I love food. But about four months ago, I think I loved it a little too much.

See, before I changed the way I ate, meals would consume my thoughts. The events of the day were relatively unimportant compared to what cuisine I’d get to have later that night. There was no portion control; instead, in the words of Louis CK, “The meal [was] not over when I [was] full. The meal [was] over when [I’d] hate myself.”

Changing this part of my lifestyle was probably the hardest part. Why? Modern dieting is filled with too many extremes.

From “no carb,” to “no fat,” to “just grapefruits,” it’s all overkill.

Yes, in accordance to the Paleo Diet, our early ancestors did, in fact, eat a diet consisting of simply “grass-fed pasture raised meats, fish, vegetables, fruit, roots, and nuts.” Though great for some, for the urban college student, the

businessperson on the run, the people with too much on their metaphorical plates, perhaps this isn’t the most sustainable solution. In that case, I recommend what worked for me: portion control and substitutions.

See, I had tried dieting in the past. But, as I mentioned before, I’d take it to an extreme. I figured if I deprive myself entirely of the delicious foods I love, then I’d lose the weight in no time. The opposite is what I found true: I’d eat like that for a couple days, then become aggravated, and revert back to my old ways.

I decided that if I made a plan for running, I might as well have a plan for dieting. So, I joined Weight Watchers for Men. The name, at first, made me hesitant. “Weight Watchers? My aunt is on that. I’m a manly man.” But, I started warming up to it. After researching it more, it seemed to be just what I needed: a way to properly track nutrition and daily food consumption, exercise, and weight loss.

I purchased an online-only subscription later that day.

Though the meetings work great for some, it wasn’t for me. I’m simply too busy for such a time commitment. I found writing about my endeavors online would be just the kind of accountability I needed.

The initial change was actually rather difficult. My mood fluctuated; I couldn’t hide my problems in food anymore. But those feelings subsided over time. I realized that it was time to find fulfillment elsewhere. And, though it was difficult to track every single thing I ate at first, it eventually became systematic. I’d use guides to effortlessly track my portions.

“My palm is three ounces of steak, and my fist is a cup of cooked rice, easy enough.” And the best part? I am still able to eat the things I crave. I continue to have my sushi indulgences, and cherish the occasional burger. Though, I’ll leave off the cheese and spicy mayo, and opt for a side salad with no dressing.

I can’t stress it enough: for a diet change to be successful, it requires consistent, small, manageable changes. Weight Watchers worked for me, but for you it might be something different. Find what works, stick with it, and enjoy yourself.

Andrew Pinkowitz is a sophomore majoring in financial consulting and Spanish with a minor in communication studies. He can be reached for comment at [email protected]