At the beginning of 2011, I made a new year’s resolution to lose weight.  I was especially pushed towards the goal when Jack Lalanne died on January 23, 2011 at the age of 96.  Also my cardiologist put me on a treadmill as a routine check on my heart.  Just the thought of going through any heart disease surgery or treatment confirmed my determination to lose weight.

My focus was to eat more of a diet rich in fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, chicken, and nuts.  If I went out to eat my focus was to be choosy and eat about half of what was served.  The rest of the food would be put into a to go box for another meal.  A lot of my meals were simply prepared at home.  For lunch a lot of times, I would have a can of tuna with light salad dressing, some fresh fruits and vegetables.

I avoided milk and wheat products.  I drank soy milk for a milk substitute.  For breakfast instead of cereal, I ate an apple and/or additional fruit.  I found nuts were too many calories and eventually pretty much eliminated them.

Yes, I exercised by walking but I could do better in this exercise area.

I lost for the year about 32 pounds which made me feel successful for the year in my goal.  I can definitely tell a difference just walking around how much the extra weight added because I feel lighter.

My goal for next year in this area is to continue watching what I eat and exercise more.  I have more that I would like to lose but I made a significant change.  I really haven’t discussed too much publicly but my hope since others struggle with this problem to let them in on my secrets of weight loss.  Determination is a big part but eating the right foods makes a big difference.  Avoiding high carbohydrates such as cake, cookies, chips, and soda are important.  I did drink diet soda.

Do you feel any of this information could be helpful to you?