The formula is simple. Burn more calories than you consume per day.

The process of accomplishing this does not seem so simple.

To my credit, the hour I spend walking to and from work (half-hour to the train, and half-hour return home for a total of 6.4Km) is the only reason I’m not gaining weight. I’ve managed to put my body in “maintenance mode.” Thus my weight has plateaued.

At this point, I still weigh over 110kg. For the last 2 years, this seems to be my plateau. However in hindsight, I can see why. Too much beer and alcohol. Insufficient amount of daily exercise and over-eating. The weekly out-to-eats needs to be reduced to monthly events. Completely remove beer from my diet. Liquor and cocktails are fine in small quantities. I’m already doing a great job at not eating within 2 hours of bed-time. I’ve become better at smaller meals. However, I need to take a more serious look at the content of my meals.

Going forward, I’ve realized that I need to reduce my meat consumption by upto 80%. I should substitute meat (including chicken, pork, beef) for seafood. I need to increase my vegetable consumption by several orders of magnitude. Since, I’m not trying to build muscle, I don’t need much protein. I’ve observed that my metabolism seems to be slowing down. This is evident in the average number of bowel movements per week. 10 years ago, this was a daily event. Now, on average I will defecate about twice a week. This can also indicate that I need more fiber and green leafy vegetables in my diet.

The Indians had it right when you consider their diets. The caste system demanded that “thinkers” and artisans must avoid meats and eat strictly a vegetarian diet. The “warriors” ate primarily meats as protein was required to build up their muscles. While the “upper class” would consume both. Albeit less meat and more vegetables.