Diet? Diet? WTF is that?

Our scale is in the kitchen, shoved under the front edge of the stove.  It's right where I can toe it out in the morning and weigh my fat a$$ while the morning coffee brews.

That scale reports I am down something over ten pounds in the last couple weeks.  That is good.

The thing is, I'm not really making a huge effort to get rid of that SET of spare tires I carry all day.  It's just a side result of changing my dietary habits a little, feeling better, and eating better.

There's no 'sweatin to the oldies' going on, although there is a fair share of 'Sweatin AS an oldie', given that I'm dragging my sweaty self around the place doing chores and such.  Trimming trees or pushing a mower in this heat and humidity makes most gym workouts seem a little tame.  At least... any *I* would be caught doing.

Now, I blame the weight loss on a combination of two changes in eating habit.  The first is nothing more than  "Don't farging eat til you are hungry, you tubbo!"

This might seem a simple concept, but it not the same for everyone. See..... I LIKE food.  I eat because I LIKE to eat, not necessarily because I am hungry.  That means eating a lot, and often.  The result is my body takes those extra calories and converts them to nice, storable, fat... depositing said energy storage all over my body.  

Sure, I can outlast the Donner party if I ever get stuck in the pass, but all that energy storage (FAT) carries a price.   My health pays a price, my energy levels suck, and people laugh when I sing "I'm sexy and I know it".

So.... habit changing.  I'm not eating just to eat.  I wait till I'm hungry.  You know..... HUNGRY.  You do know what HUNGRY feels like, don't you?  I'll be honest and say I had forgotten the feeling, as it had been so long since I had foregone a meal long enough to actually get hungry.

To regain that knowledge, I had to fast for a day.  Nothing but coffee, water, and bourbon.  It took a good 24 hours before I could be certain what I was feeling was actually hunger, rather than cravings.

As it turns out, I'm not exactly starving when I wake up.  In fact, I'm often not HUNGRY til almost lunch time, even with working all morning.   Huh... who knew.

The thing is..... the body stores excess calories in FAT, which is okay, but not to excess (See *my* fat ass in the encyclopedia).  When you are hungry, your body is beginning to draw from those fat stores to run your energy banks and keep you going.  This means 'Fat go away' rather than 'Fat pile on' for those who need a simpler concept.

If you are never HUNGRY.... then you are never burning fat stores.

If you are never HUNGRY.... then you are never burning fat stores.

If you are never HUNGRY.... then you are never burning fat stores.

I tell you again..... if you are never hungry, your body never burns off the fat.  That left me a choice.  Feel hungry sometimes, and drop some poundage, or not be hungry..... and stay tubbo and sickly.

Along with the 'Don't eat til you are hungry!' change, came another corollary change in eating habits.  I now eat to enjoy food, and only to be 'not hungry'.  I don't eat to get stuffed anymore.  It's no longer a matter of eating till I am full, full, FULL, BLAMMO.  Now it's just eating something good, till I'm not hungry anymore.

Practice these words:  "I've had enough".

IT'S NOT A CRIME TO LEAVE FOOD ON THE PLATE!  There is no moral dilemma involved in leaving the last dozen fries in the basket, you know?

There's also nothing wrong with sharing a meal once in a while.  In fact, it's kind of fun at times.  Princess and I now order a single meal of fish and chips, and have a little fun clashing forks as we wrassle for our share.  Yes... we have fun sharing food.  Get over it.

There is another part to the changing eating habits, to which I attribute the lower dial spinnage of the scale.  I call it "That looks like CRAP!  Don't eat it!"

This one is pretty simple.  I like food.  I like GOOD food.  I like REALLY GOOD food.  You know.... the polar opposite of almost all fast food and prepackaged snacks.

I just indulge myself in decent food, while letting the utter crap food go by.  That is all.

An example to illustrate.  At the pub, looking at a big basket of chili cheese fries.... which honestly looks like a Yeti took a dump in it someplace.   How about.... NO...... and how about.... bring me a dozen garlic parma wings, okay?  Yes... blue cheese and celery too.  There is some consideration of leaving the carbs behind and going with more protein... but the bigger fact is I like MEAT, so I indulge myself.

Another example.....   McDonking greaserie gets a pass, and how about we stop at that sushi place for some Pad Thai?

Add it all up anyway you like.   I'm losing some weight, but that's not what I'm thinking about as I choose lunch.   I really have only two questions at that moment.  "Am I hungry?"  and  "Is that the nicest steak I can find?".