The plan

So in light of yesterday's post I guess I should share with you my plan. The problem is...I don't have a plan.

In all actuality, I think this will work better for me than having a plan as I tend to be an all-or-nothing person so if I have a plan and then I don't match the plan, I tend to quit. So, if I have to define one, I guess my plan would be to aim for the-place-between-all-and-nothing.

With that said, I present to you the-food-place-between-all-and-nothing:

Since moving into our home in Boston and having the resources (both monetarily and educationally) and the support (both neighborly and institutionally) to start researching the food that I put on our table, I have come to the conclusion that I would like to provide myself and my family with the cleanest food possible.

To that end, we have participated in our local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) for the past few summer/autumns by purchasing a half-share; supplying us with ridiculously delicious veggies and fruits that we devour during the season while freezing the extra so that not much goes to waste and even in the dead of winter we have the most delicious corn and/or veggie stew and/or fill-in-the-blank-veggie-yumminess on the block. We have also participated in the same farm's Meat Share where we have 10lbs of sustainably and responsibly raised meat delivered to us on a monthly basis. We have also gone-in on a cow with friends; supplying us with quite possibly the most delicious beef (as well as the most packed freezer) I have encountered in my life. And we have our milk and eggs delivered to us from a local farm here in Massachusetts.

Now all this isn't too say that I don't enjoy a Five Guy's burger every once in a while, or that you can't find me in the drive-thru of the various Dunkin' Donuts in a square-mile radius because I have once again left the house with Little G and forgotten to eat breakfast.

However, in the spirit of aiming between all and nothing, I think I am doing a fairly reasonable job of providing clean, good food for my family.

So, what does that have to do with losing weight? Well....just like with over-processed foods, there can definitely be too much of a good thing...but at least I am starting with a good thing which makes me feel better.

With a base of good food, then my next step towards aiming between all and nothing is to be aware of what I eat throughout the day.

A while back I participated in the first long-term study that was ever done on the four major diets. The diet I participated in was the high protein, moderate fat diet. A big part of the study was entering in every item of food that we ate into a computer database so that our calories could be tracked along with our weight loss. I lost 20 pounds on that program...not because of the specific diet I was on (as was proven by the results of the study) but because I tracked my food intake.

Again, with the intent to aim between all and nothing, rather than forcing myself to write down every stinkin' calorie I consume, my goal is to just be aware of what I have eaten throughout the day. Which means, if I have a large breakfast or lunch, than I know to have a healthier dinner. Conversely, if I know I am having a calorific dinner, than I plan ahead by eating moderately for breakfast and lunch.

As lackadaisical as this may seem, it works for me, as that is the only way I can figure how I made it through the past month without gaining 400 pounds.


So there you have it...the food "plan".

Next up....the dreaded exercise "plan"....