[MikeH]

I've been visiting this site for awhile now, and figured it was time to jump in. I'm a 53-yo male and have lost forty pounds over the last two years following my own eating plan. I am currently at 190 pounds and 16% body fat. I call it the "don't eat so freakin' much" diet! During the week I limit myself to 1500 calories per day, eating very low fat and no simple carbs. I eat small "micromeals" of about fifty calories (a pickle, some nuts, etc) every two hours so I never get hungry. On the weekends I don't much worry about what I eat, but usually opt for reasonably low calories and fairly low carbs.

I also work out nearly every day for an hour and a half, with a cardio workout every other day. While working out I listen to books on tape on a walkman. I consider the walkman the most important piece of exercise equipment!

My wife is following a low carb/high protein diet, and has lost about eighty pounds thus far on it over the past couple years. She still has a fair amount to go, but I don't much care as she is great as she is. Lolly also works out with a personal trainer three times a week and is quiet fit.

I just retired from 34 years as a boiler plant operator (the greatest job in the world), and now write full time. I have just published my second book, which is also my first novel.

[goofgirl]

Hi Mike,

Thank you so much for your post and welcome to the board! I've only been on this site for a week or two, but it's been very helpful to me. You are truly inspirational, as your wife is, also. Congratulations to both of you on your progress. Have you found it hard to maintain your eating plan? Sounds like you have a great program that works for you. I used to be an aspiring writer, but it seems like "real life" just gets in the way of my creativity. It's very cool that you have the time and motivation to write now that you're retired. I hope I can retire at 54. Are you working toward getting your novel published? Have you had any luck? Please keep us posted about how you and your wife are doing on maintaining your weightloss!

[mette]

Hi MikeH and welcome to 3FC!
It’s very nice that you decided to jump in and say hello. Congratulations on your great weight-loss (great name on the diet btw! ) and the book!
There are a lot of great people here: just look around in the different forums. You should definitely check out “Men's Corner”, the “Maintainers Forum”, and the “Exercise!” forums to see if you find someone you want to talk with and topics of interest.

I have been doing much the same as you: limiting calories to 1500 a day, eating healthy, lots of vegetables and fish, and exercising every day. I have been loosing weight for a long time now: I alternate between periods of loosing weight and maintaining the new weight. After years of yoyo-dieting I’m doing everything *very slowly* this time.

Hope you'll enjoy the boards!

[MikeH]

I'm sure you'll have success with that plan, mette. Just good ol' common sense stuff, I guess. And no, I don't have much trouble maintaining. I eat pretty much what I want on weekends (within reason), and by Monday am up a couple pounds. But during the week I am very strict with myself. For breakfast three eggs cooked in 1 tbs of olive oil half an hour prior to my workout. After my workout I usually have a protein drink (I like Edge) or 1/3 cup of low fat cottage cheese, or a small container of low carb yogurt. For lunch a spinach salad with 6 oz of tuna or a couple precooked chicken breasts. (I usually throw in some zucchini , a tomato, mushrooms, or other low calorie/carb veggie.) Dressing is usually 2 tbs of olive oil and balsamic vinegar with a little garlic powder thrown in. Olive oil is the only fat I allow during the week. Dinner is usually roast chicken, turkey breast, or a cup of bean soup. Sometimes I'll make a wrap using low carb tortillas and some kind of lean meat. If I get hungry later I'll have 1/3 cup of nuts or a piece of fruit. I love cheese, but never touch the stuff during the week. I eat a lot of protein because I do a really heavy workout and don't want to lose muscle. Of course, I down a great amount of water, usually over a gallon per day on week days, and a bit less on the weekends. I drink two cups of coffee, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I never drink soft drinks, and have a glass of red wine most evenings.

Right now I'm experimenting with a sort of high protein salsa comprised of corn, black beans, tomatoes, mild diced peppers, chopped green peppers, and cilantro, seasoned with chili powder and taco seasoning. I'm gonna have this stuff for dinner tonight, and will report...

As far as being difficult to stay on my eating plan, well it is really just a matter of getting into a habit. I've heard that it takes about three weeks to get into a habit, and that sounds about right. I find it fairly easy, mainly because I don't have to waste time wondering what I'm going to eat next. I already *know* what I'm going to eat at any given time because I've got it planned way ahead. In fact, I have just finished making my spinach salads for next week.

Goofgirl, I've been writing for thirty years, mainly for myself but with the occasional magazine article. Like I said, boiler plant operator is the greatest job in the world. Hours and hours with little to do unless something goes wrong gives plenty of time to write. You'd think with all that writing I'd finally learn to spell, but thank God for spell checkers!

I published my first novel last summer. (One reason I can retire, although believe me it isn't exactly a best-seller! Not many people make much money writing, and I cannot claim to be one of the lucky few.) It is called *Satan's Gold* and is an adventure novel about treasure hunting. The book can be ordered in any chain book store, or on Amazon. (Hint hint!)