Increments

I was asked again today about my weight loss “How’d you do it?”. It’s a difficult question to answer. The questioner is usually looking for a short answer, like “give up butter”, “switch to diet soda” or another easy fix. That’s what we have come to expect in our instant society - take a pill and poof, problem solved.

The truth, however, is a more difficult answer. Was it really hard? As a whole, yes it was. But I didn’t do it all at once. Each piece of the puzzle was easy to place. Listed below in no particular order, each individual step was easy:

Give up red meat
More fish
More chicken
Only whole grains
More beans
Give up cheese
Switch to light mayonnaise and then give it up all together
A banana every day
A salad every day
A fat-free yogurt every day
Go meatless 2 or 3 days per week
Give up butter
Switch to low fat milk
Dried fruit instead of cookies
More tofu
Only brown rice, never white
Take fish oil
Take a vitamin
Give up tortilla chips
Get more sleep
More tea, less coffee
More water, less diet soda
And probably a dozen other things I’ve forgotten.

I never made a decision to do all these things at once. It began with dropping red meat and making sure I got plenty of fiber. Every week or two after that I added something new or made an improvement to my diet - a better food, new recipe or supplement. Each incremental change pushes just a little further towards my goal. I’m in a wheelchair - I don’t do anything fast! I’ve got 20 more pounds to lose and if it takes another year or so big deal.

What increments are coming up soon? Quinoa, Goji berries, red bush tea, an excellent rice and lentils recipe, marinated tofu (still perfecting that one) and a little more on supplements.