Two weeks ago, project “lose some weight in 2016” began. The spirit of this blog is rooted in balance and enjoying life, and diets don’t always fit naturally into that. But, as I mentioned then, I was willing to go through a couple weeks of a pretty restrictive diet in hopes that I would have a “chance to assess what I really value…to see what I really miss. That will help me define what is worth indulging in as the weeks and months go on.” Well, two weeks have passed, and my biggest takeaway is that I’d encourage everyone to do this as well. Here’s why:
Overall, somewhat surprisingly, it really wasn’t too bad. Work days were vastly easier than weekends. Weekends, where I’m used to snacking and drinking something while watching football, and usually going out to dinners with friends, were much tougher. But I found that, while I was a bit anxious to tell friends who I was meeting with that I was going to sip water or Diet Coke at the bar, they were all really supportive. Some even joined me, in part in solidarity, but also because some thought they could use a bit of a break from drinking as well. One even thanked me.
Also, it really did give me a chance to figure out what I missed…and what I loved that could work within a low carb, no alcohol, 1400 calorie a day diet. To that second point, I found that there were actually a lot of things that I love that completely fit within this plan. I think the key for me was that it FELT indulgent. So, take for example this great lunch I had at 99 Park with Gavian the Co-conspirator.
Even he, with his decadent cheeseburger, admitted that I won the order prize. But at about 500 calories total, and very few carbs, my lunch of seared tuna with deliciously seasoned quinoa and toasted almonds and a salad of shrimp, shaved papaya, mango and toasted coconut was both healthy and delicious.
On top of this, my favorite food on the planet is Dungeness crab. It is really tasty, even without being dipped in butter. It is more expensive than chicken, to be sure, but I’m realizing that may be a key for me. If I feel like I’m indulging, I am more satisfied. That may be strange and a bit twisted, but I’m trying to understand my triggers, and I have to be honest with myself when I find one. Crab is completely within a healthy diet. If I have to pay a bit more to be both healthy and satisfied, I’m ok with that. I ate a lot of crab over the past two weeks.
Now, onto what I missed. I thought it might be sweet things: chocolate, desserts, marshmallows (I have a bit of an obsession with s’mores). But really, the only thing I missed was wine. Not cider or margaritas or other alcohol…just wine. I like wine. I like the way each bottle and blend tastes a bit different, the way it pairs nicely with what I’m eating, and the indulgence I feel when I open a new bottle. And right then I’m back to my realization: I like to feel like I can indulge.
So I’ve decided that, as I move to this next phase of my six week fitness plan, I’m going to allow myself a bit of wine. Just two days a week, and only two drinks on each of those days, but I think that will help this plan feel balanced and sustainable. But my rule is: only the good stuff. I’ll order the nice glass or share the nice bottle, because that feels indulgent.
So, my well-being may cost me a bit more, but I’ve decided this experiment is about curation. I want to curate a life of good health, good food, good drink and good people. That takes some effort. But that effort seems to be worth it.
And by the way, I’ve lost about eight pounds in these first two weeks. So, back to my original point, I’d encourage everyone to try this for two weeks. I will almost guarantee that it will help you figure out what is important to you, and help you curate your own balance. Best of luck and please share any tips or thoughts you have on this.
January 25, 2016 at 6:31 pm
That lunch was awesome. Tyrannosaurus Rex with a laser gun awesome. This blog is close to inspiring me to join your lifestyle and subscribe to your newsletter. Good luck on Phase II! Also drink lots of water.
January 25, 2016 at 10:11 pm
Drinking water is way harder than it should be for me. Any tips? And yes, join in the fun. It isn’t always about avoiding wine. I promise.
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