Yesterday I was so frustrated that I couldn’t sit and write how wonderful this weight loss process was going, because it wasn’t going. For three days I’d virtually been at the same weight while doing all the right things (except for maybe too much of that red wine mentioned on Monday) and the scale hadn’t moved a tenth lower.
Well, today that changed and although it wasn’t a huge change, the 190 barrier has now been broken. Since you were a little kid you’ve heard “persistence pays off”, and indeed it does. So now the journey continues to 180 with renewed momentum.
Today, I want to briefly touch on two things – the key role exercise plays in weight loss, and secondly where this blog is going from here. Please read to the end and comment!!
First to exercise. Anyone reading this blog understands that losing weight is a simple calculation. For example, if you maintain your current weight by eating 2500 calories a day and doing whatever physical activity you’re currently doing, then to lose weight you need to be reducing your daily calories to 2000 a day. You can do that by eating less or lower calorie foods and maintaining your current activity. You can increase your current activity enough to burn an additional 500 calories a day and eat what you’re currently eating, or you can do a combination of less calorie intake and more activity. Simple right?
The problem is that many people decide that reducing calories is all they need to do, and if they really did that, they would lose weight. The dirty little secret is that there are hidden calories in most things we eat, or those things like processed crackers and diet sodas that have so much sodium in them that our bodies want more. And don’t underestimate HUNGER. The number one reason people fall off the wagon is that they get hungry and cheat a little. Exercise can help.
I don’t mean crazy exercise like going from no exercise to an hour on a stairmaster. I mean walking, riding a stationary bike the right way, and not taking more than 20 minutes a day to do it. If you haven’t already, you’ll want to check out the PACE Program at www.AlSearsMD.com. I’m not affiliated in any way with him, but his anti-cardio (I know it sounds crazy, but it won’t after you read his stuff) program is the “common-sense” way to boost the weight loss process, by increasing your metabolism which in turn burns more fat.
The bottom line – add some exercise, any calorie burning exercise, and the weight loss process will be much easier.
Now to point two. I started this weight loss adventure with the hope that not only would sharing the experience help keep me be motivated and on track, but that by sharing some “common sense” ideas, others may be motivated to join the challenge or find something else in their lives that needed fixing and start fixing it. Well, your comments have been great (the comment button on the bottom of the blog now actually works) and they’ve opened up other areas that may be worth looking into from a “common sense”, baby boomer perspective to make all our lives better.
I’d like to expand the blog to encompass topics you’re interested in, and I know something about, so please read this list and comment back to me on the two or three areas you’re most interested in or add your own topics. I will keep you updated on the weight loss, but as part of a broader theme.
· Retirement – how can we afford it in these troubling times.
· Developing additional income streams by working part-time from home and not in an MLM.
· How to eliminate as many Big Pharma (that’s drugs with the 40-seconds of disclaimers in every 69 second ad) products from our lives through better nutrition.
· How to get the harmful chemicals and toxins out of our homes – do they contribute to Alzheimer’s, autism, heart disease, ADHD, cancer’s of all types, and more?
· Humor – we all need to laugh more!
· Learning – one of the keys to enjoying the aging process is to always be learning something new – start blogging or many other things to keep the brain functioning.
Please let me know your thoughts.
The mission statement of a company I work with is really great and applies, I think, to how most people should live their lives. Paraphrasing – My goal is to enhance the lives of people I touch, by helping them reach their goals.
Until tomorrow.
Bill Ehmann
330-576-6061
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