Dear ephemeral,
There is no miracle regimen. Anyone who claims that it's possible to
lose weight effortlessly is trying to con you. Among the methods that
do require effort, some work more rapidly than others, some are safer
for your overall health, and some will just appeal to you better. No
matter what approach you end up settling on, the essential ingredient
is willpower.
I can relate to your situation on several scores. My figure, although
quite trim when I was young, began to give way in the years after high
school. As I spent increasing hours in front of the computer and drove
where previously I would have walked, a ring of flab grew around my
middle. A fatty mass pendant from my lower jaw threatened to merge my
chin with my neck, my buttocks drooped like sandbags, and my face began
to develop jowls like a bulldog's. By the time I came to my senses,
I weighed 210 pounds, which was at least 30 too much for my comfort.
I can't say I have eliminated all the excess weight in the year and a
half since I decided to change my ways, but I have visibly slimmed. In
the workplace, people have congratulated me on my newly healthy
appearance. Although popular diets and formal exercise plans abound,
I subscribed to none of them. I decided to follow a few principles that
my common sense told me would lead to success, and so far they have. The
best I can do is relate them to you.
Before I do so, I'd like to point you to an article I read lately in
Slate. It compares a number of the high-fat, low-carb diets that have
become so popular in the past decade. I found it amusing and informative
even though I do not intend to pursue such a course myself. The article
includes impressive photos of the author's abdomen.
Slate: "Weight Watchers: The skinny on which trendy diet is best."
http://slate.com/id/2105224
I describe below the three primary principles I have followed in my own
weight-loss regimen. The first two deal with diet, the last with exercise.
1. The closer to nature, the better.
You shouldn't think that I'm some kind of whole-food fanatic. I never
shop at health-food stores, and I only buy organic produce when it costs
the same as the synthetically fertilized, pesticide-sprayed equivalent. I
have observed, however, that the chief culprits, the most fattening items
on the supermarket shelf, are the refined foods. The next time you stand
in line at a supermarket checkout, compare each shopper's physique to
the contents of his shopping cart. Fat people buy pale, processed food
that rolls off an assembly line and gets sealed into tubs and boxes by
robots. Thin people buy colorful fruits and vegetables. Another way to
think about it is that nature did not intend for us to get fat. It is
very difficult to fatten oneself with natural foods, but very easy with
refined ones.
It is true with few exceptions that the more steps it takes to make
something, the more it will fatten you. The food manufacturing process
strips nutrients and fibers in favor of the sugar, fat, and salt that
appeal most urgently to the palate. It will take some patience, but you
can habituate yourself to eating more natural foods. Never buy any baked
goods made with white flour when there is a whole-wheat equivalent. Better
yet, make your own whole-wheat bread with a bread machine. This will save
you many trips to the grocery store, sparing you on each occasion the
temptation of buying more junk food. Instead of soda pop, drink fruit
juice, seltzer water, or hibiscus tea. Never buy doughnuts, chocolate
bars, or chips. Instead, munch all the carrots, celery, and radishes you
want. Buy vegetables and fruits that you have never eaten before. Instead
of ice cream, fill your freezer with frozen peas.
2. Add condiments, not fat.
The reason we are attracted to greasy, salty, sugary foods is that
they taste damn good. Unless you find some way to compensate for these
attributes that make your tastebuds go zing, it will be impossible to
stick to any diet. Sooner or later, as a reward for doing good work or
as solace for a hard day, you will break down and eat a tub of ice cream
or a box of cookies.
Fortunately, nature provides the answer in the form of spices and
preserves. Instead of enriching my food with cream, butter, lard, and
fatty meats, I enliven it with plenty of mustard, ketchup, pepper, chili
sauce, pickles, and garlic flakes. These contain almost no calories to
speak of, yet they can raise a storm of flavor in the blandest dish. I'm
not much of a cook, you see, partly by inclination and partly due to
lack of time. I can't be bothered to mince, whip, or saute anything,
so my meals consist either of a heap of raw fruits and vegetables,
or of a plateful of rice, bread, or pasta. The fruits and vegetables
are good enough on their own -- really, what tastes better than fresh
broccoli and sweet apples? -- but the carbs don't go down easily without
condiments. I do add a bit of fat to most dishes in the form of cheese,
tuna, or eggs, but never so much that it defeats my purpose.
To give you an example of the wholesome food that can be prepared with
minimal expenditure of time and effort, here are three dishes I eat often.
i. Rice and Cheese
Simplicity itself. Combine 0.5 cup parboiled rice, 1 cup water,
and a dab of margarine in a small pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce to
a simmer and cover. 20 minutes later, without adjusting stove,
briefly remove cover and lay about 1.5 ounces cheddar cheese,
or 2 thick slices, on top of rice. Replace cover and leave on
stove for another 5 minutes. Squirt ketchup and chili sauce on
top, stir thoroughly, and serve.
ii. Macaroni and Tuna
Tuna does not tend to be flavorful, but even the cheapest puckfish
has the essential chewy texture. Put 2 liters of salted water
on stove to boil. While waiting, combine 1 tablespoon garlic
flakes and 1 tablespoon pepper with 2 tablespoons canola oil in
serving bowl. Add 0.5 cup macaroni to boiling water. Maintain boil
and cook macaroni about 9 minutes until fully cooked but still
somewhat firm. Drain macaroni without rinsing. Add 1 can drained
tuna and toss in serving bowl. Add ketchup and mustard to taste.
iii. Potatoes and Peas
Delicious hot or cold. Take 3 small potatoes, 2 medium ones,
or 1 large. Cut into 0.5-inch-thick slices and cover with
water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Add 0.5 cup
frozen peas and simmer 5 minutes more, then drain. To serve hot,
stir in a dab of margarine and pepper to taste. To serve cold,
rinse with cold water, drain thoroughly, and stir in 1 tablespoon
mayonnaise or salad dressing.
Tou get the idea: whole foods, simply prepared, flavored with condiments.
3. Leave the car in the driveway.
If your destination is less than five kilometers away, you can walk. If
it's less than twenty, you can ride a bike. For shopping expeditions,
carry a backpack or attach saddlebags to your bike. In this way, simply by
abandoning your car and practicing self-locomotion, you'll grow fit within
half a year. You'll discover muscle groups you never knew you had. Your
breathing will grow deeper and more regular, even when you're at rest.
There's no need to be ostentatious about taking your exercise. Don't
be like those people who put on sneakers, shorts, and an athletic
windbreaker, then stroll around the neighborhood while waving their fists
in front of them to prove their diligence. Your body is built for walking,
and you should walk as a matter of course. In fact, walking alone will
only help you to reach a minimal level of fitness but not beyond.
To make real gains, you must conduct an athletic activity that makes you
groan and sweat and ache. Running is hard on the joints, but cycling
is not. If it's too dangerous for you to go cycling on the streets,
invest in a stationary bicycle or a rowing machine. Either cycling or
rowing is enough to strengthen your abdomen, back, and legs. Rowing
is a complete exercise, since it works the upper body as well. If you
prefer cycling, you should also exert yourself in good old-fashioned
calisthenics. Push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups will not only strengthen
you for other activities, but after a while you'll be able to do so many
repetitions that they develop into an aerobic exercise in their own right.
These are the three most important rules I can think of. You may not like
them, but you'll find it hard to argue with them. They worked for me,
and I believe they'll work for anyone sufficiently disciplined.
I wish you all the best in your effort to lose weight.
Regards,
leapinglizard |
