Hold the Cheese!

When I was a kid my mother always made my sandwiches the same way; two slices of Wonder bread, a slab of meat, and a slice of cheese.  Forget everything else.

As I have grown older, my tastes have changed, and I make my own sandwiches a little differently.  I now use whole grain bread and  I actually add romaine lettuce or alfalfa sprouts.  Sometimes I add a slice of tomato or avocado and I top it off with some designer mustard (never did like mayo).

Because of tradition, I still always add a slice of cheese.  Cheese is one of my favorite foods and I would never think of not adding it to my sandwich!

One day I didn't have any cheese (a national disaster) and made my sandwich sans cheese.  After I finished eating I realized that my sandwich didn't taste all that differently than it usually did with the cheese.  I guess the way my sandwiches have evolved over the years with all the yummy additions has really masked the taste of the cheese.

I thought, "Why not leave the cheese off from now on and save almost a 100 calories on every sandwich!"  So, I now just say, "Hold the Cheese, please!"

Professor Tom Laurie

author of Conquer the Losing Attitude of Job Hunters

and The Losing Attitude for Dieters

A Diet Surprise

I had gained a few pounds over the winter; I think it was all in my belly.  Therefore, I decided to limit my carbs.

welcome to the wonderful diet of eggs and bacon for breakfast and steak for dinner.  More vegetables than you have ever seen!

My wife and I hadn't been shopping at Sam's Club for 5 minutes when my eyes lit on a 5 lb bag of real bacon bits!  I think my eyes glazed over a little bit, but I resisted as I sometimes know what to stay away from.

I was almost in the clear when I wife said, "Why don't you take a bag?"  I stuttered, "No?"  when she grabbed a bag.

Then there was a wonderful diet surprise.  My wife read the label and found there was a lot less fat than regular bacon and get this; only 25 calories per Tablespoon.

I have a wonderful lunch prepared of a lettuce wedge with blue cheese bits, dressing, and bacon bits!

Professor Tom Laurie

author of Conquer the Losing Attitude of Job Hunters

and The Losing Attitude for Dieters

5-day Zero Calorie Jumpstart Diet: Day 5

I should know more about the motivation of dieting than anyone - right? Didn't I write the book!

It didn't stop me from slowly gaining back half the weight I wrote about in my book: The Losing Attitude for Dieters. Gaining weight is really insidious; A few ounces a week doesn't really show until the next thing you know, you have gained twenty pounds!

I had to break the cycle, do something drastic. The only problem is that I have been posting on many different weight-loss blogs that the only way to lose weight is slowly; 1-1.5 pounds per week. Well, when did I ever listen to myself anyway?

I remember watching Michael Phelps in the Olympics and saw that he trained for six hours a day and ate 15,000 calories per day. I really wanted to be Michael Phelps; at least the eating part.

But what if I could burn off every calorie I ate in a week. How much weight could I really lose?

Day 5:

So, I had to go to my nephew's birthday party. I did pretty good with a salad and a medium piece of Lasagna (400 calories). I skipped the birthday cake!

Can't stop a good thing. I started the day off with a cup of a honey nut cereal (110 calories) and 40 minutes doing some strength training and stretching (-200 calories).

For lunch I had a tuna fish wrap (220 calories).

For dinner I had my best meal of the week with steak tips and lot's of veggies (535 calories). I played basketball again today and burned off 1200 calories.

You can see that on my last day, I ate 865 calories and burned off 1400 calories for a net gain of -535 calories - net weekly loss at -601 calories. A great work week and a great jump start to my diet

I lost 12 pounds in these 5 days.  What a way to get back on the diet horse!

Professor Tom Laurie

author of Conquer the Losing Attitude of Job Hunters

and The Losing Attitude for Dieters

5-day Zero Calorie Jumpstart Diet: Day 4

I should know more about the motivation of dieting than anyone - right? Didn't I write the book!

It didn't stop me from slowly gaining back half the weight I wrote about in my book: The Losing Attitude for Dieters. Gaining weight is really insidious; A few ounces a week doesn't really show until the next thing you know, you have gained twenty pounds!

I had to break the cycle, do something drastic. The only problem is that I have been posting on many different weight-loss blogs that the only way to lose weight is slowly; 1-1.5 pounds per week. Well, when did I ever listen to myself anyway?

I remember watching Michael Phelps in the Olympics and saw that he trained for six hours a day and ate 15,000 calories per day. I really wanted to be Michael Phelps; at least the eating part.

But what if I could burn off every calorie I ate in a week. How much weight could I really lose?

Day 4:

So, I had to go to my nephew's birthday party. I did pretty good with a salad and a medium piece of Lasagna (400 calories). I skipped the birthday cake!

Can't stop a good thing. I started the day off with a cup of a honey nut cereal (110 calories) and 40 minutes doing some strength training and stretching (-200 calories).

For lunch I had blue cheese bacon wedge (140 calories)

1/4 head lettuce
1 T blue cheese crumbles
1 T dressing
1 piece bacon

Veggies for dinner dipped in Ranch Dressing (100 calories).

You can see that on my fourthday, I ate 650 calories and burned off 200 calories for a net gain of 450 calories - net weekly loss at -66 calories. still on the negative side of calories burned versus ate.

Professor Tom Laurie

author of Conquer the Losing Attitude of Job Hunters

and The Losing Attitude for Dieters

5-day Zero Calorie Jumpstart Diet: Day 3

I should know more about the motivation of dieting than anyone - right? Didn't I write the book!

It didn't stop me from slowly gaining back half the weight I wrote about in my book: The Losing Attitude for Dieters. Gaining weight is really insidious; A few ounces a week doesn't really show until the next thing you know, you have gained twenty pounds!

I had to break the cycle, do something drastic. The only problem is that I have been posting on many different weight-loss blogs that the only way to lose weight is slowly; 1-1.5 pounds per week. Well, when did I ever listen to myself anyway?

I remember watching Michael Phelps in the Olympics and saw that he trained for six hours a day and ate 15,000 calories per day. I really wanted to be Michael Phelps; at least the eating part.

But what if I could burn off every calorie I ate in a week. How much weight could I really lose?

Day 3:

OK, I had a ten hour workday to look forward. It ended with an Open House where a lot of food was available. I did OK and managed to eat only raw veggies dipped in ranch for dinner!

Another day in a row. I started the day off with a cup of a honey nut cereal (110 calories) and 40 minutes doing some strength training and stretching (-200 calories).

For lunch I had blue cheese bacon wedge (140 calories)

1/4 head lettuce
1 T blue cheese crumbles
1 T dressing
1 piece bacon

Veggies for dinner dipped in Ranch Dressing (100 calories).

You can see that on my second day, I ate 350 calories and burned off 200 calories for a net gain of 150 calories - net weekly loss at -516 calories. Another great day for my zero calorie diet and I planned well.

Professor Tom Laurie

author of Conquer the Losing Attitude of Job Hunters

and The Losing Attitude for Dieters

5-day Zero Calorie Jumpstart Diet: Day 2

I should know more about the motivation of dieting than anyone - right? Didn't I write the book!

It didn't stop me from slowly gaining back half the weight I wrote about in my book: The Losing Attitude for Dieters. Gaining weight is really insidious; A few ounces a week doesn't really show until the next thing you know, you have gained twenty pounds!

I had to break the cycle, do something drastic. The only problem is that I have been posting on many different weight-loss blogs that the only way to lose weight is slowly; 1-1.5 pounds per week. Well, when did I ever listen to myself anyway?

I remember watching Michael Phelps in the Olympics and saw that he trained for six hours a day and ate 15,000 calories per day. I really wanted to be Michael Phelps; at least the eating part.

But what if I could burn off every calorie I ate in a week. How much weight could I really lose?

Day 2:

I tossed and turned all night and when I woke up I felt like my sinuses were packed with mud. It would have been easy for me to stay in bed a little longer and ditch the exercise and diet!

One of the tricks I have learned is to think about being sick on your diet in this way, "If I'm already feeling lousy, I might as well keep dieting!" This instead of the old wives tale, "Feed a cold, starve a fever."

Why change a good thing. I started the day off with a cup of a honey nut cereal (110 calories) and 40 minutes doing some strength training and stretching (-200 calories).

For lunch I had blue cheese bacon wedge (140 calories)

1/4 head lettuce
1 T blue cheese crumbles
1 T dressing
1 piece bacon

For dinner I took out a cup of left over spaghetti and added some tomato sauce sprinkled with parmesan cheese (250 calories).

You can see that on my second day, I ate 500 calories and burned off 200 calories for a net gain of 300 calories - net weekly loss at -646 calories. Another great day for my zero calorie diet and I adverted the effects of feeling poorly.

Professor Tom Laurie

author of Conquer the Losing Attitude of Job Hunters

and The Losing Attitude for Dieters

5-day Zero Calorie Jumpstart Diet: Day 1

I should know more about the motivation of dieting than anyone - right? Didn't I write the book!

It didn't stop me from slowly gaining back half the weight I wrote about in my book: The Losing Attitude for Dieters. Gaining weight is really insidious; A few ounces a week doesn't really show until the next thing you know, you have gained twenty pounds!

I had to break the cycle, do something drastic. The only problem is that I have been posting on many different weight-loss blogs that the only way to lose weight is slowly; 1-1.5 pounds per week. Well, when did I ever listen to myself anyway?

I remember watching Michael Phelps in the Olympics and saw that he trained for six hours a day and ate 15,000 calories per day. I really wanted to be Michael Phelps; at least the eating part.

But what if I could burn off every calorie I ate in a week. How much weight could I really lose?

Day 1:

The first day of a diet is always exciting. If you've done it right, you have anticipated this day and you are truly motivated. I visited Florida for Christmas break and I couldn't wait to get back to start my diet - what a loser, right!

I started the day off with a cup of a honey nut cereal (110 calories) and 40 minutes doing some strength training and stretching (-200 calories).

For lunch I had blue cheese bacon wedge (140 calories) and 1.5 hours of basketball (-1200 calories)

1/4 head lettuce
1 T blue cheese crumbles
1 T dressing
1 piece bacon

For dinner I had half a chicken breast with a little ricotta cheese and tomato sauce sprinkled with parmesan cheese (204 calories).

You can see that on my first day, I ate 454 calories and burned off 1400 calories for a net loss of 946 calories. A great start for my zero calorie diet.I should know more about the motivation of dieting than anyone - right? Didn't I write the book!

Professor Tom Laurie

author of Conquer the Losing Attitude of Job Hunters

and The Losing Attitude for Dieters