How Do You Do It?

This is what I want to be eating 100% of the time.
This is what I want to be eating 100% of the time.

If you have been here before, you know that I am obsessed with all things food. (If you haven’t been here: I’m obsessed with all things food. And wine.) So it is with more than a little hesitation that I embark on a diet.

You see, due to an ongoing battle with Hashimoto’s disease (cliff notes version: thyroid problem; super hard to treat effectively; not life threatening;

This is what it feels like I am eating 100% of the time.
This is what it feels like I am eating 100% of the time.

doctors generally suck at dealing with it) I have gained a bit of weight. I’d like to get rid of it. I exercise regularly. I eat pretty well, yet I was still gaining weight.

After loads of research I have reluctantly decided to give a version of the Paleo diet a whirl. We will see how it goes. Here are the things I am not eating:

  • Grains (bread, pasta, rice… Pretty much anything that tastes good)
  • Dairy (cheese, ice cream… Pretty much anything that tastes good. Although I have cheated and allowed myself a swig of skim milk in my coffee… See last post. I need to function)
  • Sugar (cookies, cake, chocolate, ice cream… Pretty much anything that tastes good.)
  • Soy (there seems to be some version of soy in just about every single product on earth, so… Pretty much anything that tastes good. And sushi. Ugh.)
  • Legumes (beans, chickpeas, peanuts, hummus, lentils… Pretty much anything that tastes good.)
  • Wine (wait. You don’t seriously think I gave up wine, do you? Stop talking crazy. Yes, I probably technically should have, but I technically should do a lot of things… Like watch less TV, and floss. Whatever. Hoping my dentist is not reading this…)

 

Now, the things I can eat:

  • Meat
  • Fish
  • Fruit (in moderation. Whatever. Nobody ever got fat eating grapes. Plus, wine is made from grapes, and is therefore a fruit, right?)
  • Vegetables Nuts (not peanuts, or peanut butter. See above.)
  • Water
  • Tea (which is basically just water, anyway)
  • Coffee (water, with caffeine added. And milk!)

It has been a week, and I am starting to see the effects (two pounds… Whoopee!) and have eaten more red meat in a week than I have in months. (I am a burger grilling machine.) Let’s see how this shakes out over the next two weeks… After that I am gong on vacation and, well, I have firsthand knowledge of how good the almond croissants (and breadsticks, and ice cream and pizza, and..) are on Seabourn, so I can pretty much guarantee I will be off the Paleo wagon for most of the cruise.

At the suggestion of friends, I also bought a pedometer (fitbit one; it arrived today; let’s see if its motivational messages make me walk more. I’ve named it Pedro), so even though the almond croissants have my name on them, so does the treadmill. Pedro and I shall go for a stroll, or jog. FKGuy will likely be there, too.

My question for you, dear reader, is this: how have you managed to lose weight and (a ) not want to strangle yourself, or (b) chew an arm off from hunger and (c) managed to go out to eat with friends on a regular basis? I’d love to hear your suggestions (and positive reinforcement). Thanks in advance.

 

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