Start Your Engine with a Low Carb Diet

A little more than a week ago, my wife and I decided to begin dieting again. It was supposed to start last month, but she was part of a taste test at Lindt Chocolate, and was given a five pound thank-you bag of chocolates.  That both delayed the diets and made them all the more important. 

She has a class reunion in August and I could stand to lose a few inches around the middle.  By starting now, we can do it the right way. However, we have chosen slightly different paths.  She is focusing on watching calories and I am focusing on watching carbohydrates.

Normally, I would have chosen the same path as Jill, but just by chance, almost on the same day we started our diets,  my friend Claire started a blog called The Carbometer, which talks of her success with a low carb diet. 

After reading it, it made perfect sense to me, but it's  not my intention to duplicate Claire's efforts, either in dieting or in blogging, because not only am I taking a different path than Jill, I'm taking a different path than Claire.

Claire is really counting carbs and is dead serious about losing weight while eating healthy.  She is limiting herself to 30-50 grams of carbs a day with amazing results.  My needs are different. You see, I'm a junk food junkie.  I know my diet is literally killing me. I know if I do nothing by cut out junk food like McDonald's, Tastykakes and Coke, I will lose weight, but more importantly, I'll feel better and live longer. Of course an early death is both a reason and motivation, but that's too distant and abstract. It has never been enough for me to change my ways, but watching and listening to Jill, Claire, and to some extent, my conscience and common sense offer more immediate and tangible motivation. Being accountable and tracking what goes into my body is the important.  Jill's determination and Claire's blog are catalyst for my efforts. 

I plan on eating healthier by cutting the junk and tracking what I eat. I've set a goal of keeping carbs at 100 grams a day, something I find surprisingly easy to do.  I track most of the nutritional value of the foods I eat with an eye on the carbs. By doing so, without even looking, I've reduced my caloric intake by 50-60% and am averaging about 1250 calories a day.

If you are serious about losing weight, you'll definitely want to follow Claire's blog.  If you are like me, and primarily interested in eating healthier, without depriving yourself while shedding a few pounds, you'll want to check us both out. 

I'll be talking more about how I'm changing my habits and supplying some recipes that are healthy, but like the chocolate shake, stuffed cabbage in my next two blogs, probably a little to high in carbs to make it onto Claire's radar. If healthier eating through reduced carbohydrate intake and portion control is your goal, I hope check back soon.