Weight Loss Plan

It's now time to report on the great action plan outlined in the last blog.

The first item on the agenda is a weight loss plan. I'm in the 1000 lb. or more loss category. Over the years I've lost and gained many times. As an experienced if not successful dieter, most of the advice available is well known and has been followed at one time or another. This time there is a new resolve and a defined target that relates to more than weight reduction. The idea will be to develop a modified lifestyle that can be sustained for the duration.

So... the big weigh-in records 255 lb. Now for the plan of attack.

1. Salt & MSG
There is an advertising campaign current on television encouraging us to manage our salt intake. MSG is also a favourite target and blamed (on the internet) for dozens of side effects including obesity. It isn't good to believe too much of what turns up on the net but like the fuss over climate change, much of the suggested activity makes good sense for the management of the biosphere whether or not human activity is the cause for a real or perceived climactic alteration. So salt and MSG will become a management point for "Jason-sphere."

For the past two weeks salt has been eliminated from our cooking and the salt cellar isn't on the table at meal time. My wife has always avoided adding salt but I am astonished at the tastes of food reasonably prepared without salt. I've been going through the spice rack more carefully and have been making more use of the oregano, pepper in various forms, and some of the Indian spices like cumin, coriander and the other basics for curry. I don't add enough that one can taste the herb or spice but sufficient that the flavour seems to be enhanced in a similar fashion to the effect of salt. I always thought that removing salt was a good diet device because the food tasted so bland that one didn't want to eat it anyway. A change in spicing seems to dispel that myth.

The popular target for salt and MSG is the so-called convenience food. Because we prepare most of our own meals, I didn't think we used these kinds of foods which were categorized in my mind as the microwave and serve type of product. An examination of our cupboards suggest that thinking needs to be revised. We enjoy our soup and sandwich at lunch. I particularly enjoy canned pea soup so that has been a staple for years. Reading the label, MSG and salt are too high on the ingredient list. We collected a box full of soup cans and took them to the food bank. Maybe we shouldn't give away unhealthy foods but as in many life situations, it's how one chooses to look at it. For the past couple of weeks I have prepared the main meal of the day with the idea of having something to work with for the lunch time soup the next day. I've always done this but not as frequently as is now the case.

Another product that has been removed from the fridge is parmesan cheese in the Kraft container. We noticed that adding parmesan to our soups really enhanced the flavour. No wonder, salt is the third ingredient. I would guess that salt is a fundamental part of cheese making but there is no need to purchase the 'convenience' packaged product. We will try the fresh grated parmesan for a while and see if it proves salty as well.

As may have been noted from the chile recipe, we are fans of hot sauce and have about a dozen different varieties in the fridge. Looks like many of them are high salt reservoirs though with the small quantities used, hot sauces may not be the best target for reduction. Certainly prepared barbecue sauces can be eliminated. I will look for a recipe for home made barbecue sauce and try that.

2. Alcohol Consumption
We are wine lovers and I particularly enjoy both blended and single malt scotch and the occasional shot of gin or vodka. Over the past few years I have become a two-bottle-a-week man. Clearly here is a target for reduction which will benefit both waistline and wallet.

A number of tactics have been learned from past exerience and both will be implemented. First of all, use the shot measuring glass. Just measuring the 1.5 oz limits how much gets into the glass and helps reinforce the count of how many during the evening. Rather than stop cold turkey, I am limiting consumption each evening (the only time I tipple) to two drinks and have stopped the wine altogether. 3 oz. of hard liquour seems to be enough to satisfy any urges and I will diminish the quantity as the weeks go by.

The second line of attack is to find a hobby that gives me something to do with my hands while watching television. With the baseball post season underway, it is particularly apropos to start now. When I quit smoking 28 years ago I took up knitting. I still have the golf club covers that were made with nicotine cravings. For this venture I have decided to make a couple of scatter rugs for the family room. Years ago I had done something called French Knitting or more popularly, 'corking.' It's a hand craft that is taught to kids on many occasions. A search was conducted throughout the house for the corking spool to no avail so down to Michaels to get a new one. We got two because my wife wants to work on the rugs as well. As you can expect, the old corking spool turned up not more than 12 hours after the new purchase. They were only $7.00 each but just the same... Mr. Murphy strikes! Last night I cast off the first knitted strand at 42 feet. My we have watched a lot of TV! However, the idea appears to be working and I am happy watching the ball game, corking and sipping my water.

This is a much different approach than focusing on quantities and types of food. We will address these in the next few weeks as the first life style changes become engrained.