Dietary Guidelines and Superfruits

Diet – the very word conjures up bad feelings. Is it eating too much or just the wrong thing? Can pomegranate and rice really change your life? Exactly what the hell is a superfruit? (I’m thinking Ru Paul) Maybe I should move to Scarsdale, or South Beach, or the Mediterranean. If the French can drink wine and eat fatty sauces and cheeses and lose weight, you can probably drink beer and eat chicken wings and lose weight. Otherwise it’s just not fair, and everyone knows the world has to be fair – it’s the reason that we have a Supreme Court and a Congress and a President. Guess that last part kind of blows the whole concept out of the water.


So, life isn’t fair and diet is nothing more that what you eat. Some guidelines to follow come from a nutritionist that discussed lowering blood sugar and maintaining a reasonable weight. First, if you’re used to eating from a ten inch plate, switch to an eight inch plate. Limit your protein (read meat, fish, or fowl) to a serving about the size of a normal deck of cards; keep your starches (read rice, pasta, and potatoes – although grains are greatly preferred) to about half to two thirds of a cup; and fill up the rest of your plate with vegetables. That is the crux of it – with other suggestions.

Green, leafy vegetables are preferred over starchy non-green ones. Legumes may be substituted for other proteins (and probably should be - at least twice a week). A quarter of a cup of gravy on that half to two thirds cup of rice, pasta or potatoes; and don’t eat dessert every night. Four small meals are better than two extra-large ones; and eat something when you get up.

If you are going to make rules, make them easy to quantify; and understand that it is not the end of the world (or even your diet) if you occasionally break them. The more days you stick to your rules, the quicker that you will lose weight, but as long as you are not gaining weight – don’t worry about it. Lose weight, but don’t obsess over it.

Almost to the end of my eighth week and 218 lbs.- and I had a check up with my doctor, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol are all good. I’m still trying to get them under control with out the medication. I just wrote a Raspberry Tiramisu recipe, so I’ll post that later.