My diet as set by me

[Guest guest]

In early January of this year, my physician told me to lose 15

pounds by July 1, 2004. At the time I weighed 211 lbs and am 5'10 "

tall. I was extremely athletic in my younger years weighing 145 at

18 years and 170 at 28. But at 52 years my knees gave out due to

athletic injuries and surgeries. I could no longer be athletic in

the fashion I loved to be athletic, tennis, agressive and demanding,

5 times a week. In fact I have a saying on my desk which

says, " Tennis is not a matter of life and death, it is much more

important than that. " To get back to my original story of losing 15

lbs, my physician gave me no direction as to how to diet. I had one

other factor pushing me to lose weight. I had surgery for the

removal of my cancerous prostate in the summer of 2002. At that time

I had occasion to read my surgeon's notes on me where he applied the

term " obese " to me. I was shocked, severely hurt, devastated, cut to

the core. I had never, ever placed myself into the obese category.

I decided to make a change in my diet spurred on by my

physician's challenge and the term obese. I weighed myself at 211.

The change was strickly between my ears. I want to emphasize that

the change was a mental change controlled by the master control of my

body - the brain. The changes I decided to make was to changed my

diet. I decided to eat only healthy foods I like. At the same time

I would not partake at all of any of the foods which were not

healthy.

So I began by eliminating all foods made from white flour, white

potatoes, candy and sweets of all kinds, ice cream (which I love),

white rice, butter and bad oils, snack foods, cakes, pies, etc. I

also began by eating healthy. I have limited my diet to mostly fresh

and some cooked vegetables (which I love), fresh and dried fruits

(which I love), almonds and pistacio nuts (which I love), limited

quantities of beef, chicken and fish (which I love), fresh berries

(which I love). I do some moderate exercise which I love to do but I

am limited by my knee problems. I take water exercises once a week.

I have a walking machine, another exercise machine called

the " Gazelle " which is hardly aerobic, and a 36 " exercise ball. I

use all of them but not as mush as I need to.

My results can be summed up in two ways. I feel much better

about my physical being. I have lost 14 lbs since early Jan. I am

extremely and fiercely firm in my committment to continue my healthy

manner of eating.

I have thought all along that if I lose one pound a month, that

would be good. So far I have lost over 2 pounds a month trying to

meet my physician's goal of 15 pounds in six months. I am sure the

pace of loss of weight will slow down as a come closer to my target

goal of 170 pounds. I have not been hungry even once. I don't know

how I found CRON but I feel it can help me in quest for a life long

healthy diet. I am a Newbie and I thank you for allowing me to be a

member of this diet concious healthy group.