In my My Six Month Goals: March 2010 – August 2010 article from earlier this month, I talked about losing weight as being one of my goals. But one thing I have discovered (to my dismay) since entering my 40s is it isn’t as easy to keep the weight off.
Throughout my 30s, I pretty much kept the same weight (between 180 to 190) which is about right for my 6’2” frame. But since hitting 40, my weight has slowly increased to around the 230 mark. Bleh.
It isn’t an unhealthy weight but it isn’t good either. My family has a history of cancer and diabetes which is one huge reason to be concerned about my weight. Another reason is I have a lot planned for my life. So getting my weight back on track and (most importantly) keeping it on track is paramount. And lastly, I want to be a healthy example for my kids. How many times have you seen overweight parents with overweight kids?
My New High-Protein Meal Plan
So I put some thought into how I can get my weight back on track. I didn’t want to jump on some fad diet nor did I want to deprive myself of the foods I enjoy. To me, that isn’t the way to go. I also wanted the new plan to help me put on body mass which will help me burn fat but also make the wifey happy.
My research has led me to try a high-protein diet. This isn’t the same thing as the Atkins Diet which is not calorie controlled and allows for a high amount of fat. A high-protein diet is pretty much a diet high in protein with 30% to 40% of the daily allowance of calories coming from proteins. While the amount of proteins will be increased, the amount of carbohydrates (especially the white variety such as bread, rice, potatoes, etc.) will be limited along with sugar, fruits, and certain vegetables.
Last week, I took this new meal plan out for a test drive to see if I would not only like it but also to see how it would make me feel (sluggish, hungry, etc.). I can honestly say I have found this new “diet” to be not only easy to follow but I also had more energy and didn’t get hungry as often as before. I even lost a couple of pounds!
Here is roughly what I had each day last week:
Breakfast
3 eggs (sunny-side up) and couple pieces of bacon
Lunch
Black beans (3/4 cup)
Tuna (1/2 can)
Tomato slices (2 – 3)
Snack
Cheese stick
Dinner
Meat
2 kinds of vegetables (usually carrots, broccoli, or peas)
Snack
Either cheese or banana
Now I’m not recommending you follow this diet. I just listed what I had to give you an idea of what is possible. I also drank a lot of water which is what everyone should be doing anyway regardless of what kind of meal plan you follow. This week, I will begin working out with dead weights in order to build muscle to help burn more fat.
The one drawback I have found regarding this new meal plan is how alcohol intake has to be limited. I enjoy having a drink here and there. So now I have to limit it to no more than twice in a two week period due to high carb content found in most alcohol.
I will definitely be posting on here my progress as I work my weight back down and get myself back into my size 36 pants again. Are you trying to deflate that tire going around your waist? Are you in the process of losing weight? Let us know what you are doing in the comments below. Thanks!
Photo courtesy of Idyllopus
