Potatoes and Protein – Insurance Against Weight Gain

Spring is just starting here in Seattle, so I thought I would share my winter experience with the Potatoes and Protein Diet. For background on that diet, see:

Potatoes and Protein – A No Hunger Template For Fat Loss

Normally, I don’t concern myself with gaining 3-5 pounds over the winter. Shorter days, more eating holidays, fewer steps, etc. Any weight that I gain, will fall off in the spring.

Today, I stepped on the scale to learn that I didn’t gain the expected 3-5 pounds. I lost 3 more pounds. I didn’t even try.

The habit I developed of eating meals high in protein and boiled potatoes gets stronger every week. I don’t even need to think about. It is like cruise control. That is by design. I know if I eat several P&P meals a week, I won’t gain weight. And if I eat a few more, I’ll drop weight.

This winter my eating window was often 12-13 hours, which normally results in weight gain. Also, I occasionally had ice cream, pizza, and foods that people normally associate with gaining weight. But I was never concerned. I knew that locking in calorie savings once or twice a day from P&P meals would keep me at or near my ideal weight.

No hunger. No calorie counting.

Another thing I didn’t do this winter was any form of fasting. I don’t like to fast when it is cold. And I still dropped weight.

So many people need to lose weight and they need to do it in a way that the brain doesn’t detect hunger. Otherwise, the risk of regaining the lost weight (and more) is higher. Potatoes & Protein is the key. It works. It is a simple story. Build a habit with staples and execute without thinking.

This winter I also experimented with replacing the potatoes with various grains, including quinoa, oats, farro, millet, barley, couscous, brown rice, and even white rice. It still works, so all you tater-haters have no excuse.

Did anyone else try P&P this winter? What were your results?