How I Will Lose 5 Pounds in January
“We do not usually make significant and lasting changes in quantum leaps. All permanent change is progressive over a long period of time. This type of change requires patience and discipline. It is only this type of change that is worthwhile and enduring.” Brian Tracy
I am not real attached to my scale but over the course of 2011 I gained about 5 pounds. I will take it off this month. I will do it the way I teach clients to do it. Here is my plan and a few tips and considerations.
FOOD
What I Eat: I am eating vegetables, fruit, nuts, beans, Greek yogurt, string cheese, eggs and lean meats. I will skip grains for two weeks and then will add whole grains, 1-2 servings a day, focusing on quinoa, brown rice and oatmeal.
What I Will Not Eat: Added sugar, sugar substitutes, soda of any kind, white flour products including pasta, commercial meal replacement shakes or bars, processed meats like ham, sausage, bacon or lunch meat.
If it doesn’t have a mommy or it doesn’t grow in the ground I won’t put it in my mouth.
When I Eat: Every 2 1/2 – 3 hours starting when I get up. I make sure I eat before and after my workouts. I make sure I eat enough calories that I am never really hungry. I do not eat after dinner and never in front of the TV.
How Much I Eat: Protein portions the size of the palm of my hand, all the vegetables I can and other carbohydrate portions the size of my fist.
EXERCISE
I do high intensity interval training (HIIT), our boot camp, 3-4 days a week. I do something active that I enjoy on the other days except Sunday. Sunday I let my body rest.
TIPS AND EXPLANATIONS
1. If you think you will feel deprived plan on a free day or a free meal once a week (only once a week). Eat as much as you want and what you want. There are both psychological and physiological advantages for doing this so it can actually help your progress. If there is something during the week you are dying to eat put it in the freezer for your free day.
“Don’t give up what you most want in life for something you think you want now.” Richard G. Scott
2. Watch your labels and don’t fall for hype. Special K is loaded with sugar, most multi-grain breads are not whole grain, many commercial yogurts add a bunch of sugar, HFCS, artificial sweeteners and sometimes all three.
3. There is no magic pill or potion to make you thin and keep you thin. Even if there was you would miss the journey. One of the most gratifying results of and being fit and losing weight is what you become in the process.
“Success lies in the effort, not the attainment. Full effort is full victory.” Mahatma Gandhi
4. To be successful you must plan ahead. Know the night before what you will eat the next day. When I cook I cook a large quantity. We grill steak and chicken and put them in the freezer. I make soups and stews and we put it in small containers in the freezer. I keep large bags of frozen vegetables in the freezer.
5. It is easy to get in a rut and begin to hate your program. Avoid this by making a list of every vegetable you like, then every fruit you like. Do the same with meats and dairy and so on. Then post it on your refrigerator and rotate through your list. Trust me on this! If you don’t you will find yourself relying on the same few foods and that is boring and not healthy.
6. People are more successful when they share their goals. It helps us be more accountable. Make sure you share them with people who will support you. Remember that a goal not written is only a wish.
7. Chocolate is a great appetite suppressant and can help you feel satisfied, but it must be very dark chocolate. It should be a bare minimum of 60% cocoa. With time you can develop a taste for it darker. I prefer Green & Blacks 85%. The darker the chocolate the less sugar.
8. We humans are driven by a variety of appetites to insure that our basic needs are met. We hunger for food, water, sleep, sex and some other more complex needs like love or acceptance. It can be easy to confuse these needs so when you feel hunger make sure it is a hunger for food.
9. Find a picture of some fit person that inspires you and hang it up where you can see it often.
“Hold a picture of yourself long enough your minds eye and you will be drawn toward it.” Harry Emerson Fosdick
This works but it has to become, eventually, a life style. It is a great deal though. You get to lose weight, eat great foods, learn how to appreciate real food again and sharply reduce cancer, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, depression and a host of other illnesses.
If you have a tip please leave a comment. It might be just the thing someone else needs.
