How my diet worked

A couple of years ago, I went to the doctor for a checkup and to get my prescription refilled for whatever the newest acid reflux medicine that was available. For the first time ever, my blood pressure was high, so naturally, the doctor asked me that fateful question about family history. I'll be brief: it's rampant.

I was also the heaviest then that I had ever been - 198 lbs. That was enough to convince me that it was time for a real diet. It was also the time that South Beach, Atkins, and assorted other diets were the big craze. So, which diet did I choose?

None of them. I researched probably a dozen different diets, weight loss plans, and workout regimens, most of which wouldn't work for me for one or more reasons. I believe greatly in the KISS saying: Keep It Simple, Stupid! Therefore I needed something that was easy to do and remember, not something I would have to carry around on a note card and refer to anytime I went out to eat or to the grocery store.

Keeping with the simple idea, I settled on information I got from How Stuff Works. Look there for more info on the ins and outs of the diet, but it comes down to this:

1. Multiply the weight you want to be at by 12 (my example - 170 x 12 = 2040). This is roughly the total number of calories per day your body needs to keep your vital organs alive.
2. Stay under this number. Calories in must be less than calories burnt for weight loss to occur.
3. 3500 calories = 1 pound - this works either way you go.

It really is that simple. For calorie counting, I made up a little Excel spreadsheet, though for the first month I just wrote things down on a post-it (note: I was very harsh on myself for the first month; no snacking, nothing but water to drink, etc.). Also, realize that excercise adds to your max daily number; in my case, a mile walk ups my necessary calories to 2140. I strongly do recommend that you don't just change your diet, though that will work, it'll just take longer. Generally speaking, 3 times a week helps maintain, 5 times makes a difference.

My end results were about 25 to 30 pounds weight loss, an inch and a half off my waist. Your mileage may vary. Feel free to comment or email me for more info or to tell me how wrong I am.