My weight hit a number I didn’t want to hit around Christmas 2019, right before Covid hit. During the lockdown I experimented with different weight loss methods and slowly won and lost. Finally, in October of 2021 I found something that worked for me. One meal a day, under 1500 calories. No snacks. No fatty meats. Lots of fruit and veg. I lost 35-45 lbs doing just that but hit a plateau. I hate exercise but knew that was going to get me through the plateau. So I started hiking in the hills above my house starting at 2 miles, then 4, 5, 7 and now 8.5 miles a day with 1200 feet in elevation gain. I do this every day rain or shine. I’ve now lost 85 lbs with another 35 to go to reach my goal. I’ve also lost 8 inches off my waist and had to give away all my old clothes and jackets. I sweat a lot less, I get cold now, and when I look down, I can see something I won’t mention, and it’s not my feet.
I hate counting calories so I sort of cheat. My daily meal is a bagged grocery store salad, Target has good ones, and I use my own low cal dressing. My protein is usually chicken or those huge shrimp from Costco. My routine is cooking it or smoking it on weekends. I’ve grown partial to using my Kudu grill just for the ease. I’ve been using a myriad of rubs but have settled on a great combo which is an overnight marinade using Buchan’s, which is made right down the street from us in Sebastopol, CA, and whatever rub I feel like that day from my collection.
I still occasionally enjoy going to eat at restaurants and ordering a normal meal. I went to Minnesota, my homeland, for a week recently and ate like a Minnesotan. I only gained 3 lbs which I lost in a week so it was totally worth it. Gotta love DQ every night and those Earl’s Cheese poofs along with tubs of Captain Ken’s Firehouse Beans and Wisconsin Bratwurst. When we have friends over I still cook and eat a normal meal and have a normal portion. I don‘t get bent out of shape eating an occasional normal meal as I’m in this long term.
That said, I eat my single meal past 5 PM every night or after my hike. Starvation hits me about 4 PM and by then I’m headed to the park to hike for 2-3 hours. Having one meal a day makes me feel really full and satisfied. I have not been really bored of this routine but if I do I will change things up a bit. Using the grill or the smoker for my daily shrimp or chicken has been great and it adds a ton of flavor without the oil and added calories. Sometimes I even change it up with a little flap steak or Tri-tip which is a huge treat. I love red meat. One tip I picked up here was to slice the chicken breasts into raw strips then put it into the marinade. It gives you a lot more surface area for the goodness to penetrate. Then, onto the skewers it goes.
You’d think going to this site nightly would drive me nuts with all the great food featured here but It doesn’t. If I can’t eat it at least I know someone can and I know you’re enjoying it. That works for me. So, I thought in case this method might work for someone else here, I’d post it. It’s really not so bad and it’s been great concentrating on making really good chicken breasts and shrimp these past months. I got it dialed in.
All skewered following a 24-hour soak in Buchan’s then a dusting of a random rub.
Onto the Kudu with a chimney of Jealous Devil. These shrimp are huge. I peel them before the marinade.
The dome traps the heat and smoke. It works really well.
The caramelization is incredible and it’s helped by the Buchan’s along with the color.
After the grates reheat it’s on to the chicken skewers.
With skewers you can peek inside for the perfect finish and don‘t need to use a thermometer.
The Buchan’s marinade is beautiful and makes this so easy.
Tender, flaky, juicy, better than the Colonel can do it and this won’t make you fat, unless you eat 5 skewers which is tempting.
One last money shot of a bowl of beauties.
For a little light smoke I sprinkle a small handful of pellets directly onto the coals. It lasts for 5-10 minutes but gives the chicken and shrimp more than enough smoke.
Once I hit my goal I have a bookmarked list of all your great recipes I’ll be trying.
I hate counting calories so I sort of cheat. My daily meal is a bagged grocery store salad, Target has good ones, and I use my own low cal dressing. My protein is usually chicken or those huge shrimp from Costco. My routine is cooking it or smoking it on weekends. I’ve grown partial to using my Kudu grill just for the ease. I’ve been using a myriad of rubs but have settled on a great combo which is an overnight marinade using Buchan’s, which is made right down the street from us in Sebastopol, CA, and whatever rub I feel like that day from my collection.
I still occasionally enjoy going to eat at restaurants and ordering a normal meal. I went to Minnesota, my homeland, for a week recently and ate like a Minnesotan. I only gained 3 lbs which I lost in a week so it was totally worth it. Gotta love DQ every night and those Earl’s Cheese poofs along with tubs of Captain Ken’s Firehouse Beans and Wisconsin Bratwurst. When we have friends over I still cook and eat a normal meal and have a normal portion. I don‘t get bent out of shape eating an occasional normal meal as I’m in this long term.
That said, I eat my single meal past 5 PM every night or after my hike. Starvation hits me about 4 PM and by then I’m headed to the park to hike for 2-3 hours. Having one meal a day makes me feel really full and satisfied. I have not been really bored of this routine but if I do I will change things up a bit. Using the grill or the smoker for my daily shrimp or chicken has been great and it adds a ton of flavor without the oil and added calories. Sometimes I even change it up with a little flap steak or Tri-tip which is a huge treat. I love red meat. One tip I picked up here was to slice the chicken breasts into raw strips then put it into the marinade. It gives you a lot more surface area for the goodness to penetrate. Then, onto the skewers it goes.
You’d think going to this site nightly would drive me nuts with all the great food featured here but It doesn’t. If I can’t eat it at least I know someone can and I know you’re enjoying it. That works for me. So, I thought in case this method might work for someone else here, I’d post it. It’s really not so bad and it’s been great concentrating on making really good chicken breasts and shrimp these past months. I got it dialed in.
All skewered following a 24-hour soak in Buchan’s then a dusting of a random rub.
Onto the Kudu with a chimney of Jealous Devil. These shrimp are huge. I peel them before the marinade.
The dome traps the heat and smoke. It works really well.
The caramelization is incredible and it’s helped by the Buchan’s along with the color.
After the grates reheat it’s on to the chicken skewers.
With skewers you can peek inside for the perfect finish and don‘t need to use a thermometer.
The Buchan’s marinade is beautiful and makes this so easy.
Tender, flaky, juicy, better than the Colonel can do it and this won’t make you fat, unless you eat 5 skewers which is tempting.
One last money shot of a bowl of beauties.
For a little light smoke I sprinkle a small handful of pellets directly onto the coals. It lasts for 5-10 minutes but gives the chicken and shrimp more than enough smoke.
Once I hit my goal I have a bookmarked list of all your great recipes I’ll be trying.
