The Road From Serfdom page

[70in2012]

A quick intro:

I have been a slave to my eating habits over the last three decades. Recent research indicates that our body digests refined carbs in not so dissimilar way it treats opium. I am trying to wean myself off my addictions.

I am not too much worried about weight, body fat% or six packs. I want to generally feel good, have good energy levels, better mood and, yes, get a lot better at tennis. So most of my physical work out is geared to getting better at tennis (speed, agility, stamina, mental focus, specific strength - core, legs, shoulders, etc). I am treating any physical outward changes as only by product of the life style.

About 6 weeks ago i kicked out refined carbs and sugar (i.e. added) from my life. But i ate lentils, rice (on my cheat day, which was once a week) and cheese. Two weeks ago, i decided to remove the cheat day and cut out grains and legumes altogether.

I am compelled to state a staistic to convey the quantum of changes. 6 weeks ago, i weighed about 189 lbs. Today, i weighed 168 lbs. I am not fatigued after a 10 hour desk job as i used to before. I am generally feeling good, no fatigue. I am definitely a bit quicker on the tennis court (ongoing process).

[70in2012]

I ate the "primal" pancake today for breakfast with a twist. I used half cup of raw almonds and cashews, half a banana, one dried date, about half a dozen blueberries and 3 eggs.

I ate my own version of cauli rice (grate cauliflower, scramble couple of eggs lightly and mix the cauli rice and lightly pan fry it with a bit of olive oil, spices (turmeric, chilli powder and a bit of salt for taste) along with half an avocado and a cup of grated carrot and beet for lunch.

The lunch was right after a 5K run and leg work. Feeling good as usual.

I normally do not take my leave during the susual holiday season. I prefer to come to work and enjoy the light work load and enjoy an otherwise tough to maintain work-life balance!

[70in2012]

A quick, healthy breakfast. Took 15 min to fix it. A carrot, half a medium sized radish, a small cucumber, 3 eggs, 2 teaspoon full of flaxseed. Grate the veggies, beat the eggs, mix eggs, veggies and flaxseed. Lightly pan fry it on olive oil. Makes 3 big omlettes. Since I had 15 min workout on empty stomach, I downed all three

Packed an avocado and an apple for lunch. Another light workday is awaiting. I will go fo a long walk and perhaps do the simplyfit regime during lunch time.

[70in2012]

My long walk converted into a 5K run followed by 20 pull ups, 40 push ups and 60 air squats.
A Cup of cherry tomatos helped as pre work out snack.

Went into workplace cafeteria and asked the noodle bar to give me just fish and lettuce without noodles. Couple of curious looks.

Just finished half a cup of edamame and a medium sized apple as a snack.

[IvyBlue]

No meat? And in general this doesn't seem like much food, I'd be starving.

[70in2012]

I had fish for lunch and chicken for dinner. Already feels like i have eaten too much meat.
I think we have been conditioned from childhood to stuff ourselves with food all the time. I just discovered I dont need to.

[zoltankemeny]

That's great progress so far (and I love your journal title!). I agree with the childhood conditioning thing--I grew up in a working class home (we ate Spam often) and I was always expected to eat everything off my plate instead of stopping when I wasn't hungry anymore. It's a tough mental habit but now that I cook my own food and no one's breathing down my neck to eat all of it, it gets a little easier! Good luck!

[70in2012]

I see what you mean. I grew up in a similar environment.

Looking back, everyone "automatically" accepted fat was bad. If you ate fat you became fat. So it was carbs all the way. Nearly twenty years of habit. Recently my dad passed away as a result of heart attack. He was diabetic as well. He ate probably 90% carb diet all his life. I remember his doc's prescription: cut down oily, fatty food.
At times i get this rage. A helpless rage.

[70in2012]

Today has been a light day for the grok. No breakfast. Just a bowl of lettuce and three eggs for lunch. Half a dozen cherry tomatos, handful of blueberries, almonds and cashews for snacking. It is 2000h now and he just downed a glass of red wine.

On the activity front, grok is resting before a big hunt. Just 50 pushups to keep the blood flowing.

Curiously keeping a watch over an increasingly possible implosion of EU and what looks like a regime change elsewhere.

[70in2012]

It just dawned on me that 2 slices of bread, 3 cups of steamed rice, couple of sachets of sugar (for coffee) and a piece of desert can add up to over 1300 calories of practically no nutrients. Incredible. Cut that out and replace them with veggies, nuts and fruits, you could as well be looking at a 4000+ cal deficit a week. With better nutrient profile. Easy cosy, the unwanted growth around your real body melts away pretty quickly.

I know logic is not enough to deal with addictions. However, this simple math drove home the point to me.

Play time for the grok. Played about 5 hours of tennis over the last couple of days. 20 lbs less makes hell of a lot difference. No knee pain. Court speed has improved. Working on it. I should get a ball machine soon, which would help me train muscle memory.

Now i have developed the strange habit of taking a photo of whatever i eat. Wife looks at me like a strange animal.