is maybe lose some weight

When my mom was alive and living with us, I would come home from after dinner gym excursions to some homemade cookies (or cake) and a dish of ice cream.  My son would ask, "Why bother going to the gym if you are just going to eat junk when you come home?"  I replied, "I go to the gym so I CAN eat junk."

I am not in the running group to lose weight.  I am more interested in the challenge of running 10K and working with a group to attain a goal.  But spending three days running (plus any other exercise during the week), it will be hard not to lose weight.

When I first started going to the gym about seven years ago, I weighed around 225.  After three years I was down to 190 where I was stuck.  After retiring in 2008, I gained about 10 or so back (more time during the day to nibble) but when I took up running last spring I was able to drop back to 190.  According to the BMI charts I should be 180 so that  will be my goal.

Now I am no expert on weight loss and dieting.  In fact I have no clue how to diet.  I pay little attention to labels beyond how many calories per serving when I am buying something that I know I probably shouldn't.  And then it is a battle of wills which we all know is not always winnable.  Anyway for what it is worth, here is what I have discovered about losing weight.

1. Exercise is important.  Every minute exercising is not only burning a calorie or two, but just as importantly it is preventing you from eating a calorie or two.  It is pretty hard to stuff yourself while running.

2. Give up as much junk food as possible.  I still like my cookies and it is hard to leave Safeway or Baker Boy without a treat, but I have made a real conscious effort to avoid potato chips, chocolate bars and store bought bags of cookies.  If I need a cookie (and who doesn't) I buy one.  But I don't buy the bag that will call to me every moment I'm home.

3. I grab a piece of gum when I feel like I am losing a battle with a food craving.  I am not sure if that is a good approach but it beats smoking.

4.  Program your exercise around your meals.  I really like the Learn to Run times.  Having a banana around three o'clock and then running at five and then coming home to a healthy supper to satisfy my hunger is perfect timing.  Coming home to mom's cookies and ice cream after already having supper was poor timing. 

If anybody has any other tips, I would like to hear them.