As a skinny kid I fought for years to gain a quarter-inch on my bicep. Then, one day, we discover our metabolism has changed. Now I am desperately trying to get rid of the cushiony little, or not so little, layer of fat that has developed around those hard-earned muscles; my fifties has brought the opposite problem of my twenties.
How to lose weight? I went down to my local bookstore and bought an overpriced cup of mocha cinnamon sweet delight temptation and since they had a special of the day a nice little chocolate mango bagel with absolutely no hydrogenated fat. I read a short article about Brangelina while I drank and ate as I didn't want to spill on the books.
When I finished my brief repast, I walked into the diet section. Wow, what a boom industry this has become. Low-fat, low-carb, no starch, no meat, no exercise, chocolates only, no sweets, eat that, not that, organic only, don't worry about organic, eat like a caveman. Soon my head was swimming.
Grabbing three of the coolest looking covers...I mean, most interesting books...I went back over to the bookstore coffee shop and had a "skinny drink and low-fat snack." All this was really confusing and all the books had studies showing their strategies really worked. What to do?
Having gained two pounds at the bookstore, I went home to begin my Internet investigation. After hours of reading articles with countless pop-ups selling books, devices, DVDs, personal consultations, and even dirty phone calls, I began to wonder if we really know the truth about weight loss or weight gain or even exercise. In fact, the more I looked into things (by the way the phone calls are a waste of time) the more I realized all diets work if you follow them, but you have to find what you can live with.
Crime fighters have a unique problem. Our shifts often make it tough to pick and choose our food plans. I have known some who brought the proverbial brown bag lunch, but for us our meals are also part of our socialization, our warrior bread-breaking ritual. Strict diets and rigid exercise programs work fine for someone in an office. But walking into my favorite restaurant after two bar fights and a domestic on swing shift, I was mighty hungry and ready to debrief with JW or Sam or whoever could clear for a meal and celebration of the great adventure of crime fighting.
So, what hat really works and fits the lifestyle of the modern non-cave dwelling, not rich enough to have a personal chef, meat loving crime fighter?
Well, 15 pounds lighter, I can say the Greek warriors were right: Moderation is the key. I started following the "Eat This, Not That" restaurant guide as I am on the road all the time and I quit eating so damn much food. Now I do exercise some too...not as much as I like...but when I have time I do good old fashioned interval training.
Finally, I did one thing my doctor asked me to do, and research says works, and that is simply write down everything you eat. When I read some of the stuff I eat I am amazed and feel a tad guilty, which helps me cut back on the next meal.
So, with 15 more pounds to go and hunger gnawing at my stomach, I find myself looking over at my dusty abs training machine leaning against the wall next to my full-body training swing-rapidly blade and think, I'll head to the gym after a light lunch!
