On Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at 6:45:30 AM UTC-5, Ophelia wrote:
> "Cindy Hamilton" > wrote in message
> ...
> > On Monday, January 4, 2016 at 8:25:35 PM UTC-5, Cheryl wrote:
> >> On 1/4/2016 1:08 PM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> >> > I've been dieting off and on for more than 40 years. This has
> >> > certainly been the easiest, and I think it'll be the most
> >> > successful. Here's what I'm doing:
> >> >
> >> > 1. Less carbs; more veggies
> >> > 2. Moderate portion control, so I never feel really starved.
> >> > 3. If I really, really want something evil, I have it.
> >> > Preferably organized such that there are no leftovers
> >> > to continue to tempt me.
> >> > 4. I don't care how fast I lose. A generally downward trend
> >> > is what I'm looking for.
> >> >
> >> > Every day I have a little olive oil, a little butter, and
> >> > a little chocolate. I don't feel deprived at all. I'm
> >> > just eating differently than I used to. I feel like I could
> >> > keep this up forever. Slow and steady wins the race.
> >>
> >> That's pretty amazing. I'm trying to take a lesson from my brother and
> >> sister in law for their recent diet changes. My brother is making great
> >> progress by eliminating carbs, and I know everyone says that, and some
> >> make it seem so easy but he's a success story so far. I've seen what he
> >> eats and both of them have told me what they do to keep on this pace.
> >> Their main protein when they have meat is white meat chicken. My brother
> >> will cook about 6 boneless, skinless breasts at a time and freeze in
> >> portions. They each take chicken and veggies for lunches, breakfast is
> >> typically "muffins" made with egg beaters and various veggies cooked in
> >> muffin tins, probably more like muffin shaped omelets. Even when they
> >> dine out they don't order starchy sides or eat any bread that might come
> >> with the meal. I just don't have the willpower to avoid the starches but
> >> I'm trying to learn from them.
> >
> > I didn't eliminate starches, but I cut way back on them, and I substitute
> > "tan" ones for "white" ones whenever I can.
> >
> > I grill 3 chicken breasts, and eat half of one for a meal, so it lasts
> > all week unless my husband has some. That's a piece of meat about the
> > size of the palm of my hand, or a little smaller.
> >
> > Lunches are either lentil soup or vegetable soup, but once a week I go
> > out for a Greek salad. I eat all of the bread that they bring me,
> > dipped in a tiny bit of salted olive oil.
> >
> > Breakfast is oatmeal washed down with a glass of milk, although I
> > went wild and crazy on Christmas morning and had scrambled eggs
> > and toast. I occasionally have scrambled eggs for dinner,
> > and just lay the eggs on top of the toast rather than buttering it.
> >
> > It's almost Zen. I weigh myself, but I don't have any expectation
> > of what the number should be compared to last week's number.
> >
>
> Interesting!!! You certainly have worked out what works for you! Well
> done!
>
> Do you sweeten your oatmeal?

Yes, with a teaspoon or so (packed into a measuring spoon, heaped
a bit) of brown sugar. Also with a teaspoon of butter (eyeballed
when I slice it from the stick of butter).

>When you say that every day you have a little
> olive oil ... in what? I can see the butter and chocolate ...

Vinaigrette. I almost always have a salad with dinner.

It's not a wildly exciting diet, but since I'm at work 5 days
a week, it's easy to accomplish. Weekends tend to be a little
more interesting, at least at dinner. If the weather prevents
me from grilling chicken, I'll branch out and have a slice
of ham or something. I try to eat a decent variety of food,
without obsessing over it. The less time I think about food,
the better. (Why, I wonder, do I read rec.food.cooking? On
the other hand, quite a bit of what's described here doesn't
appeal to me anyway.)

Cindy Hamilton