So far we’ve talked about how much sleep you should get and how much alcohol you should drink.
Let’s now talk about how much you should weight…and what to do about it.
Stop Eating Out at Restaurants
I might sound like a food Nazi for saying this, but early in your plan you need to try to avoid eating out at restaurants frequently. You will learn quickly what is reasonable and what is not.
You will also learn approximate calorie amounts, but until then stay home.
Use a Calorie Counter
Calorie counters are very important. You can buy a little book at the check-out line at the grocery store.
When you are in the line right above the magazines that explain how Paris Hilton got impregnated by a Martian there will be a little blue and white book. It will have a picture of a tape measure around a loaf of bread.
That is the book.
The other option is to go on-line. Google “FREE calorie counter.”
Don’t sign up for anything because there are many sites with that special word “free” in the title.
You will become familiar with the caloric number, fat, carb and protein content of most of the foods you eat.
Although, early on this will be cumbersome you will get used to it and then you will piss-off all of the people you work with when you start telling them that the Yo-Ho they are about to inhale has 650 calories and 64 grams of fat.
But this is important if you want to lose weight: you must be able to calculate the numbers.
Avoid Tempting Situations
Try to stay away from situations that will pressure you to eat. Larry’s bachelor party, Superbowl pizza parties, all-you-can-eat- buffet’s, and worst of all your mother-in-law’s post-Thanksgiving dinner desserts.
Stay away.
Once you have mastered caloric control, go ahead and give the pizza a ride, but early on, STAY HOME.
Weight Yourself Everyday
Furthermore, weigh yourself everyday. Do not believe the story that you weigh once a week. Make yourself accountable every morning.
Bad day, too many beers, get your punishment and look at the scale.
You need a good reliable scale. It will cost about $25.00 . Get your money’s worth and get on it every day. Write down your weight every day.
Start a Vitamin Regiment
A once-a-day vitaman, one aspirin, Omega 3 supplements and a branch chain amino acid supplement. The supplements are important if your dietary habits are to change.
Dr. Rick Lehman is a distinguished orthopedic surgeon in St. Louis, Missouri and an articular cartilage reconstruction pioneer. He owns U. S. Sports Medicine in Kirkwood, MO, and LehmanHealth. Learn more about Dr. Rick.