Let me help you diet

I think at lunch yesterday I spied a 'former fatty.' A dude at a table across from me ordered a small cup of soup and a medium sized plate of steamed, plain broccoli.

I don't think 'a plate of broccoli' was an actual. official menu item amd I think for good reason. It's my opinion that even the most dedicated of Seattle's granola types could and would have found and chosen something tastier--but still healthy. His choice, IMO, was most likely the result of a strict diet or very strict maintenance. Steamed, plain broccoli when eating out is beyond, "I like to eat healthy."

Steamed broccoli is what you eat when you're still totally dependent on your group leaders food advice, related pamphlet information and calorie count publications. (or are in a diet war with Cameron). It says, "I haven't yet learned for myself the science of losing weight and I still think a handful of nuts is always a better option than an oreo cookie. (and/or, "to beat Cameron I have to like eat nothing but grass and water.")

I agree, broccoli is very low cal, but generally 'sample diet plans' advise these slimer-than-slim entrees to make up for 2 snacks within the day which will be regular yogurt, regular cheese or nuts along with a piece of fruit. That my friends will cost 2 or 3 hundred calories--just at snack time!--yet skipping snacks would allow a thick turkey sandwich instead of broccoli for lunch and still result in you being completely within your plan. That's usually the more sustainable long term plan, in my opinion, again unless you live in fear that veering outside your intial very legalistic diet, in any way, will result in you blimping back up.

I'm not a believer than one has to or should eat 5 or 6 times a day to lose weight or keep it off. Twelve to fourteen hundred calories divided by 5 or 6 results in nothingness. If you do believe that approach is necessary, yea, you'll have to 'eat tiny' and gravitate towards barely edible things such a rough unflavored mini-shrubs.

Eating every few hours might be attractive to people whose thoughts are obsessive when it comes to food or have bad afternoon or evening snacking habits, and I am not sure those people are as likely to find success on any plan. I vote for not parceling out mini meals every 3 hours. Learn the science so you can dump the sample diet plans.

The other reason I got this hunch about this dudes history was cuz when I would look over at him he'd look at me with a "Are you looking at me?" kinda look. I wanted to say, "Dude, you can totally do better than this girl with snarly hair, no makeup and wearing yoga clothing who doesn't actually do yoga. Chillax."

Anyway, there you have my very loosely drawn conclusion based upon a belief that although alot of veggies are tasty, plain broccoli is not a lunch.

What 'Normal' People Do

So I left for the gym at 2:30am last night, ya know as per usual. I couldn't sleep and after about 2 sweaty hours (it's hot and humid right now) on our moisture encouraging leather couch I decided to put my energy to use. I'm a member of 24hr Fitness and the nearest location, West Seattle, was open, sort-of.

Upon arrival the gym door was open but inside was not nary a soul 'cept a cleaning crew of two. I waited at the check-in counter for 2-3 minutes wondering why the heck not a single worker-out-er nor gym staff member was anywhere within sight. I mean this is America, where gyms are open 24hrs because people like to actually use them at all 24 hours of the day.

I inquired of one 'a the cleaning dudes, the scarier looking one--cuz that makes sense--who proceeded to indicate he had no idea whether any staff were actually in the building. Deciding that our 2 second interaction was more than enough face time for me, I left the building. I would have had no problem using the gym (whose machines were on) without having gone through a proper check-in, but I wasn't much feelin up for any 2 or 3 person parties of the weird or violent kind, and I didn't really know for sure that the former wouldn't have been on the menu.

Not wanting to waste a trip out, and now more awake than before with my car stereo blaring (ok, blaring to me is probably quiet according to true thumpsters) Timbaland's 'The Way I Are' I drove my 'lil race-ster Mazda to the downtown 24hr Fitness location. See, ya gotta love early AM downtown trips which let you park wherever ya want to, including right in front of the gym.

This gym was staffed. People (3) were working out. My workout was good. I didn't get answers on why West Seattle had been abandoned, though I asked. I guess, all future late night gym sessions will lead me downtown, which is just as close and probably safer, somewhat surprisingly.