When I started this blog 3 months ago and called it the “No More Crap Diet,” I never outlined an actual diet for you. This is because it isn't a diet, it's a way of life. Almost three years ago, I started to change my life. In that time, I have tried to cut the crap out- out of my diet and out of my life.
“What diet are you on?”
I hate the word diet. Mostly because people associate it with something you do for a limited amount of time. People say “I'm on a diet” or “I'm off my diet today” or “I quit that diet a while ago,” and then they expect the benefits that were associated with those diets to continue even though they are no longer “on the diet.”
Do you continue to make money after you quit your Job? No. Then why would you continue to lose weight after you quit your diet? A diet won't work, until you change your outlook on eating.
When I use the word diet, I am referring to the way I eat, day in and day out. It didn't all happen at once, it evolved over the last three years and continues to evolve as my body’s needs change.
So how did I start? Pretty much the way most people who are starting a diet would start. I started by cutting calories and logging my food intake. It didn't take the first time, I started and stopped about 3-4 times before it became routine. In that time, I learned that I needed to eat protein and veggies and that would let me still eat enough and stay under the desired calorie count.
I started to cut some things out of my daily diet. I stopped grabbing a bagel when I didn't bring lunch. I stopped snacking on the cookies and cake that my coworkers were bringing in even though it looked delicious. I stopped grabbing a handful of pasta that I just made for the kids for dinner. I started teaching myself to have self-control and, in the process, I cut a lot of crap!
I also had to start doing certain things. I started cooking more instead of take out during the week. I made sure that I always had healthy snacks. There was always a bag of carrots and a bag of almonds available both at work and at home. I bought plenty of fresh fruit and veggies or at least had bags of frozen broccoli in my freezer just in case. I found the best place around work to get a customized chopped salad so I had a back up plan if I didn't prepare my own lunch.
As my routine changed, my body’s nutritional needs changed as well. When I started running and lifting weights, I had to increase the number of calories that I was eating. I started reading about nutrition and macronutrients and the body’s need for different fuel sources at different times (this is a topic for a different blog post). While I previously had cut almost all carbs (except those from fruit and veggies) out of my diet, I have recently started to bring the carbs back into my diet. Oatmeal, sweet potatoes and Ezekiel bread are now staples in my meal planning.
“But it's so overwhelming…”
If you feel like it is so overwhelming, then don't change everything at once. Remember you are making a long term change for the better, so make sure you set yourself up for success.
“What diet are you on?”
I hate the word diet. Mostly because people associate it with something you do for a limited amount of time. People say “I'm on a diet” or “I'm off my diet today” or “I quit that diet a while ago,” and then they expect the benefits that were associated with those diets to continue even though they are no longer “on the diet.”
Do you continue to make money after you quit your Job? No. Then why would you continue to lose weight after you quit your diet? A diet won't work, until you change your outlook on eating.
When I use the word diet, I am referring to the way I eat, day in and day out. It didn't all happen at once, it evolved over the last three years and continues to evolve as my body’s needs change.
So how did I start? Pretty much the way most people who are starting a diet would start. I started by cutting calories and logging my food intake. It didn't take the first time, I started and stopped about 3-4 times before it became routine. In that time, I learned that I needed to eat protein and veggies and that would let me still eat enough and stay under the desired calorie count.
I started to cut some things out of my daily diet. I stopped grabbing a bagel when I didn't bring lunch. I stopped snacking on the cookies and cake that my coworkers were bringing in even though it looked delicious. I stopped grabbing a handful of pasta that I just made for the kids for dinner. I started teaching myself to have self-control and, in the process, I cut a lot of crap!
I also had to start doing certain things. I started cooking more instead of take out during the week. I made sure that I always had healthy snacks. There was always a bag of carrots and a bag of almonds available both at work and at home. I bought plenty of fresh fruit and veggies or at least had bags of frozen broccoli in my freezer just in case. I found the best place around work to get a customized chopped salad so I had a back up plan if I didn't prepare my own lunch.
As my routine changed, my body’s nutritional needs changed as well. When I started running and lifting weights, I had to increase the number of calories that I was eating. I started reading about nutrition and macronutrients and the body’s need for different fuel sources at different times (this is a topic for a different blog post). While I previously had cut almost all carbs (except those from fruit and veggies) out of my diet, I have recently started to bring the carbs back into my diet. Oatmeal, sweet potatoes and Ezekiel bread are now staples in my meal planning.
“But it's so overwhelming…”
If you feel like it is so overwhelming, then don't change everything at once. Remember you are making a long term change for the better, so make sure you set yourself up for success.
Here are a handful of changes that I have made over the last three years.
- No more pasta
(This started as "pasta is not the main course, maybe a little on the side", and then "no pasta"- going cold turkey would be too difficult)
- Switched coffee with whole milk and sugar to coffee with only skim milk or almond milk
(This took 2 years to change)
- Drink at least 2 liters of water per day
(This was my 2015 New Year's resolution - read about it here)
- No more diet soda
(The most recent change as of February 2015- so far so good!)
All of my changes have been gradual, every couple of months I cut something bad out or start doing something good.
So start small and change one or two things over time. It may take longer but it will last longer too.
So start small and change one or two things over time. It may take longer but it will last longer too.
What changes have you made and what is your next step?
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