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Chef Mihoko Obunai at Repast Restaurant in Atlanta features a daily macrobiotic menu that's incredibly delicious, and this is coming from a girl that incorporates Benton's bacon fat into everything I cook.

i've lost about 50 pounds in the last three years, mostly by being very diligent about going to the gym and running three miles on most days. some other things i've learned to do: eat lots of salad before dinner and dress it with just fancy vinegar, no oil; cut out anything that i won't miss, for instance i don't have wine with dinner any more, since i'm essentially indifferent to alcohol; substitute frozen berries with milk and sugar on top for ice cream after dinner; indulge my sweet tooth with sour belts and lemonheads instead of chocolate or cake; allow myself a treat only on days when i work out; eat low fat fage yogurt since it's so delicious i don't care that it's low fat, ditto for ronnybrook milk; train myself not to drink my calories, so no sugar in my coffee and tea; pack my own lunch and start with a huge container of cut up raw veggies {carrots, cucumbers, snap peas, fennel, red peppers, jicama, etc.} and chow that down first; make regular visits to the greenmarket so that i'm eating the most delicious produce available; have old fashioned 30 minute oatmeal with walnuts on top for breakfast, no butter, no sweetener; keep the butter in the freezer so i'm not tempted to slather it on everything in sight; portion control in restaurants {two appetizers instead of a starter and a main, no dessert if i've had bread, or vice versa}; cook at home as much as possible and save restaurants for special occasions; limit meat eating to a couple of times a week.

i'm NOT interested in eating substitutes for real food -- no low fat mayo, diet coke or snackwells for me!

i'm with you -- i want a cheeseburger and fries and i'll have them once in a while. but i'll try to stop when i'm full and leave at least half the fries {i can never manage to leave even a scrap of burger...}

Great post! I too love to eat, but try to stay on the 'curvy' side rather than the 'overweight' side. Those are all really good points. I eat a ton of lovely fruit and veggies from my CSA and try not to eat too much refined stuff. I totally agree with the not wasting calories. I think one of my challenges is eating when I'm bored/tired. I'm interested to see how I do now that I've started formal culinary training, whether I can still stay a healthy size.

Cycling over 200 miles a week sure helps too!!

As Jack Nicholson said in ‘The Witches of Eastwick,” “When I die I want to be sick, not healthy.” There is some twisted logic to that statement. I think I’d just clarify that I want to die sick, but at an old and respectable age. I don’t want to die of clogged arteries when I’m only 50 years of age so some preventative steps are required.

Unfortunately my partner Ed comes from a long bloodline of high cholesterol guys. His father required bypass surgery in his early 60’s. And most unfortunate of all was when Ed was told that he needed double bypass surgery at the ripe old age of 47! There is no greater motivation to change your eating habits than having your ribs opened up like swinging saloon doors. Especially when you are so young!

Our diet is what I would now label as “sensible.” We don’t shun In and Out burgers, occasional batches of home made ice cream, or a juicy rib eye steaks. We just settled into a pattern where they are balanced out with a heart-healthy diet. We don't follow any diets per say and we don't restrict any food groups. If your diet is "forced" and unnatural it's bound to fail. I find that when I cook at home, it’s very easy to prepare healthy food. I have no problem making lean chicken, beef, pork and fish preparations that are really tasty, and still low in fat and cholesterol. That way when Friday night rolls around and the boys want to indulge in steaks and martinis we are ready! Of course, a quick hike in the neighborhood on Saturday morning helps too.

I’ve also discovered that eating patterns in motion tend to stay in motion. What I mean is that when we groom our appetites for burgers and pizza then it quickly becomes habitual and we start salivating for those foods frequently. On the flip side, once we focus on a lighter diet and navigate toward fresh healthy dishes we tend to find it easier to stick to that dietary path. It’s hard to break the pattern but once we did it wasn’t the bummer we thought it might be.

Oh, Ed's cholesterol is GREAT now and even though mine was never problematic I am enjoying lower numbers too!

Making the lifestyle switch to eating local has put a huge emphasis on fruits and vegetables in our diet. Sourcing naturally raised meats has also cut out saturated fats. We were going for local and for quality, which we got, the bonus was how healthy it made our diet. As far as philosophy, moderation is good. Save up for those incredible feasts, it makes them even more special. Love fresh vegetables and fruits. Portion size. Basically, here is my philosophy and I know there will be days for flourless chocolate cake, too. Just not every day.

You guys need to grow up. Wow, yogurt and toast, I'm sure the highlight of your week is going out for a wine cooler with your coworkers.

I'll usually pop a couple biscuits in the oven, then slice up a potato and get that going with olive oil in a pan. After a while I add onion, red or yellow bell pepper, and garlic. Plate up the potatoes then top the biscuits with a fried egg and a couple slices of American cheese.

After a breakfast like that I'm all set to be bored at work for 8 hours and not get hungry till dinner time.

Two skinless, sriracha-coated chicken legs from the econo-pak I roast on Sundays. Old Weight Watchers trick.

My breakfast goes like this every weekday:
Coffee #1 (milk, no sugar, brewed one cup at a time)
Whole-wheat toast with peanut butter or cashew butter
Smoothie (banana, yogurt, frozen fruit, flax meal, apple juice)
Coffee #2

I am one of those people who is ravenously hungry in the morning, so I have to eat a pretty big breakfast. And I love sleeping, but I love coffee just a little bit more!

I have a rotation because I get bored easily. :)

+one egg, cheddar and tomato on toasted multigrain bread
+Greek yogurt with walnuts and honey
+cottage cheese or a hard boiled egg and a glass of vegetable juice (I prefer Knudsen Very Veggie, but V8 will do in a pinch)
+ricotta from Saxelby's with apricots, pine nuts and a drizzle of balsamic

I love oatmeal but I generally only eat it during the cooler months of the year. When I do I dress it up with blueberries and almonds, or butter and sea salt, or a few dashes of hot sauce, or a little grated sharp cheese.

I drink iced Earl Grey in the summer, hot tea the rest of the year. I'll occasionally have coffee with milk instead. And I drink a ton of water.

Since I love my bed and can barely leave it in the morning, I don't eat until I get to work. I used to keep milk in the fridge there for cereal (my favorite, could-eat-it-for-every-meal food), but that got annoying. So now it's instant oatmeal in a cup. Generic (sorry Quaker, I'm poor!) lower sugar apples and cinnamon costs me about $3 for a month's worth.

light multi-grain english muffin w/ 2% cheese

or

rice krispies w/ blueberries and milk

always a big thermos of hot tea

Oddly right now it has been bread fingers and soft boiled eggs. Alternately a piece of whole wheat/spelt raisin/cranberry bread toasted with pumpkin butter.