SF Chronicle: How I lost 11 pounds and still eat everything I want

When I meet people and they find out that I eat for a living, they want to know my secret and why I don’t weigh 300 pounds.

It’s not something I’ve thought about because I’ve never really had a weight problem, although, like many people, I’ve added a pound or so a year during the last decade

Last week, I went to the doctor for my annual check up and discovered I had lost 11 pounds which was more than 7 percent of my body weight. I knew I had lost several inches around the waist, but I wasn’t on a diet although I had made a few minor lifestyle changes.

My weight loss is a confluence of several factors, starting with good metabolism (thank you, Mom and Dad).

However in the past year I’ve upped my exercise routine from about 40 minutes on the treadmill to an hour, walking at about 4.4 miles an hour. About the same time I stopped my daily latte, cutting out the calories from the milk. It wasn’t because of weight, but more because I thought I might was becoming intolerant to  milk products. Still, in a year’s time those missing calories can add up to lost pounds.

Another secret weapon: Sheba who eats the leftovers and stares at me over the fence at Farmshop

One of the biggest factors is that I received a Jawbone Up, a wrist band designed to be worn 24-7 that records steps and sleep patterns. It can also record food intake, but for me that aspect is useless so I skip the daily food diary.
I’ve always been a walker, but wearing the band has brought activity front and center. I park down the block and walk to my front door; I take stairs instead of elevators, and if there’s a chance to walk or drive, I go for people power.

My eating patterns haven’t changed — I still order everything and eat as much as I want — though I  try to take home part of the protein for Sheba, who also maintains a svelte figure through exercise and her Brittney genes.

Another factor: As I increased my exercise I also began drinking coconut water, and my desk drawer is filled with cashews, almonds, peanuts and sunflower seeds. Does that mean I’m eating like a bird?

I skip breakfast, and if I’m not going out for a review I have a light lunch. If I get hungry in the afternoon I reach for a hand full of nuts. It feels like I’m actually eating more than I was before.

Article and Photos Sourced From:  http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/2014/06/24/how-i-lost-11-pounds-and-still-eat-everything-i-wanted/