Dietary Update

By popular demand, I acquiesce to providing a weekly update of my new dietary adventure.

Those among you who have read my previous post know that I am currently abstaining from all non-natural foods. This includes anything that didn't grow directly from the earth, or anything that didn't consume such products before it was sacrificed for my nourishment. I'm hoping to see some sort of change in either my physique or energy levels, or perhaps just my overall well-being. So far, I've been at it for a week. Here are my observations:

My diet didn't really change all that much. I actually surprised myself with how healthy I had been eating for most of my adult life. The main things I had to cut out included the occasional fast food meal, which usually meant replacing a hamburger/hotdog with grilled chicken salad. I've cut out baked goods as well, which didn't really take up much of my diet. A big thing for me was getting rid of salty snacks and diet soda. Since I sit at a computer desk all day looking through documents, it was really easy for me to munch on tortilla chips and sip diet coke for several hours each day. But I usually compensated by filling a small ziplock bag with one serving of chips, and then slowly munched it over several hours so as not to consume too many empty calories. I did have the bad habit of consuming about 4 diet cokes each day, which I believe had a bigger effect on my muscles than on any potential weight gain. All of those foods got cut out. I also cut out tv dinners, which I previously consumed about 3 times a week (they are fast and easy). But my main meals naturally tended towards lean meats, vegetables, and either rice or pasta. I gave up pasta, since it is a processed food, but I kept rice, which basically grows out of the ground. My typical breakfast (oatmeal, banana, peanut butter on whole wheat bread) didn't really change at all.

Certain fast foods still fit in my diet. Many of the sandwiches at Subway are quite alright, as are most grilled chicken salads. A burrito bowl at Chipotle also works well, especially if I cut out the sour cream. I am learning to examine the menus where I go for the healthier, more natural options. Most places have at least something substantial that will work.

I've been making a lot of my own foods for lunch. I won't go into recipes here, but I will say that the slow cooker has been my best friend. Lentil soup is one my favorites, and goes well as a porridge over rice. I've done some slow cooker pork roast as well, which also goes well shredded over rice (with a touch of sweet ginger sauce). I now snack on cottage cheese and carrot sticks, plus the occasional apple. And it's water all the way. Really, giving up soda is hard. It's so tasy, and easy to justify since I only drink diet. But I'm happy to say that I have remained true to my goals for a whole week.

I have a hunch that I will slim down a little bit if I keep sticking with this diet. I'm not overweight by any means, so it's not like I have much to lose. But every guy dreams of having a nice six-pack, and I'm not quite there yet. As for energy levels, I haven't really noticed a change. I feel the same as always when I jog or lift weights. Sometimes I feel a little weak, but that's probably due to the reduced calories, and it goes away as soon as I get a protein-rich snack in me. About the only clear physical improvement I have noticed has to do with my colon, and I will say no more on that matter so as to spare my readers from something that they'd rather not know.

So there you have it. One week down, three to go.