The J-Doc Monoblogs Are Back!

Well, I certainly am a man of many diets.  I have tried everything.  I suppose the problem is that it should not really be diets, they should be general lifestyle adjustments in regards to food.  Completely banning foods from my "diet" is not the way to go.  Its just about making better choices each and every time I eat.

In my 16 years of "yo-yo" dieting, there have been 2 that REALLY went well.
1 - Senior Year of College, I did weight watchers - just the counting points part.  Lost about 30 pounds while eating better and exercising a lot.  Ben and I ran every weekday morning at 5:30 and went to the gym 3-4 times a week.
2 - The original J-Doc Monoblogs a few years ago.  Lost 28 pounds - eating better and exercising, once again.

The key to both of those was the logging of all food/drink intake.  Weight Watchers was a way to keep myself honest to myself.  It gave a limit of how much to eat, but didn't tell you what to eat.  I have chosen to go back to the blog because my own personal logging wasn't helping this time.  I need the public ridicule.  Last time I did this, i was amazed at how many people actually were following it.  I can't imagine why people would waste their time looking at what I eat, but I guess I can make it a little entertaining at times.  The more people who are watching, the less opportunities I will have to screw up.

SOOO, once again, here are the rules of Joe's latest Diet of Convenience.  Enjoy and let's see how this goes!


MY JOBS:

1. STOP SUCKING AT LIFE!!! (My diet life, that is. Let's be honest, I'm AWESOME at the rest of life) :-D
2. Go to grocery store and keep stocked of good, healthy foods
3. take the time to cook instead of grabbing fast food/etc
4. Get back to the gym for lifting AND cardio
5. Stop making excuses and start making right choices
6. Follow the rules I created (below)
7. NEVER LIE to my people who are following the blog. I will not, I promise. That would defeat the purpose.

YOUR JOBS: (if you wish to take part)

1. Let me know if you are actually following this. The more who follow, the more apt I am to do well!
2. If you are out with me, do not push me to eat more than I order
3. Do not offer me your leftovers
4. If you are out with me, you are welcome to question my choices of food and remind me that I have to make better choices!
5. If we are out, and I am not drinking, deal with it and realize that I am fun as hell, regardless of whether or not I am drinking. Look at it this way, i can be the DD if I'm not drinking! This is an especially big one because in the past, I have been to many bars with many people, and have drank countless glasses of water. Although some people are cool with it, many others spend too much time making me explain myself and then try to convince me to do otherwise. We are not 17. There is no peer pressure to drink. You have your beer, and I'll have my water if i choose!
6. Yell at me if you see me making bad choices. I really don't want people to tell me I'm doing poorly, so if you do, it will motivate me to do better!!!
7. Realize that no matter what you eat or drink, there is probably SOMETHING wrong with it.  If i'm eating a "Healthy Choice" meal for lunch, I know its loaded with sodium.  But its so much better than eating 4 chicken fingers, 2 cookies, mac & cheese and some fries.  So realize that not every food will be perfect.  it just needs to be better than it WOULD have been.

SOME OF MY J-DOC LIMITATIONS:
**I do not want to "Diet" in an unrealistic way. i want to try to do something i can keep up with for an extended period of time (forever). This means that I will not be forcing myself to not eat things, I just need to limit how much i have and how often i have it.

1. Pizza: Pizza is fine. 1 slice. With or without toppings, and not more than once a day. I should not have any appetizers with that. Just the one slice.
2. Soda: Diet only, and only if necessary.  Try to do more seltzer.
3. Water: 1 gallon a day is the best.  Not always easy to remember to drink it all, but just drink lots of water.
4. Breakfast Sandwiches: 1-2 a week is ok, even with the Taylor Ham, BUT no bagels. Wheat toast please! And egg whites if possible
5. Beer: Keep it to light if possible and don't just have a beer for the sake of having a beer.  Save the beer drinking for a night out at the bar.
6. Breakfast in General: Fruit Smoothies would be the best, egg whites, Cheerios with skim milk. Breakfast should be prepared at home. No excuses. There is no need to buy breakfast, since it usually ends up being unhealthy.  Stay away from Dunkin!  But if you must go, get an egg white flatbread.
7. Evening: No late night eating. All attempts should be made to eat the last meal by 8pm and the last small snack before 9:30. TGI Fridays, Applebees, 1/2 price apps are a NO-NO. I can go, but I do not eat/drink. Stick to Water. (Maybe a salad?) I can hang out, but don't let me order my triple chocolate meltdown, boneless buffalo wings, crap like that.
8. Snacking: 100 calorie packs are good because they are small and tasty. Salads at home are awesome, fruits veggies, etc. I always have them in the house, so I need to eat them!
9. Frequency: I should be eating frequently and small portions. This will keep me from eating huge meals!
10. Vacations/parties: SOMEHOW, i need to keep it contained on vacations and at parties. Limit the ridiculousness of larger/fun events. This is currently my worst.
11. Buffets: not allowed! Under any circumstance. I will allow myself a buffet for every 10 pounds I lose, although I don't necessarily HAVE to go.
12. Fast Food: Its ok to go, but no super-sizing, only one sandwich, and try to get a bottle of water with the meal instead of a soda.  
13. Money: Get over the fact that it costs more to diet.  Also, get over the fact that a bottle of water may cost $1.50 at a restaurant when i could get a case for $4.  Deal with the $1.50 and drink the water instead of getting a soda, gatorade, or other options. 

Ok, Thats all i can think of for now. I will add to the rules if I think of any. These rules shall take effect immediately.

JOEY V