170.8 Lot of lettuce - Hubby contemplates a French high protein diet

Rather like the tortoise, my weight is gradually slipping down. I would expect that short of divorce, there is no way to speed its decline given the superb dinners hubby makes regularly. Last night I even gave in to a small second helping of crabmeat au gratin. There seems to be less need for recording what I've eaten. I can tell what satisfies me - I simply never awaken hungry so I prefer to breakfast between 10:30 and noon and lunch around 2-3. That helps stave off the 5 pm cravings that are my almost daily downfall. I would simply rather eat dinner early, and that coupled with the fact that I have never eaten in the evening, would probably have a very positive effect on my weight loss.

A friend started a business promoting a French protein diet. She looks marvelous 30 pounds down (no more marvelous than the friend who lost 50 pounds for the price of the book The Skinny and some willpower). Each claims to have relearned how to eat and both feel that their methods were relatively easy. Of course, the French alternative is in excess of $100/week. Every diet claims to be potentially of great benefit to diabetics, but isn't that simply the benefit of losing weight. So my husband brings home the literature. One to two teaspoons of oil and 1 teaspoon of skim milk. Now, there lots of protein options for dinner, but where is the joy of eating? Breakfast and lunch consist of purchased foods.

My husband, aged 74, is a desperate man and desperate people are the bread and butter of diet claims. I slowly read him what he could and couldn't eat; the latter included all fruit and minimal if any green cabbage or green beans, and no diet beverages or juices. Three days ago I accompanied him to his internist who helped me better understand diabetes. Hubby has regular sugar lows and was surprised when the doctor corroborated what I had been saying about the need to eat lunch and to eat regularly. When these lows occur, there is a feedback breakdown. The need for sugar is immediate and overpowering; it goes on far longer than necessary leading to a sugar high for the next day or two. Having read many diabetic books, I realize that controlling carbs and eating regularly are essential to his health. While this diet probably addresses these factors far better than he now does on his own, I question where the re-training is. I cannot imagine him 30 pounds lighter, freed from his weekly counselor, and not returning to a heavy diet of fruits, minimal vegetables, and all the sweets he has craved. Also, it is an alcohol free diet. Thanksgiving two years ago, he successfully went cold turkey on booze; it lasted four or five months. Within a week, he was back to 2 glasses+ of wine and 1 1/2 to 2 drinks each night. Now if he would simply give up the booze and quit eating by 7 pm, he probably would lose 30 pounds in a year. Am I to seriously believe that someone whose hobby is belonging to a wine club, will make it on this diet?? One year from now he may have lost 30 pounds, but I would give him 20:80 of stabilizing at 10 pounds off. And that's a gift.
Day 40