The great news is that at my Friday evening weigh-in I have lost 3 pounds (1.35 kilos) and that puts me 50% ahead of my target of losing 1 pound each week. My waist belt is feeling more comfortable as the new ‘one notch tighter’ position that was achieved last week so I am certainly achieving the major goal of measuring less.
The other thing that I’ve discovered is that my exercise sessions are now running for fifteen minutes three times each week rather than the originally recommended ten minute session. This is not due to me pushing harder, it is simply because my body seems to want to take more exercise. I think this extra exercise is a major reason why my weight loss is running ahead of schedule. Exercise should never be forced because some people have health problems that prevent them doing too much. You must discuss any new exercise regime with your doctor before getting involved; that’s just common sense.
It is at this stage of a weight loss program that many people become complacent and for this reason it is a good time to repeat the of the basics of the program. On the day before I started I set the following four goals:
- Each day I will nominate one item of food that will not be eaten that day.
- I will exercise three times each week for a minimum of ten minutes.
- Each day I will incorporate extra activities in my normal routine that will help improve fitness level.
- I will lose one pound (450 grams) each week.
The philosophy behind those four goals is:
- There is no point in nominating dairy products as the food you will avoid on a given day if you don’t consume dairy products, or your consumption is small. It is better to nominate something that you eat regularly. If you nominate potatoes for today then leave a space on your plate where potato would normally be served. This is what abstaining from one food item each day means.
- I exercise Monday, Wednesday and Friday. This is a formal exercise session for a minimum of ten minutes. The target is to raise your pulse rate by 50%.
- Increasing physical activity incorporates using stairs rather than the elevator, parking at the point furthest from the supermarket entrance, constantly asking whether you really need to use the car each time you plan to go out. This is an extension of your formal exercise program and must be used every day.
- Three thousand five hundred calories are equal to one pound (450 grams) of body weight. To lose one pound each week you must use 500 calories less each day. An adult body requires two thousand calories each day to function properly. In the western world the average adult consumes three thousand five hundred calories each day. It isn’t difficult to shed a simple five hundred calories each day. This done by a mixture of healthier eating habits and increased exercise levels. There is nothing more to losing weight.
Copyright © David McCarthy 2006. It may be reproduced in its entirety with no additions.
