Everything I’ve read points to the same approach: a more plant-based diet. Apart from the proven health benefits (and they really do seem to be proven), it’s just common sense that this would cut down or eliminate all the crap I’ve been eating, and that in turn should help with weight loss.
A few months ago I did a simple online questionnaire about my normal diet. Honestly, I’d have claimed it was pretty healthy. On completing the questionnaire, I realised how awful it was. For almost every ‘good’ food they threw at me, I had to admit eating it only rarely.
So a plant-based approach to food it is then.
Now, I’m not a moral vegan, and I’m also not going to let an improved diet take over my life. So I’m resolving to always eat really good stuff at home, and simply try to eat better than before when I’m out. It’s doable, but will it be enough? We shall see.
How Not To Die
The book I mentioned in my first post here, Michael Greger’s How Not To Die, is going to be my starting point. It keeps coming up in the healthy eating course I’ve been on, and it does seem to be very highly regarded (with caveats about some of the health claims). However, following its principles makes a lot of sense.
Dr Greger has developed a (rather neat) ‘daily dozen’ checklist to complete each day. This consists of 10 different foods which should be consumed, as well as sufficient drink and sufficient exercise. The list is as follows, with the recommended ‘servings’ (whatever they are) in brackets:
- Beans (3 ‘servings’)
- Berries (1)
- Other Fruits (3)
- Cruciferous Vegetables (1)
- Greens (2)
- Other Vegetables (2)
- Flaxseed (1)
- Nuts and Seeds (1)
- Herbs and Spices (1)
- Whole Grains (3)
- Drinks (1.5 – 2 litres)
- Exercise (90 min. moderate or 40 min. vigorous)
OK, checklists I can follow. Indeed, my son has immediately created a nice Google Sheet to monitor progress. You can get a copy here.
I’ll give it a go and report back.