Meal Plan

 

I'm pleased to report I'm down 10+ percent in weight from my early pandemic high. I miss some of what I had to cut out to achieve this, namely reining in my sweet tooth. But I feel and look better, and I'm investing in the one body I've been given and that I plan to use for a very long time.

I've been blessed with good health and good metabolism in particular, and was fortunate to have parents who helped me build good habits for exercise and diet. Nevertheless, it takes effort to be healthy, and despite the humongous payoff, even someone as disciplined as I consider myself to be needed to resort to some trickery to keep honest.

Specifically, I decided to take a cue from Instagram influencers, mostly incredibly fit models and very glamorous celebs, and post my meals every night. I am by no means a foodie or a chef, preferring quantity over quality and more than happy to go cheap rather than trendy. I will admit a slight artistic bent to my pics, in terms of sweating a bit over color and lighting. But mostly it's a mundane accounting of what I ate that day.

However, that little nudge has proven to make a big difference. My goal is not to show off how pretty my food is, how rich my tastes, or how spartan my appetite. And, I still eat a goodly amount, including sweets. But, knowing I have to snap and post does create just enough of a prod to think twice about whether I need to snack in between meals or tack on a third dessert after dinner.  

Not sure how long I'll keep up this food journal or if those who follow me on social are tired of yet another spinach and mushroom omelet in the morning. So far it's worked and I'm feeling great. What do you do that helps you?