My diet goal is to find something sustainable. I’m looking for a balance between keeping fit and indulging in the occasional drink or dessert. For the most part, I steer clear of any extreme diet programs because they offer only short term fixes. I’m concerned with the long-term.
I’m most likely not the target market for fad diets, anyway. I don’t need to lose excessive amounts of weight and I’m more or less okay with the last ten pounds. In other words, it’s not my goal to “get shredded.”
Most people realize maintaining an extremely low body fat percentage is pretty unsustainable. And I believe there’s a medium that will allow me to perform activities like jogging or bouldering at optimum performance levels.
The way I’ve approached my goal is by counting calories. The Mayo Clinic states that gaining or losing weight is a matter of simple mathematics. Addition and subtraction, to be specific. If you decrease the amount of food you eat, then you’ll lose weight.
The most important thing I’ve done may be limiting how often I weigh myself. Weightlifting probably skews what I’m seeing, so there’s really no point. The fact that my pants fit well is a much better indicator of how I’m doing. I’m also confident that the regimen I’ve designed guarantees I’ll lose weight slowly over time and/ or stay at a consistent weight.
With a little discipline and intentionality, I’ve seen my appetite begin to regulate itself, and I found that I’ve started to think about food less often. For the most part, the temptation to snack has been muted.
My diet isn’t extreme. It’s a practice in minimizing calories. A pursuit that has been greatly aided by keeping a food journal and using an app to count the calories I consume.
photo: AbsolutVision
