I've also been taking a closer look at calorie content in the things I eat. There is a curious thing about calories per serving in the food we eat--almost everything has 120-150 calories per serving. How could that be? Looking closer it becomes obvious: manufacturers simply adjust the serving size to bring the total calories into line. Tricky. Normally my serving size is the amount I feel like eating.
There are hundreds, wait, thousands, of diets out there. Too many for me to actually subscribe to any single one. Instead, I (with the agreement of my coach) have decided to subscribe to the following general rules for eating and drinking:
Fresh quality foods whenever possible: regular servings of fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs. When I want to snack, I grab an apple or banana, or handful of raw nuts.
Leaner meats: avoid fatty meats, chicken skin, etc.
Cut back a bit on the gluten: less bread and pasta.
Cut out processed sugar: no sodas, candies, added sugar, etc. I do indulge in a small bit of dark chocolate now and then to quench the sweet tooth.
Limit alcohol: A glass of red wine a couple days a week when I'm not training the next day.
The formula is really pretty basic:
calories in (greater than) calories out = gain weight
calories in (less than) calories out = lose weight
calories in (equal) calories out = neutral
So to drop those last few pounds I plan to kick up the volume a little, and keep the eating in check, watching closely that I don't lose strength (ie, muscle). It is also my hope that by eating quality food, and fueling properly on rides, I will keep my immune system strong and avoid getting sick.
This is just my own common sense approach to eating well!
Ken
