I can’t stands no more
When I was a kid, I would watch Popeye the Sailor cartoons. My favorite part of each episode was when Bluto bullied Popeye to the point where Popeye would say, “That’s all I can stand, I can’t stands no more!” This was followed by Popeye swallowing a whole can of spinach in a single gulp, then knocking out Bluto and saving Olive Oyl.
About six weeks ago, I had my Popeye moment. I was feeling tired and worn out most of the time. When I looked in the mirror, I didn’t want to see my waistline. I was afraid to simply step on the scale, because I knew that if that number was too high, I would be forced to deal with it.
On that day, I decided, “I can’t stands no more!” It was time to get fit and lose weight.
No excuses.
I knew from experience that going on a calorie reduction/portion control diet, cutting out too many foods I liked, and starting an exercise routine all at the same time was a path to failure. Small changes each week would give a better chance for success.
Eat Better Foods
The first step is to start limiting or completely eliminating the foods that prevent the ability to lose fat quickly. The only question is which foods are the best to limit first? The specific foods will vary from person to person, based on what you like to eat.
Paleo, Primal, and Atkins Diets
Based on my research all three of these diet plans are able to help you lose weight. Even more interesting is that all three focus on eating lean meats, fish, and vegetables. You generally can eat as much of those foods as you need to feel full without having to count calories. Beyond lean meats, fish, and vegetables, the three plans vary on which foods are allowed.
Keeping with a plan to do things gradually, it is a good idea to make a list of the foods that the three diets avoided, then pick a few each week to eliminate or greatly reduce. Again, doing it this way allows for a better chance of long-term success. For example, you might find that if you don’t drink any soda for a long time, you don’t really miss it and don’t feel a desire to drink it.
Foods To Avoid
Here is a partial list of foods that you may be eating today that I’ve found to be worthwhile to either limit or completely eliminate from my diet. This is nowhere near a complete list and reading more about the “bad” foods from the each of the diets I mention above will give you even more ideas.
- Soda
- Beer, wine, alcohol
- Sweet Tea
- Candy (except dark chocolate)
- White/yellow potatoes
- Breads
- Rice (white and brown)
- White flour
- Snack chips
- Popcorn
- Pasta
- Vegetable and seed oils
- Milk, cheese, and other dairy
Is it OK to eat some of these foods? Absolutely. Just try to limit the quantity of each food that is consumed. There’s nothing wrong with having that glass of wine (or even two) a few nights a week. You can certainly have a slice (or two) of pizza. Personally, I was eating a lot of the foods on the list above and by reducing (and eliminating), I was off to a great start on my overall fitness plan.
That brings us to the end of the first round of changes. Put simply, eat less of the foods that are preventing you from losing weight, or more specifically, losing fat. You don’t need to starve yourself. In fact, you will likely feel better after only a few days of avoiding these foods. Good luck!
If you already avoid these foods, or once you are comfortable avoiding these foods you will want to read my next fitness plan post where you can learn to take the next step in fitness by limiting portions, counting calories (or not counting calories), and how to know how much you should be eating each day.
The above commentary is based on my personal experience and research. It is not a substitute for the advice of a professional, it’s simply what I’ve done and what works for me. You should consult your doctor before beginning any changes to diet or physical activity.