" range. The other warning signs are that people will start to tell you that you have lost "too much" weight, and are becoming concerned. Do not ignore them.Other Issues
Exercise
It is said so often that "balanced diet and regular exercise" are the key to healthy living. It's easily said, but not so easily done. In a nasty spiral effect, when you are overweight exercise is the last thing you feel like doing. It's much easier to sit on the couch and watch TV, or in my case, the computer. I tried going to the gym for a while, and did find it very effective, but it was also expensive and time consuming and I couldn't keep it up in my "normal life". Now I exercise with walking briskly 5 times a week, gardening and whenever I can with games with the kids. Exercise is another "lifestyle" issue that needs to be tacked some time if you do not exercise enough. It may not be the right thing to introduce exercise changes at the same time as a new diet, but for some people it might be good. I think it's too much change to deal with at once, and it's better to take things one step at a time. On the other hand, you will lose a lot of weight if you combine exercise with a controlled diet. If you are determined and enthusiastic about this, then by all means go for it.Bowel Trouble
One side effect of changing what goes into your body is that there are sometimes changes in what comes out. This can vary from constipation to diarrhoea, or no change at all. With the move to fruit included 2 meals a day, it is likely that it is more on the loose than firm side, so be prepared for that. It kind of depends where you are coming from in your existing diet. It should not be too severe, but if it does cause you lasting problems, please cease the diet.Allergies and Medical Issues
If you have special dietary requirements already, please do not break those. My wife, for example, has a wheat allergy, so bread at lunchtime makes no sense for her. She could still follow the diet by subsisting wheat free bread (yes it does exist) or using rice crackers or something. I have a high cholesterol level, so I try and avoid animal fats, which you probably should anyway. If you like you are welcome to take a daily multivitamin to boost your intake. I believe the food you eat will contain all you need anyway, but I also think it doesn't hurt.Modifications
As already mentioned, minor modifications to the diet are allowed. The important thing is that it has to work for you, and has to fit in with your life to be a sustainable thing. If you find you get really hungry mid morning regularly, then perhaps a small bowl of special K cereal with lite milk is the answer. This may also help with dietary fibre. Make changes slowly and see the effect before making any other changes though.Will it work for you?
Guarantee
There is no guarantee at all about any of this information or advice. I think it makes sense, and I know it works for me, but that's the limit of it. Certainly if you feel ill or do not see positive effects in about two to three weeks, I would strongly consider stopping this diet and trying something else.What's the catch?
There is none really. This information is effectively free, so try it and see if it works for you. If it does though, and you are a "new person", it seems only fair to pay a little something for this change. After all, even the cheapest weight loss clinic costs almost $100 for the first few visits alone. I suggest a couple of dollars per kilogram lost is a fair deal. See where you are after, say, six months. Consider it a tip if you are an American (who are used to this concept!). Use the paypal button on this site to make a payment if this arrangement suits you, I appreciate it in advance!I also love feedback, both positive and negative. Please do not hesitate to use the feedback form on this site to tell me how you go. I would also like to get some testimonials, so let me know if you are happy for me to use your comments for that purpose. Also, if it works for you - tell your friends and/or link to this page so others may find it. Good luck - you can do it!