Eating Smart & Healthy - part I

 

In 1987, at the young age of 40, I quit smoking, drinking alcohol, eating red meat, fried food, and sugars.  These feats were accomplished COLD TURKEY.

However, after the first couple of years, possible more but I doubt it, I allowed myself to CHEAT.

I ate:

• 3-4 hamburgers a year
• 3-4 pizzas a year
• 1-2 beef hotdogs a year
• KFC once or twice a year
• 1-2 glasses of wine at New Year's
• 1-2 Snickers a year

My cholesterol (both good and bad) varies from 84-91 which is not that bad at all.

Why did I do this?

My doctor told me that if I quit smoking at the age of 40, I could reclaim 90% of the damage, maybe more, that had been done to my body.

I went from 250 lbs down to 210 lbs over a period of years that has now stabilized at 215 and have maintained that to my current age of 77.5 which I consider to be a pretty damn good accomplishment.

My diet is comprised of:  chicken, turkey, salmon, cod, tuna, yogurt, bran, beans of all sorts, basmati rice, vegetables, a few nuts and fruit.  I eat moderately; small meals five times a day works best for meal - those meals include snacks.

Counting calories is also done on an intermittent basis where I have a goal of 2,000/day or less, never to exceed 2,500.  Although, there is this trick that I often employ.  If I eat 1,500 one day, then 2,500 the next day, I still average out to 2,000.  This helps maintain the goal.