Yeah, I here you. An individual weight loss plan is hardly earn a literary critics award and is very unlikely to interest most readers, so you may wonder why? Why expose my personal Plan for weight loss in a format for others to read? Well it is all about the journey and the occasional lessons along the way. Intrigued? Read on.
To start with I will reiterate the fundamentals of weight loss, for anyone under any conditions. If you do these three things you need no extra equipment, training, or special supplements. I call this a reiteration because somewhere in the past I wrote about it you may enjoy reading version 1, sometime. Here is the abbreviated version.
There are 3 things that every diet, every trainer, and every weight loss plan agrees are effective. 1. You must drink lots of water, 2. You must get as much exercise as possible, 3. Regardless of what you eat, you must reduce calories. Whether you reduce carbs or sweets or fats, you are reducing calories. Aside from these three rules it is simple math, calories in v/s calories out.
All of this being said I call this my weight loss plan because it is long term, how long? Well maybe lifelong. Stick with me and we will see how long it lasts. My first step began with the new year, 2005. I know that is fairly arbitrary because most people and I am no exception fail to keep most of these resolutions. My first step was to set a goal and I did.
On January first, I set a specific goal, I want to weight 150 lbs by 2006. This may not sound very tough but my starting weight on the first was 207 lbs. 57 lbs in 12 months, challenging but achievable. As with any goal it is important to put a date with it.
Specific Goal – Check
Specific Time- Check
Next Step Write it down,- I did write my goal down but until tonight I did not realize that I could expand to power of writing my goal down by sharing it with you readers.
Develop a Plan – Well based on the three fundamentals mentioned earlier I felt I had enough of a plan. However, I discovered one software product, which is so far above any other that I paid for a licensed copy of it. I tend to be fairly frugal and in most cases refuse to pay for software, but this product was very comprehensive. I am not trying to advertise for this company but I will give them a well-earned plug. The product is called Weight by Date Pro . You can purchase or get a full trial version good for 15 days while you decide. Anyway what makes this software head and shoulders above the competition is the detail involved. If you would like to track your exercise and the calories expended while exercising you can do it. Want to count those calories, this program includes a database of foods or you can add your own as I do most of the time. I find that reading the label and adding the information myself helps me understand and pay closer attention to what I am eating. The calorie counter and exercise together in one product is rare. I am not sure why because it seems so logical, but to sound like a commercial that is not all. Also included in the program in a measurement log so you can track your weight daily and measurements as often as you like. A couple other features include calculation of body fat, charts for everything related, and a goal planner. All that in one simple software program, I have recommended new features and I believe they will add additional measurement points and alternative methods of determining body fat in the next version. I searched for other programs but nothing really compared.
So I have a specific goal, specific time, written down and shared, planned and the next step is to decide what I am willing to sacrifice. So far, two months into this I have sacrificed most fast food most of the time. I like water so much that about the only things I drink is water and coffee. I track my calories maybe 50% of the time and sometimes even have to eat more calories so I do not slow my metabolism down to far. I have yet to sacrifice my time enough to get into a consistent exercise schedule. This is still an opportunity to push myself. Maybe next week?
The very last step is to review my plan daily, constantly think of the goal and exercise integrity to myself in the few moments a day when I really feel like quitting.
So what is my progress? It has actually only been a little over a month and today on the 9th of February, I think I weigh about 198. I follow my weight closely but I have been away from home for the last week or so and I do not have a scale available here. I was at 195 lbs last week. My waist has dropped from 39 inch to 37 or so inches. My body fat has dropped from about 22% to 20% and once went as low as 19%. I still have a lot of weight to lose but I hope to write my celebration article on or before the first of next year.
If I can do it you can to I would love to hear your weight loss success story.
ÓMark C. Carroll All Rights Reserved
