BATTLE OF THE BULGE - PART 8

Recap and vital statistics:

I am 5 feet and 10 inches tall and 60 years old.

I was super-slim till about 10 years ago, then gradually got fat.

I started this weight loss programme on March 16th when I weighed a whopping 120kg and measured 49-47-51 (chest-waisthips) inches.

I’ve had ups and downs - bad days when I reverted to gluttony and did little or no exercise…and good days when I’ve dieted/exercised conscientiously. Fortunately, the good days have outnumbered the bad days; and I now weigh 111kg and measure 47-44.5-48.5.

Eagle-eyed readers will notice that this week’s numbers are exactly the same as last week’s; and the reason is simple: I’ve repeatedly let myself down in recent days.

I won’t go into the embarrassing details. Suffice it to say that having sworn – to myself and on this page – that I would adopt a disciplined fast-track strategy and eat like a bird and exercise like a cheetah, with a view to losing 2-3kg in 7 days, I did the complete opposite.

But we need to thank God for small mercies; and I’m grateful that I - miraculously! – didn’t gain an ounce, despite massive misbehaviour.

If truth be told, I’ve been struggling to stabilise psychologically because my mother is very ill; and it’s hard to be strict about food and exercise when you are witnessing a once elegant and accomplished parent painfully inching towards the end of her life.

OK so, I am trying to figure out how to drag myself out of the doldrums and motivate myself to resume my weight loss journey, bearing in mind that looking slim is not my only priority. I also want to avoid obesity-related ailments like heart disease and diabetes.

Last week, I said I would try Dr Michael Moseley’s crash diet (800 calories a day). But I’m currently finding the prospect of such hardline abstemiousness too daunting; and I thought I should share the different alternative diet plans I’m looking at with you guys.

Americans spend $65 BILLION a year on weight loss and I got these ideas from the American Healthline website, which is free, so try it!

There’s a quiz on the website that asks you to list your dietary preferences and then suggests diet plans that might suit you.

My quiz results threw up the following options: Mediterranean Diet has a long-standing reputation as one of the healthiest eating patterns around.

It’s also considered one of the most popular plans among dieters because it’s flexible, rich in flavorful foods, and brimming with health benefits

Mayo Clinic Diet is a balanced meal plan that focuses on healthy foods and regular exercise. Because it significantly cuts calories, it’s probably helpful for weight loss. That said, it may be restrictive and hard to follow.

The Weight Watchers Diet is a good choice if you’re looking for slow and steady weight loss. It also has a strong support network that may help keep you on track.

Flexitarian Diet focuses mostly on minimally processed, plant-based foods, but encourages meat and animal products in moderation. It may aid weight loss and reduce the risk of some chronic diseases.

Paleo Diet may help you lose weight, promote heart health, and support blood sugar control. However, it restricts several healthy food groups and may be more expensive than other diets

Dash Diet may be an easy and effective way to reduce blood pressure in people with high blood pressure, thereby lowering the risk of heart disease.

Pollotarian Diet focuses on whole, plant-based foods and includes poultry in moderation. It may benefit heart health, aid weight loss, and protect against type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases.

Flexible Dieting allows you to eat anything as long as you stay within specific daily macronutrient targets. If you have a good understanding of your nutritional needs and can keep processed snack foods to a minimum, this diet may help you lose weight.

Traditional Indian Diet emphasizes plant foods like vegetables, lentils, and fruits, and includes meat occasionally. Eating these foods while cutting back on sugary foods and beverages and increasing protein intake may help you lose weight.

For details regarding the above diets – and the other diets on my bespoke recommended list (see below), go to the Healthline website.

Ornish Diet

Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian Diet

Vegetarian Diet

Nordic Diet

Vegan Diet

Whole-Foods, Plant-Based Diet

Japanese Diet

Slimming World Diet

The Zone Diet

Pegan Diet

Dubrow Diet

Nutritarian Diet

CrossFit Diet

OK, so it’s confusing! Too many choices each one involving an array of pros and cons. I don’t actually believe in astrology.

But I seem to fit into stereotypes surrounding my Libra zodiac birth sign, which is about the scales of justice: Indecisive by nature, always weighing things up in a quest to find a reasonable balance.

Next week, I will tell you which diet I eventually picked.