My Four Guiding Lights of Weight Management

After looking in the mirror I knew something had to change. When I stepped on the scale it only confirmed my suspicions. The first step in making a change is to realize that a change needs to be made. I realized that I had put on some weight, but I had no idea just how much I had put on. Once the decision was made to do something, the next choice to make is how to adapt in order to see results.

Number One for Weight Loss:

When loosing weight there are a number of options for what to do and people often get lost in the jungle. There are so many different ideologies out there that a simple search can leave you with more questions than answers. Separating fact from fiction can be challenging but one simple fact that I found useful as a guiding light is the principal of calories in vs. calories out. You are never going to loose weight if you are eating more than you are burning.

Assess Your Situation:

Am I better to cut calories or to become more active? For most of us it would be beneficial to both cut calories and become more active, but I have learned not to cut off more than I can chew. Assessing your life honestly can play a large part in determining success.

Assessing My Situation:

There was one summer, several years ago, when I decided to put all my energy into loosing weight. I had some significant success but I had a life where I could dedicate almost all of myself to my goal. Being cautious of almost everything I ate and riding my bicycle for a minimum of two hours every day allowed me to watch my weight slowly melt off of my body.

However as I got older, it got harder. I had work, family commitments and overall simply was not able to dedicate the same percentage of my time to any one thing. Two hours on my bike was not attainable anymore. I was in need of a change, but what change would produce results for me?

As a creature of habit I knew what had worked for me in the past. Under the principal of “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” I found ways to increase my activity level. Maximizing efficiency was key, I began using my bicycle as my mode of transportation to and from work. Believe it or not I ended up riding my bike for nearly two hours a day! As with many people in my position I forgot one factor, I was older. Riding my bicycle for that duration left my knees screaming at me to stop. I chose to ride through the pain, after all this was just my body adapting to the changes. Not quite, after a couple of months I could barely walk when I got off my bike. I was forced off my bicycle, and the weight slowly came back.

Assess yourself honestly. Making an appointment to speak to your doctor could be a very smart move to get your initial plan in place. The last thing you want to do is over do things and be left on the sideline. Knowing your physical limitations as well as your own personal environmental limitations can allow you to create a plan that is manageable.

How much time do you have in a day to focus on exercise? Is your body capable of daily exercise? How intense can you go for a sustained period of time? Can you do it on your own or do you need the structured environment a gym can provide? Can you afford to go to a gym? I found all of these questions to be of great value when creating my plan.

Cardio Vs. Strength Training:

When I was severely overweight I knew my number one goal was loosing fat. For that reason, and that reason alone, I focused all my energy on cardio. After researching the topic I decided that light exercise for a sustained period of time would be my best option. Walking, jogging and cycling were my big three. I knew I had to work my way up to jogging but I could handle a walk for an hour or a moderately paced bike ride for thirty minutes a few times per week. Strength training has its benefits for fat loss however lifting weights or pushups would not hold my interest long enough for the results I was looking for. My decision was made.

While cardio exercise is and was what worked for me, it might not be for you. Strength training does allow you to put on muscle and burn more fat however if it is not sustainable, it most likely will not be worth it. Once I took off a fair bit of weight I reassessed my situation and began to work in some light strength training, but only once I felt that the effort would be sustainable. It all comes back to an honest assessment for long-term results.

What Goes in Must Come Out:

Exercise, while a key component in many weight loss plans, should not be the only change made to your lifestyle. The types and quantity of food consumed at meals plays an important role as well. We all know that french fries are bad and that salads are good. While there is countless hours of research and a number of different ideologies on the subject, use your instinct as to what foods you should prioritize in your daily life. As time goes on and you feel the desire to research different options do so, but right now I can only assume that you are searching for a way to start.

Each time I began a serious attempt at weight loss the foods I ate were scrutinized. I could have my cake and eat it too, however it might have meant I missed a meal to balance it out. When I started listening to my body, looking for signs that I was hungry rather than the clock on the wall, it seriously surprised me how little I was eating compared to what had become my “standard diet”.

There are a lot of considerations to make when building a plan to loose weight, and none can be made too lightly. Changing the way you eat, changing the way you exercise truly makes it a lifestyle change. Now if you have done a search online you have certainly come across the “how to loose 20 lb. in 2 weeks” or “loose two pant sizes in a month” I am not a doctor of any sort, but in my experiences these styles of weight management do not work in the long term. Honest assessment, gradual change, and dedication will be what produce the best results. Good Luck!

 

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