Experience of the initial phase of the record-based weight loss method: lose weight easily without dieting

I used to think, "Instead of forcing myself to abstain from what I want and living a dull 30 years, I'd rather eat whatever I want and live a blissful 10 years like a gourmet." Now I think, what would it feel like to spend those 10 years eating only ham and cheese sandwiches? That kind of life would be too cheap!

My snacks were always the same pattern: crispy rice crackers with potato chips, chocolate with rice crackers, and cola. After eating something salty, I'd have a piece of chocolate to cleanse my palate. Chocolate, crispy rice crackers, and cola formed a "iron triangle."

Eating these things all day long, my stomach was never empty. Actually, I just wanted to chew on something salty and crunchy. I always felt like I needed some stimulation for my tongue, teeth, and throat. Chewing on something crunchy, savoring the taste, and wanting more afterward—it was like being addicted.

My self-proclaimed ideal of "eating elegantly like a gourmet, even though I'm fat" has suddenly vanished. Furthermore, after reviewing my eating habits, I made a new discovery. I discovered a "devil's time" in my day: between 10 PM and 2 AM. I typically eat dinner around 9 PM, and then from then until 2 AM, I snack every 30 minutes, sometimes even every 10 minutes.

I wasn't surprised by the total amount of food I ate, but I was alarmed by the frequency and unconsciousness of it.

However, when I'm focused on work, I almost never eat. When reading comics or watching TV, I unconsciously snack a lot.

Combining these snacking times with my work schedule, I discovered a rule: even if I gain weight due to work stress, it's not because I'm too busy to lose weight, but because I unconsciously use eating to change my mood. This is what makes me obese.

I know this can't continue, and I should lose weight, but I can't bring myself to do it. Just calculating the calories makes me completely lose interest in dieting.

Take dumplings, for example. One pan-fried dumpling has 100 calories—just one! A serving of pan-fried dumplings and a large bowl of fried rice would be 1500 calories! That's exactly the total calories an adult male can consume in a day while dieting. In other words, dumplings and fried rice alone make up my entire daily calorie requirement. How could I possibly survive on just dumplings and fried rice every day?!

I usually eat mostly high-calorie foods like pork chop rice bowls, steak, and extra-large hamburgers. To lose weight, I could only eat one meal a day, which is absolutely impossible for me.

However, I haven't considered giving up keeping a record. The reason is that shortly after I started keeping the notes, my weight began to gradually decrease.

When I crave a small snack, the thought of having to keep a record makes it seem like a hassle. I'm allowed to eat, but I have to write it down. Eating a little isn't a problem, but the thought of the tedious record-keeping afterwards sometimes makes me give up the idea.

Before, I would eat even if I didn't necessarily want to. This is very different from now, where I eat only after I've made a conscious decision. More often than not, the thought of having to keep a record, which I find troublesome, overcomes the urge to eat, and I don't eat. I only eat when I really crave it. Sometimes when I go to the convenience store to buy snacks, the thought of "I have to write down my rice crackers again today" makes me think, "I'll buy something else today!"

After paying a little attention to this, my weight started to slowly decrease.

However, I still go to a barbecue restaurant once a week, and each time I eat until I'm stuffed.

While living this kind of life, I still diligently recorded my daily weight and food intake, and as a result, I lost 10 kilograms in 5 months.

I'm truly grateful to have lost so much weight just by keeping a record. It also made me realize how tirelessly and enthusiastically I've been "working" against obesity all this time.