20 Kg is 44 pounds - and that is the maximum weight of a full suitcase allowed on the airlines! I lost it all by following a Diabetic Reducing Diet, which is a variation of the Healthy Eating Diet, the kind of diet that everybody should be eating now. On 4 August 2002, I weighed 85Kg; today, 23 May 2003, I weigh 64Kg.

This is how I did it.

Every day I eat:

Protein - 100-120G (4 ounces) of meat or 150-180G (6 ounces) of fish. This food is for rebuilding bone, muscle and other tissues. Protein should include red meat twice a week, fish twice a week.

Fat - very little. I am taking a fat-reduced diet, because I had high cholesterol, so I only eat the naturally occuring fats in my food. I do not use butter, oil or spreads.

Carbohydrate - Up to 200G (about 7 ounces) a day. This includes wholemeal bread, Ryvita, potato, rice, pasta. This food gives energy, and is essential for feeding the brain.

Protein, fat and carbohydrate are the 3 basic food groups. To get a nutritious diet it is important to have variety, so I eat papayas, strawberries, sharon fruit, yams, sweet potatoes, bamboo shoots, quail's eggs, venison steaks, etc., as well as the everyday peas and carrots.

In addition I drink 4 pints of skimmed milk a week.

AND NOW for the really important bit: I eat at least 5 portions of veg and fruit every day. This fills my tum and stops me feeling hungry! Fruit and veg are full of vitamins and minerals, help prevent cancer, keep the intestines working.

I buy all fresh food and cook it myself: well, that's not entirely true, as we eat ready-prepared meat (like fish fingers) when I am working on night duty, and haven't time to create our meals, but that's only once a week. I read all the nutritional information on the packets, so I **know** what I am eating.

When I go shopping, there are some aisles I never walk down. I never buy cakes, or baked goods, except for wholemeal bread. I don't bother walking down the aisle where the shop sells sweets, because I know I can't have those things. I never eat so-called health foods, nor so-called diabetic foods, I don't take vitamin tablets (except in the unlikely event that my doctor should order them), they are all a waste of money.

I eat a **balanced diet**, it contains everything necessary for life and health.

Here is a typical day's eating for me:

Breakfast: 50mls (a small glass) of tomato juice, or 1 grapefruit, or a piece of fruit. (I NEVER drink fruit juices - they are full of sugar). A piece of toast or Ryvita, or a couple of Weetabix. Milk and sweeteners in my coffee. I may eat a hen's egg, but not every day.

Lunch: raw vegetables, eg. a pepper, or some salad, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage, any kind of veg; a couple of slices of cold meat or an ounce of meat or fish paste, a Ryvita or a slice of bread. For pudding a fruit, orange, apple, banana, or any fruit I fancy.

Dinner: this is a cooked meal. Fish (5 ounces) or meat (3 ounces), 1 potato (the size of a hen's egg), or 2 tablespoons of rice or pasta. 2 helpings of veg - brussel sprouts, carrots, peas, beans, etc.) For pudding I have another piece of fruit.

Supper: I must have my supper! I cannot go to bed hungry. I usually have a hot drink (cocoa), and some carbohydrate, in the form of a digestive biscuits. This fills my tum, and helps me to sleep

Once a week I may have a banana or an avocado. Sometimes I have a scoop of ice cream on top of fruit for pudding.

If it is a special occasion, I may have a small piece of birthday cake, or a couple of chocolates. Once or twice a week I have an alcoholic drink, eg. lager, or a small glass of dry sherry.

Because I have diet-controlled Diabetes Mellitus, I check my blood sugar a couple of times a week. Normal blood sugar should be between 4 and 7 mmols. Blood sugar never lies! - it will always show if I have been cheating.

That's all there is to it! When I get to my ideal weight of 55Kg, I will add some extra protein and carbohydrate. This is not a quick fix diet - it is a diet for the rest of my life, and I have to stick to it.

I go ice-skating 3 times a week. I walk the dog every day. These are MUST DOs.

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