On the Road to Shangri-La

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39100598890987882722011-11-24T00:55:52.660-05:00On the Road to Shangri-LaMy Journey on the Shangri-La DietAlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.comBlogger721100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-18436680799447337502010-04-05T10:48:00.003-04:002010-04-05T10:51:08.281-04:00This Week's Progress

Down five pounds in week one.Not unexpected, as we all know the SLD really works if you stick with it.I've also returned to my gym regimen. 45 minutes daily on the Stairmaster for now.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-48139659821257037252010-04-02T09:11:00.004-04:002010-04-02T10:26:22.063-04:00The Shangri-La Diet Store

The Shangri-La Diet Store is open for business.Anything and everything you need to make your SLD experience easy and successful can be found here.Check it out, and if there is something SLD-related that you need and you don't see, please let me know.(Photo: trawin)

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-43367319745871909322010-03-30T15:57:00.006-04:002010-03-30T16:11:30.921-04:00Last Supper Serving Sizes Going Up

Well, it's not just Americans and not just in recent decades.As reported in The Los Angeles Times, a research project involving studying dozens of versions of "The Last Supper" painted over a 1,000 year period has indicated that serving and plate sizes have been inching up over time.That tells me that the problem that we are facing is not a new one, but the solution is simple nonetheless: don't

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-30426211410551154892010-03-30T08:23:00.004-04:002010-03-30T09:14:11.945-04:00Back On the Oil!

After a hiatus, I've put on a few pounds and some I'm doing the logical thing...going back on the SLD.There was really no good reason for going off on the first place, so I'm not going to make excuses.As before, I'll be tracking my progress here. So stay tuned.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-3534944175253308722010-03-29T17:33:00.005-04:002010-03-29T17:50:49.169-04:00Weight Watchers and the Shangri-La Diet

Summer is coming and I to many of us that means really cracking down and getting serious with our weight loss programs.A great way to increase your chances of success, is to combine the Shangri-La Diet with another proven program.Weight Watchers is a great program, and I've been very successful with it in the past.Here are some of my tips for success plus the "secret" formula to decode Weight

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-43878391981162365752010-01-20T11:02:00.004-05:002010-01-20T11:11:42.494-05:00Seth Roberts on Animal Fat

The man himself has been saying that animal fat is really not all that bad for you. There is some soon to be published research that backs him up.Check out his blog post for all the details.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-52579181381271408042009-09-29T20:29:00.002-04:002009-09-29T20:30:59.732-04:00The Shangri-La Diet Store

Check out the Shangri-La Diet Store.Everything you need for your Shangri-La Diet success: Oil, Measuring Cups, Scales, Body Fat Monitors, etc.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-90144407436975695122009-04-16T23:18:00.004-04:002009-04-16T23:22:09.423-04:00Four Surprising Uses for Olive Oil

This article gives four uses for olive oil.No mention of the SLD, but of course we all know that one already.Link: 4 Surprising Uses for Olive Oil(Photo: indigoprime)

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-6436483078983290372009-04-11T23:01:00.001-04:002009-04-11T23:03:03.331-04:00Shangri-La Diet Facebook Group

There is one, and you can find it here.It only has a few members right now, but I'd encourage all SLD enthusiasts to join up.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-12832003257865614072009-03-08T14:02:00.004-04:002009-03-08T14:08:42.974-04:00Cut the Calories, Lose the Weight

It's that simple, and this article pretty much sums up what all of us on the SLD already know: eat less, cut out the calories and you will lose weight.You can cut out the fat or not, eat protein or not, etc. but the bottom line is that you need to eat less food, which will translate in less calories which will translate into weight loss.Link: Diets that Reduce Calories Lead to Weight Loss(Photo:

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-55094357684067325912009-02-14T12:17:00.003-05:002009-02-14T12:26:58.347-05:00Eating At Home: Cheaper and Leaner

This article talks about how in today's economic climate, people are eating home more, snacking less and not buying "ditto foods". It even mentions Seth Roberts by name.Link: Time to Short Jenny Craig?(Photo: anyjazz65)

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-67637318643618850702009-02-04T07:18:00.003-05:002009-02-04T07:30:17.136-05:00Worst Supermarket Foods

We all know that a lot of what you can find at your local supermarket is bad for you. This article identifies the worst of the worst.Some of these items are really amazing with regard to how caloric they are. For example, a single Pillsbury white chocolate macadamia nut cookie has 180 calories and 10 grams of fat!My favorite feature of the article is that the author actually presents a healthier

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-73926628911160814632009-02-01T09:41:00.004-05:002009-02-01T09:51:05.117-05:00Some Of Us Need To Be Re-wired

This article presents a sobering view that many of us might just be hard-wired to overeat.They talk about developing drugs or "behavior interventions" to modify this. I do wonder if the SLD could in fact be one of those "behavior interventions" that they are talking about.I think that the AS brought on by the SLD while not permanently re-wiring us certainly has the same net effect.Link: Some

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-88459023022413051472009-01-31T10:00:00.003-05:002009-01-31T10:08:00.283-05:00The Difference Between Men and Women

This article from Time Magazine discusses some of the reasons why men usually seem to have an easier time losing weight than women.Years back I was in a Weight Watchers group at my office. The group was about 90% women, but the few of us guys that were there seemed to have a much easier time losing weight.Some of that can be attributed to the fact that the guys got many more "points" to work with

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-29973700234989037832009-01-30T09:20:00.005-05:002009-01-30T14:04:35.605-05:00On Having a Skinny President

For those of us trying to lose weight, does it help inspire you if the leader of your country is skinny?Let's face it, Clinton was pretty fat and although W. was a fit guy (apparently he ran every day) I would not exactly call him skinny.Obama is out-and-out skinny (something many of us have never been able to identify with).When Clinton was running for office, did you look at him and "identify"

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-41837774680842102072009-01-26T09:13:00.002-05:002009-01-30T09:16:08.697-05:00This Week's Results

Down another pound for a total of 22 lbs. of weight loss.I've been on the SLD for 3 months now and the worst I've done for any given week is stay even!

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-53035914885584990232009-01-16T22:31:00.004-05:002009-01-16T22:40:15.970-05:00Eating Only When You're Hungry

CNN has this article which addresses one of the fundamental keys for success on the SLD: only eating when you are actually hungry.It talks about the need to control serving sizes, since we have a tendency to finish whatever is on our plate, whether we're still hungry or not.Many of use eat until we're "stuffed", not stopping when we are simply "full."This is important to keep in mind when on the

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-55305456564628470672009-01-14T07:31:00.005-05:002009-01-14T09:55:36.672-05:00Playing Squash

When trying to lose weight, regular exercise is essential. The emphasis here is on the word regular. You can't really exercise one-a-week and expect very much in the way of results.Many people hit the gym, but I think a great alternative is to get involved with playing a sport on a regular basis -- preferably one that you can play year-round.My sport of choice for the past few years has been

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-4952351187302161512009-01-13T11:27:00.006-05:002009-01-13T12:50:04.443-05:00Saving Money While Losing Weight

Saving money is a good thing.Losing weight is also a good thing.Accomplishing them both is a very good thing.One of the nice benefits of the SLD when compared to other weight loss plans is the relatively low cost.For example, I've been buying 51 oz. bottles of ELOO at Stop-and-Shop for $11.50.At my rate of consumption, (4 tbs./day) that's less than 50-cents per day for the ELOO.Couple that with

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-74553798413167796002009-01-12T09:13:00.003-05:002009-01-12T09:16:03.103-05:00This Week's Results

Yet again, one more pound lost for a total weight loss of 21 lbs.My squash partner has just returned from vacation, so the exercise should be starting back up again.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-60976853639955710082009-01-10T11:24:00.005-05:002009-01-10T11:45:40.198-05:00The New York Times Gives Us Some Web Sites

We all have our favorite weight loss websites. Hopefully the site you are reading now is one of them.This article in the New York Times lists a bunch of web resources for supporting your weight loss efforts. Some of these are designed for tracking your food consumption.One great thing about the SLD is that you don't require any tracking tools. I had a very successful Weight Watchers experience

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-7390800605164066942009-01-09T22:42:00.006-05:002009-01-09T22:50:43.847-05:00Top 10 Fitness Myths

This article lists many common misconceptions about fitness.Many of them might surprise you. The one about water consumption surprised me quite a bit.And since I'm a vegetarian, I'm in denial about item #3!Link: The Top 10 Fitness Myths You're Probably Wrong About(Photo: kevindooley)

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-91632469964527018452009-01-05T10:06:00.003-05:002009-01-05T10:08:28.493-05:00This Week's Results

1 more pound lost for a total (drumroll please) of 20 lbs. of weight loss.I still have a way to go, but this is a major milestone for me.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-64645043350656008202009-01-04T15:37:00.006-05:002009-01-04T15:51:37.597-05:00Some SLD Gear

You don't need too much in the way of "accessories" to get going on the SLD. One thing that I've found helpful are these mini measuring cups.They are calibrated in cups, ounces, tbs. and ml. (pretty much anything you would need).For taking my daily doses, I pour the ELOO into the cup up to my dosage, and they fill it up the rest of the way with cold water. I then drink it right out of the cup (

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-28105492879855311362009-01-03T17:59:00.005-05:002009-01-05T10:14:45.923-05:00CNN Gives Us 5 Small Changes to Help Lose Weight

This article from CNN gives five really simple, small lifestyle changes that we all can make which can help lose weight.Incorporating any (or even better, all) of these with the SLD will enhance your weight loss experience.That's one more great thing about the SLD. When you find ideas like this, there is no problem incorporating them into the "program." Mainly because there really is no "program

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-24341142246140242822009-01-02T22:10:00.004-05:002009-01-02T22:25:37.822-05:00Measuring Your Body Fat

I track my weight (in lbs.), other people track their body-mass index (BMI).Yet another alternative is to calculate your body-fat percentage.This website can calculate it for you. It' s only necessary to provide your weight and some body measurements (you'll need a tape measure).A normal healthy male should have between 12-18% body fat, a female between 19-25%.Link: Home Body Fat Test(Photo:

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-422508495359936012008-12-31T15:15:00.003-05:002008-12-31T15:17:29.503-05:00Happy New Year!

A happy and a healthy new year to all!(and take it easy on the champagne tonight, it's got lots of calories!)

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-82507778726086846212008-12-29T09:58:00.006-05:002009-01-09T22:54:30.291-05:00This Week's Results

Holding at the same weight as last week (217 lbs.) for a total weight loss of 19 lbs.(this is not surprising, since I had almost no exercise last week - not to make excuses but my squash partner is away on vacation)I'll be leaving 2008 lighter than when I entered it, and I hope to say the same for 2009.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-61535839217673920962008-12-27T15:50:00.005-05:002008-12-27T16:00:31.339-05:00A Tribute to the Single Pizza Slice...In Haiku Form

I eat just one sliceI used to eat multipleNow one is enoughMy usual "pizza meal" used to be at least two slices, sometimes three or even four.Since the SLD I can actually walk into a pizzeria and walk out after only eating a single slice.At least when it comes to pizza, I'm cutting my consumption at least in half! It's one of the interesting facts about pizza- it has a universally accepted

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-32584681672609493862008-12-26T14:25:00.003-05:002008-12-26T14:34:06.939-05:00Eating Slowly

For most of my life I've been the sort of person who pretty much just wolfed-down their food as fast as possible.Since I've been on the SLD, I've been eating more slowly. Part of this is a calculated effort on my part to slow things down, part of it is that I've been less hungry and that has a natural tendency to slow my eating down.This article highlights several good reasons why eating slower

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-91974056053099080272008-12-25T09:40:00.003-05:002008-12-25T09:43:18.717-05:00Merry Christmas!

Have a very merry (and healthy) Christmas!(Photo: Dano)

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-8691071808397663752008-12-22T08:25:00.004-05:002008-12-22T11:31:39.781-05:00This Week's Results

Two more pounds lost (this is starting to get repetitive, which in this case is a good thing).My weight loss total is now 19 lbs.I'm pleased with this result, because I had a few holiday dinners last week plus I really did not have much time to exercise.If I can repeat this in the coming week, I'll enter 2009 with >20 lbs. of weight loss.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-24183107694415849822008-12-21T08:18:00.004-05:002008-12-21T08:29:29.869-05:00Photographing Calories

This website has an interesting collection of photographs of 200 calories-worth of various foods.Some are not so surprising: we all know that celery has very little calories. There are others that did surprise me however (cheddar cheese, m&ms, bacon).Check it out. It might make you think twice before eating something.NB: Make sure you click on the images and not just look at the thumbnails, as

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-89645831761034642342008-12-19T11:25:00.003-05:002008-12-19T12:00:53.268-05:00Explaining This Thing of Ours

In the past few days, I've been asked by several people about my weight loss and how I achieved it.In the past it was kind of easy, I'd say "diet and exercise" or "Weight Watchers."Now with the SLD, it's not so simple. The problem is if you try and explain the SLD in 30-seconds it does sound kind of "wacky" to most people, especially when you get to the "I drink olive oil twice a day part."What I

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-29829511826193072242008-12-17T13:03:00.008-05:002008-12-19T19:35:08.534-05:00It's In Your Head, Not Your Stomach

This article from BBC News points to research which indicates that most of the excess weight that all of us would like to lose (at least 70% of it anyway) is caused by genetics - specifically "metabolic flaws" in your brain.So, like so much else in life...we can just blame our parents.Link: Obesity 'controlled by the brain'(Illustration: Patrick J. Lynch)

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-88527520968543495872008-12-15T08:29:00.008-05:002008-12-15T08:36:00.630-05:00This Week's Results

Two more pounds lost for a total loss of 17 lbs. since I've been on the SLD.Some observations:Two pounds a weeks seems to be pretty much the going rate for me (which BTW, pleases me greatly)For those of you metrically-inclined: since I now weigh 219 lbs, I've crossed under the magic 100 kg. threshold. I live in the US, so 100 kg. does not really hold much special significance for me. When I go

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-86718880359686556912008-12-14T12:38:00.008-05:002009-01-04T15:50:10.116-05:00Taking Your Oil on the Road

I keep a bottle of ELOO at home as well as a bottle in my desk drawer at work.If you ever watch the TV show Mad Men (and you should -- it's a great show), which takes place in the early 1960's, everyone there has a bottle of booze in their desk drawer -- but we live in a different era now.Anyway, whenever I'm going to be neither at home nor at work for any period of time, be it a few hours or a

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-20686573705745324822008-12-13T12:02:00.003-05:002008-12-13T12:12:59.837-05:00Something Healthy From Dunkin' Donuts for Breakfast

About once a week I've been treating myself to a fairly healthy menu item from Dunkin' Donuts. They have an egg white veggie flatbread sandwich which is tasty, satisfying and not too bad on fat/calories.It has 290 calories and 9 grams of fat. I would not want to have one every day, but as a weekly treat it's not bad.By way of contrast, a chocolate frosted doughnut has 230 calories, 11 grams of

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-34098586230166429122008-12-12T21:13:00.006-05:002008-12-12T22:54:22.106-05:00NY TImes Article on Fast Food

There is an article in the New York Times which highlights some research on fast food nutrition.There is no big surprise here: the cheap menu items are really unhealthy.What's somewhat surprising is just how unhealthy they are.For example, a burger that Jack in the Box sells for a buck has 23 grams of fat.Yikes!Link: The High Price of Cheap Eats(Photo: VirtualErn)

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-66226618193683956802008-12-10T21:10:00.009-05:002008-12-10T21:39:56.016-05:00Skipping Lunch

I've been skipping lunch this week.That was not my plan when Monday rolled around, but that's what happened.Three reasons for this:I've been really busy at work this week.The cafeteria in my office building has sub-par food.I've not been all that hungry.I'll repeat the last one (and make it a bit bigger) in case you missed it:I've not been all that hungryI don't recommend skipping meals and I

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-77360573737444014662008-12-09T10:00:00.002-05:002008-12-09T19:49:41.182-05:00The Downside of Taking Your Oil Before Bed

There as been a fair amount of discussion about the best times during the day to take the oil, bearing in mind the requirements of the two-hour window.Some have suggested that you can take the oil, and then go to bed. The theoretical upside to this is that if you take the oil and go to sleep, you are sleeping for the 2nd hour of the two-hour window, thus making it easier on yourself.There is a

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-83671352946284034672008-12-08T09:07:00.005-05:002008-12-08T21:35:12.872-05:00This Week's Results

Two more pounds lost for a total of 15 lbs.My weight loss graph is starting to resemble another graph I have which tracks the price of gasoline.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-85467449749540046692008-12-06T11:57:00.008-05:002008-12-13T07:26:51.000-05:00Oil and Water: Revisited

A few weeks ago, I wrote that I've been taking my ELOO "straight" in a shot glass.Recently, I've slightly altered my method and I think this "new" technique is making taking the oil quite a bit more palatable.What I've been doing now is adding ice-cold water to the oil, and then shooting it down in a single gulp. I've been adding 2-3 tbs. of cold water to the 2 tbs. of oil I've been taking with

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-57673371485655261772008-12-04T21:40:00.007-05:002008-12-04T22:09:03.567-05:00Read This

There is an interesting article (not new, but it's still relevant) in Slate Magazine about how fat everybody in the world is getting.Of particular note is the fact that us Americans no longer have a monopoly on being overweight.(But don't worry, this is still a great country)Link: Please Don't Feed the Humans(Photo: bravenewtraveler)

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-45704383824083586492008-12-03T09:43:00.005-05:002008-12-04T21:36:52.138-05:00My "Go-To" Recipe

I'm not much of a cook, and as I've said before I eat way too much pasta. So here is a meal that's almost as easy to make as a bowl of spaghetti and is much healthier.Throw into a wok:Sliced red and green peppersBroccoliMushroomsSnow PeasBean SproutsBamboo Shoots and/or Baby Corn and/or Sliced Water Chestnuts (you can buy all of this together in a can in the Asian Foods section of your

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-66822474793079320212008-12-01T08:51:00.004-05:002008-12-01T21:50:39.112-05:00This Week's Results

One more pound lost last week for a total of 13 lbs. so far.I'm very happy with the downward trend...which I'm sure will continue.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-25366826708192574482008-11-29T06:45:00.001-05:002008-11-29T20:02:12.141-05:00Weekly or Daily Weigh-Ins?

When on a weight loss program, one is often presented with the dilemma of whether or not to weigh-in daily.Allow me to weigh-in on this issue.I think that daily weigh-ins are a bad idea. Firstly, even if you are consistently losing weight every week you will not necessarily loose weight every single day. In fact you might have individual days where you actually gain weight.If you weigh yourself

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-63311650787304908372008-11-28T13:39:00.005-05:002008-11-28T18:44:59.895-05:00A Pizza Alternative

I was having lunch with my son in one of our regular pizzerias today, and I thought that instead of just ordering my usual corner-slice-sicilian, I would check out the menu.One item caught my eye: The Vegetable SandwichI ordered it, and it was awesome.Spinach, red and green peppers, broccoli, mushrooms and black olives, served hot on a roll.No cheese and most likely much heather than a slice of

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-77224734032707154302008-11-26T21:09:00.003-05:002008-11-26T21:19:41.341-05:00Happy Thanksgiving

For those of us in the U.S., tomorrow is Thanksgiving day, traditionally one of the biggest (if not the biggest) days in the year for overeating.For those of us trying to lose weight, I have one Thanksgiving wish for you:Don't do it.You don't need to.Stay on your program, eat a nice healthy meal of moderate size and then move on to the next day.Happy Thanksgiving!(Photo: xybermatthew)

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-84735690628358070802008-11-24T09:05:00.007-05:002008-11-24T18:23:52.142-05:00This Week's Results

After four weeks on the program, 3 more pounds of weight loss for a total of 12 pounds.Again, I'm pleased with this week's results which which was the same amount of weight loss as the prior week. Given that I had very similar eating and exercise patterns to the week before, this should not have been a surprise.I think the fact that the pounds are coming off relativity slowly (3 lbs./week average

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-67574310368530172942008-11-23T09:52:00.007-05:002008-11-23T12:57:30.299-05:00On Being an Overweight Vegetarian

I've been a vegetarian for a few years, but it's certainly not resulted in any weight loss when compared to my meat-eating days.There is a simple reason for this: Too many carbs, not enough actual vegetables. I suspect this might be a common explanation for those of us vegetarians who are overweight.Many people assume that vegetarians eat a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables. If only

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-33035268062887471952008-11-22T12:56:00.006-05:002008-11-22T13:08:46.411-05:00Connecticut Protects Me from Bad Olive Oil

As a long-time resident of the state of Connecticut, I've been the beneficiary of many of the advantages that the state has to offer: nice beaches, beautiful fall foliage, not being able to buy beer after 8:30pm, etc.But now I enjoy a special protection of particular interest to those of us on the SLD: Connecticut is now the first state in the nation to impose quality standards for olive oil.Even

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-91529419872383191302008-11-19T15:51:00.009-05:002008-11-22T19:44:04.656-05:00More on "Ditto Foods", Processed Foods and Why Everything Tastes the Same

Here's a great article, Why McDonald's Fries Taste So Good which is taken from Eric Schlosser's 2001 book Fast Food Nation.In chapter 7 of the SLD book, Seth Roberts talks about how the fast-food and packaged food industry has some responsibility for the obesity epidemic, largely due to the creation of "ditto foods" -- foods that taste the same every time and everywhere.In particular it explains

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-47098827287702356042008-11-18T20:26:00.006-05:002008-11-18T20:58:35.324-05:00Nibbling

Food preparation during the two-hour window can present problems for those who possess limited willpower like I do.The other day I was slicing some vegetables during a two-hour window. I was planning on cooking and eating them later, but during the prep work I had to make a conscious effort to avoid the normal nibbling that would usually occur.It occurred to me that this would also be a big

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-68112909114153722292008-11-17T10:20:00.005-05:002008-11-17T21:34:10.656-05:00This Week's Results

I lost 3 more pounds for a total of 9 pounds in 3 weeks.I'm very pleased with this result, and it's pretty much what I was expecting as I had a "good" week -- where "good" in this case means eating well and getting plenty of exercise.I think that 2-3 lbs. per week is about the most I would expect on a program such as this, and quite frankly if I can keep up at this rate I would definitely call my

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-86782250239615470902008-11-16T17:29:00.005-05:002008-11-16T21:07:53.019-05:00Exercise for Breakfast

I don't think it's a good idea to skip meals, but on the other hand if I'm really not hungry I'm not going to eat -- even though it's "mealtime."This morning when I woke up, I was not particularly hungry. Instead of eating breakfast, I took my morning dose of ELOO and then did an hour of exercise. When I was done exercising, I was really not very hungry at all and it was almost time for lunch

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-31046093254100754432008-11-15T12:13:00.007-05:002008-11-18T10:57:25.942-05:00Too Much Joe?

I've been a heavy coffee drinker all my adult life (where heavy in this case refers both to me, and the amount of coffee I consume).In fact, I'm drinking some right now as I'm writing this.I've been on many weight-loss programs throughout the years (Scarsdale, Weight Watchers, etc.) and one thing I never did with any of those programs is moderate the amount of coffee I drank. When I was hungry,

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-28469218856791226622008-11-14T21:09:00.005-05:002008-11-15T10:19:14.483-05:00Oil Drinking Method

There are about as many different methods for drinking the oil out there as there are people on the SLD.Some like to "float" the oil on top of a glass of water (either plain water or sugar water) and then sip it.Others try and mix the oil with other foods and then clip their nose while eating it.Still others suggest holding a mouthful of water before drinking the oil down.What I've been doing is

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-6561744836056363982008-11-13T15:49:00.007-05:002008-11-15T12:35:36.908-05:00Exercise, Oil and the Two-Hour Window

Like many people who are trying to lose weight and get into shape (although technically I'm already in a shape, it's just not the shape I want to be), I've been trying to get in as much exercise as possible.In addition to playing squash several times a week, I try and do an hour on the exercise bike whenever I can.The two-hour window can come in handy when used in conjunction with an hour of

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-46345030964502841442008-11-12T10:23:00.007-05:002008-11-15T12:35:15.378-05:00Feed a Cold...

When you come down with a cold or a case of the flu (and the associated nasal congestion), have you ever lost your appetite as well?Most of us probably attribute that loss-of-appetite to simply "feeling sick."Perhaps it can more easily be explained by the fact that since your sense of smell is diminished by the nasal congestion, your ability to taste is pretty much shot as well. Since your taste

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-6604285123948215392008-11-11T13:24:00.007-05:002008-11-15T10:21:26.140-05:00Combining the Shangri-La Diet with Another Program

A problem with many conventional weight-loss programs such as Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, etc. is that since they are based on reducing your calorie intake via portion control you quite likely will be hungry many times while you are on the plan. This can cause you to "cheat" and diminish the benefits of the program.As Seth Roberts mentions in the book, you can use the SLD as a tool to help

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-23967225685066547672008-11-10T11:10:00.009-05:002008-11-15T12:36:05.954-05:00Week Two Results

Two more pounds lost for a total of six in two weeks.This is particularly gratifying because I was on vacation and eating three meals a day in restaurants for the bulk of last week.(Photo: rick)

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-12851815441277872342008-11-09T15:18:00.006-05:002008-11-15T10:22:24.230-05:00Three Squares?

Many people have put forth that to assist in weight-loss, your food consumption should be broken down into many "mini-meals" over the course of the day. This is apposed to the traditional 3-meal-per-day-schedule that many (most?) of us are on. I've heard numbers like 5, 6 and 8 thrown-around as the optimum number of "meals" one should be consuming daily.I also know a few people that have had lots

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-81229378156944921422008-11-08T12:56:00.003-05:002008-11-08T12:59:13.749-05:00The Diet Explained on Video

I found a pretty good video from Canadian television which explains the SLD pretty clearly. You even get to hear Seth Roberts himself discussing it.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-75871969592025713612008-11-08T12:08:00.006-05:002008-11-15T10:23:06.456-05:00Knowing When to Put the Fork Down

Many restaurants serve extremely large portions. Prior to the SLD, I almost always finished the entire portion that was served to me, regardless of size. Most likely not because I really needed to finish it all, but simply out of force of habit.Lately, I've noticed I've been leaving some food behind. Not always, and sometimes not very much but there has on occasion been food still on my plate

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-39077247284940258842008-11-07T15:38:00.005-05:002008-11-07T19:11:58.044-05:00Total Daily Calorie Intake

The SLD can help you lose weight, but it's not a magic pill.I think that it's important that before eating something (particularly a "bad" food, we all know what they are) you need to ask yourself a few questions:Why am I eating this?Do I really want this?Am I really hungry?These questions are very important because when you embark on the SLD program -- unlike most other weight-loss programs

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-82597445707120135792008-11-06T19:53:00.001-05:002008-11-06T22:48:30.444-05:00On Snacks

Bottom line: I haven't been having any.For nearly two weeks, I've eaten three meals daily....and that's pretty much been it.This has not been difficult. In fact it's something I've barely noticed due to my decreased appetite.I've been on many weight loss programs over the years, including a very successful experience with Weight Watchers about six years ago.This is the first time that I've been

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-73658692649522246712008-11-05T08:06:00.003-05:002008-11-07T15:34:47.300-05:00Water Water Everywhere

Pretty much every weight loss program suggests you drink plenty of water.I think that for the SLD, water consumption is particularly important for its palate-cleansing effects.I've been drinking lots of water during the two-hour window and I think that this insures that residual food tastes are flushed away.This is key since you can't brush your teeth during that time.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-45862109788083644252008-11-03T11:07:00.003-05:002008-11-09T20:25:45.161-05:00The First Weigh-in

The first returns are in.After one week, 4 pounds lost.I went from 236 to 232.For reference purposes, my weight in the past 10 years has ranged from a high of 254 to a low of 179.My short-term goal is to get down to 199, after that I'm going to re-access and then set a new goal.As of now, the SLD seems to be working.

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-60771029845608982912008-11-02T09:22:00.003-05:002008-11-02T09:30:15.387-05:00Multiple Two-Hour Windows

I'm currently consuming ELOO twice daily. That means two two-hour windows per day.During a normal workday, I'm usually taking the oil at 10:00am and again at about 3:00pm.That's four solid hours during the day when I'm not eating anything. I think I'm fairly typical and that like many overweight people, I don't usually have four hours during the day that I'm food-free.I wonder how much

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-10649501916935379912008-11-01T12:27:00.004-04:002008-11-02T09:45:02.059-05:00On Appetite Suppression

I've been doing some thinking as to how the AS manifests itself.So far what I've experienced seems to come in at least two forms:The type of classical loss of appetite that one experiences when one is upset or nervous. Of course the good part is that the AS is occurring without the accompanying emotional distress. The other type is similar to (but still somewhat distinct from) a "motion-sickness"

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910059889098788272.post-46966419756739076592008-10-31T21:58:00.000-04:002008-10-31T22:06:13.371-04:00Just getting started

A few observations from my first week on the diet.It's not really a diet, in the sense that unlike pretty much every other weight-loss program I've tried, you can't really "cheat." When you are hungry, eat. If you see something you want, you can eat it. The key is, you will simply be wanting less -- and that's how you will lose weight.Not only have I been having smaller portions, but I've been

Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04671400043000085285noreply@blogger.com0