I've always been skinny. I'm five feet, eleven inches tall. On 1 July 2005, when I was 48 years old, my weight reached 177 pounds. It had been in the 170s for some time, but seeing "177" on the scale shocked me. I knew that unless I did something, I would be seeing "180" soon. I resolved to lose weight. Since weight is a function of caloric intake and caloric expenditure, and since I was already expending a great many calories during running and cycling, the only thing to do was to limit my caloric intake. Four years ago today, having thought it over, I began a 2,000-calories-per-day diet. It was probably unwise to go so low, but I did.
The weight began to come off. Every Friday morning, like clockwork, I recorded my weight in a computer file. I thought I'd settle in at 160, but when I got there, I still had some flab on my midsection and decided to go further, to 155. I reached 155 on 28 April 2006, less than a year after I started the diet. During that time, as the weight came off, I increased my caloric intake to 2,200 calories per day. I knew that I would continue to lose weight with that limit, just not as fast. Was I ever hungry during this time? You bet. But knowing that I had only so many calories per day made me wiser in many ways. For example, it forced me to eat smaller meals, so as not to use up all of my calories early in the day. I went to bed hungry many times. Once you fall asleep, hunger pangs go away.
Since 28 April 2006, a period of more than three years, my weight (still recorded every Friday) has fluctuated betweeen 151.5 and 159 pounds. Most of the time, I weigh between 153 and 157 pounds. I monitor my weight. If I weigh 156 pounds on a given day, I know that I must eat less for a couple of days. If I get down to 154, I know that I can eat a little extra that day. I love to eat. You're probably thinking that I don't love to eat as much as you do. You're wrong. One can love to do X while hating the consequences of doing X (more precisely, the consequences of overindulging in X).
It may seem crazy to you that I'm so vigilant about my weight. I don't think it's the least bit crazy. In fact, it seems the height of wisdom. Weight, as everyone knows, is important to health. Obesity is causally related to a great many diseases. I want to be healthy. Why would I not monitor and regulate my weight? If you want to lose weight, do what I did. Pick a caloric limit and stick to it. Be patient. The weight will come off. If you backslide, you defeat your purpose, so summon as much willpower as you can. Be strong. You can do it. As for how to count calories, it's simple. Almost all food items have the number of calories on the label. Keep a calculator, a scale, and a writing pad on your kitchen counter. I know, for example, that 20 saltine crackers comes to 240 calories and four grams of protein. (I ensure that I get 68 grams of protein a day.) If you need help in choosing a caloric limit, go here. Good luck! Feel free to keep me posted on your progress.
Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 