(In other by-the-numbers news, my jean size has dropped from 38 to 34 in that same period of time… and I’m now buying medium t-shirts for the first time since I was 14.)

People have been asking me about what I’ve been doing to drop weight… and to quote a colleague of mine who has also dropped a lot of weight recently, “it’s 90% what you put in your mouth.”  Granted – I’ve been on a pretty regimented gym routine – but I attribute a lot of the shrinking to changing my eating habits.

But the weight loss does come at the expense of my palate and some favourite things I used to chow down on that I don’t anymore.  So… here it is.  The list of five things I don’t eat anymore (but kinda miss)…

1.  KFC Gravy

The Colonel had a secret recipe not only for great chicken, but also for a killer gravy.  And killer indeed.  An individual serving clocks in at 100 calories (63 of those from fat), 7g of fat, and 750mg of sodium.  Yikes!  Still… I kinda miss it…

2.  McDonald’s anything…

Back in January, I had a craving for McDonald’s that I had to satisfy.  So, on my way home from work I picked up a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Medium Fries, and a Diet Coke.  After not having eaten McD’s for some time, it was the most vile thing I had eaten in a long time.  Simply put… every time I get a craving for something from the golden arches, I think of that experience back in Janaury (and how ill I felt afterward), and I remember why I don’t eat there anymore.

3.  Starbucks Sweets…

Mmmm… Venti Coffee Frappuccino… Venti Non-Fat Caramel Macchiato… Apple Fritters… They all taste so good.  And are soooo sugar filled.  I’ve nuked them all from my Starbucks routine.  Today, I’m a Venti Americano guy, and if I’m craving something sweet, I’ll reach for a Tall Black Tea Shaken Lemonade (and that is a rare treat.)

4.  Chocolate (kind of)

I shouldn’t say I’ve eliminated chocolate completely from my life.  It’s the one thing I simply can’t nuke.  But I’ve changed how I consume it.  I might go for a single Mars bar per week.  Or a handful of M&Ms from the quarter vending machine in the kitchen at work.  But I don’t keep it in the house.  And usually if I’m reaching for a chocolate bar, it’s a comfort thing — so it’s a good chance to check up on my “how am I feeling” factor…

5.  Cookies

Again, I’ll never turn down the rare offer of a cookie from a friend (thanks to JGL producer Tammy on Thursday for bringing in some fab oatmeal-raisin cookies from Tastebuds), but I don’t actively seek out cookies anymore.  Chewy chocolate chip have always been the go-to thing for me… and buying a bag of them would usually end up seeing them devoured in a single night.  

So, while I’ve excised five things I loved from my diet, there are five things I do eat with some routine or regularity…

1.  Almonds

These are the ultimate go-to snack at work for me.  I keep a bag on my desk, and when I get the munchies I grab about half-a-handful.  They are protein and fiber-rich, and are good for keeping me from wanting to snack.

2.  Chicken

I love chicken.  I always have.  At home, I usually prepare it as a stirfry.  I often pick a lot of prepared-lunches with it in (ie: SmartOnes Chicken Parmesan, Lean Cuisine Chicken Carbonara).  I’m a huge fan of using chicken as much as possible…

3.  Hamburgers

Yes.  Hamburgers.  This is the once a week treat that I can totally justify.  The patties I buy are the Safeway Eating Right Extra Lean Steakhouse burgers.  They are low in sodium… and taste awesome.  They let me get away feeling I’m still eating a hamburger without all the crap found in fast food ones…

4.  Apples

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right?  They’re one of the few sources of sugar I take in on a daily basis.  Juicy and tasty and good-for-you.

5.  Rice

I can’t remember the last time I cooked a potato.  But I really love using rice if I need a starch with a meal.  It really adapts well to many different flavours, and is easy to cook.

So there you have it… not a food diary per se, but a tiny glimpse in to what I’m eating (and what I’m not).