About a year ago I tweeted the following, kind of as a joke, but not really:
Made an appointment for a nutritionist/dietitian, which means I can eat what I want over the next 3 weeks.
— Rabbi Josh Yuter (@JYuter) June 21, 2017
And indeed I did. I think this was the first time since I moved to Israel that I had a burger at a kosher McDonald’s.1 And, as expected, the nutritionist put me on a new diet which restricted my options. With one year down, let’s see how it worked.
The Diet: On Paper
My nutritionist didn’t focus on portion sizes as much as what I was eating. Here were her basic rules:
- Eat Breakfast (I usually skipped it)
- Oatmeal
- Bran Flakes
- No Sugar
- Includes cakes, cookies, candies, etc
- Includes soft drinks, juices, and wine
- Includes sauces
- Fruits are ok, just no more than 3 a day and not all at once (i.e. no smoothies)
- Unlimited vegetables
- Manage grain carbs
- Minimal bread, whole wheat only
- No carbs at dinner
- Lean proteins like chicken and fish over meat
There was also an exercise component of 30 min three times a week.
The Diet: In Practice
As anyone who has ever tried to lose weight knows there’s a huge difference between being given a plan and actually sticking to it. In my case, I followed certain rules with more diligence than others.
- Breakfast – Usually instant oatmeal with golden raisins, ground flax seed, and cinnamon for flavor because plain oatmeal tastes like paste.
- Lunch – Usually a salad with mixed vegetables and tuna or chicken with whole wheat bread
- Dinner – Most often salmon or some protein with vegetables
- Snacks – Typically almonds (salted and unsalted) or fruits (including a date or two)
There were times I would “cheat” by going off the specific instructions, but I also had my red lines. For example, I would on occasion have a burger for dinner if I felt a craving or would have carbs like rice or potatoes if they came with a meal.
The red line for me was sugar. I routinely passed on deserts or would choose fruits instead of pastries. I also cut out ketchup, which was kind of a change for someone who used to put it on everything.2 I wouldn’t make a big deal if someone cooked something with a sauce, but when given the option I’d withhold all sauces and wouldn’t add any of my own.
The Results
So, how did it work out? Let’s take a look:
| Date | KG | Pounds | KG Lost | Pounds Lost | BMI |
| 07/13/2017 | 101.5 | 223.7691961 | —– | —– | 31.3 |
| 07/27/2017 | 98.4 | 216.934866 | 3.1 | 6.834330128 | 30.4 |
| 08/17/2017 | 96.4 | 212.5256207 | 2 | 4.409245244 | 29.8 |
| 09/08/2017 | 95.5 | 210.5414604 | 0.9 | 1.98416036 | 29.5 |
| 11/09/2017 | 93.1 | 205.2503661 | 2.4 | 5.291094292 | 28.7 |
| 01/02/2018 | 87.5 | 192.9044794 | 5.6 | 12.34588668 | 27 |
| 03/29/2018 | 87 | 191.8021681 | 0.5 | 1.102311311 | 26.9 |
| 08/02/2018 | 82.1 | 180.9995172 | 4.9 | 10.80265085 | 25.3 |
| Total Loss | 19.4 kg | 42.76 lbs | 6 BMI | 19.11% Body Weight |
There aren’t many pictures of me to do a proper before and after, but the one on this website is recent enough to give some idea of how I look today.
Reflections
I think a few things worked in my favor. First, being raised to keep kosher helps with food discipline since I’ve already been hard-wired to classify certain foods as forbidden. Adding sugar to that list isn’t that much more of a leap, especially when there are so many alternatives.
Second, there were benefits in the accountability of going to a nutritionist knowing that the results were going to be measured regularly. It helped that there was immediate weight loss of 3 kg in the first two weeks. Even if it was just water weight, immediate gratification is a great motivator.
I was also fortunate in my circumstances and tried to take advantage of what I had around me. My office was located in (then near) a mall where I had easy access to healthy food options (which were also excellent). When my office was one floor above a gym, I would get to work early and work out for a half hour daily, alternating between weights and cardio. (I didn’t continue when we moved offices, but I do tend to walk more in Israel). Additionally, I happen to live near the Machaneh Yehuda Market which made it easier to get better food quickly.
I also recognize the advantage of being in Israel with a more socialized medical system such that my nutritionist fees were covered.3 This is not always a given in the United States.
In terms of secondary effects, my bloodwork normalized though I can’t say my mood has improved. I do need to update my wardrobe though, but all things considered that’s a good problem to have.
At the last appointment, my nutritionist said I don’t need to lose more weight, though I really haven’t been trying. I do intend to keep up with the plan, especially staying off sugar.
I cannot emphasize enough that nothing here should be taken as specific dieting advice; this is only descriptive of what worked for me. I can say that it’s never too late to start eating better, whatever “eating better” may mean for you.