Great advice! As I've gotten older (in my 50s now), it's harder to keep the fat off. I've had to cut back on the starches and carbs, and I eat more whole grained breads and cereals.
My biggest issue is alcohol. Even in moderation, it is probably my biggest adversary for weight gain. Beer is the worst.
I've also had to change my work to be more physical in nature. Sitting at a desk all day makes it nearly impossible for me to keep the weight under control.
Best wishes in your quest to stay in shape. I wish I could tell you it gets easier as we get older, but it certainly hasn't been that way for me so far. I have to step on the scale regularly and then make the necessary adjustments in food/alcohol consumption and physical activity.
Hey Brother SilverFox! For what it's worth, if you want to get to a better weight, I can tell you some simple practices that work for pretty much everyone that isn't going to be a workout warrior or count calories...
1. Smaller Portions/ Eat Slower -- You'd be very surprised how satisfied you may be with only eating aprx 1/2 the portion of food you currently eat for your 3 squares. It's been confirmed it takes about 20 minutes for you to feel full from the food you eat. So, if you thoroughly chew, taste and enjoy your food and take your time between bites... you may feel totally fine with that smaller portion. Eat whatever you want, have the other half for lunch or whenever.
2. Drink Full Glass of Water Before Meal -- You already know we need aprx 8 glasses of water, so a full glass (I drink room temp) before eating makes good sense... and not only helps digestion, but helps you feel full sooner.
3. Have a Salad with Dinner -- If you don't have salads with dinner or other meals, you should seriously consider starting. Micro-nutrients and fiber from raw vegetables we get in salads and dressings (balsamic vinegar dressing) help prevent many diseases, help you feel full and are generally low in calories. Half portion doesn't seem so crazy with small salad. I'm sure there's things you can add to make it more palatable like nuts, grapes/raisins, bacon, croutons, etc.
3.5 Eat Baby Carrots Between Meals -- If you're still hungry between or after meals, have some raw veggies you like or can stand: baby carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, red bell pepper strips, etc. Helps fill you up, extra fiber.
4. Exercise 20 Mins or More Daily -- Depending on what your work is... everybody needs to get their heart rate up for 15-20 mins to get the juices flowing everywhere in the body for proper function of everything in your body: digestive system and brain ... walking fast, dancing, whatever.