Week 9 should feel like a fun challenge I hope. As per last week's instructions you are still to increase your activity level by 10% this week and next week and so on. This week though is really about learning more about your eating habits.
Hopefully you are diligently recording what you eat. Now I'd like you to start grouping things. Take a look back over the past 2 or 3 weeks and see what and when you eat. The when might be harder if you haven't kept track of times of day that you eat. However I'm sure you know your own snacky times and general meal times.
Once you look at each day, figure out how many of each food group you generally eat in a day. If you look back at Week 4 you will see a break down of what is considered a serving for each food group. Once you get a couple of weeks broken down into how many servings of what food group then I want you to look for patterns.
In general, what food groups do you eat the most of and what do you eat the least of? I'd like you to start shifting your food group eating into specifics. The aim for this week and really for the rest of the time is to start shifting your day into eating for specific food groups. You should have a minimum of 5 grains, 5 veg, 2 fruit, 1 - 2 meat and alternatives, 2 - 3 milk products. This is about the proportion that your foods should take on. So if you are having a lot more meats or milks compared to veggies then you need to make a shift. See if you can manage your days to fill in those categories proportionately. The bottom line is that in the course of a whole day you need to be eating more grains and veg than other categories. By grains I am referring to whole grain not white grains or flours.
So be a bit of a food detective and then shift things as you need to during your day. If you haven't eaten any veg by dinner time but have filled all your servings in other categories then you are going to have a pretty veggie heavy dinner right?
Have fun working on your food servings and categories this week! At the end of this week feel free to remeasure your body and hop on a scale for an update. I don't want you to obsess on those things but sometimes it's nice to know where you're at when you've been working hard for a month. Don't forget to post your progress.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Weight Loss Challenge 2012 Week 8
8 weeks have come and gone. Hard to believe we're this far into the new year all ready. For those of you who have been trying to post comments I have made changes so now you should be able to post without belonging to anything. Sorry about that.
Well, I'm curious as to how well everyone is doing at sticking to their goals and meeting each week's challenge. It's vitally important now that you do not stop recording your daily foods and exercise. If you let that lapse you will not be able to continually change and track along with us as the week's go by in order to meet your end goal.
We're going to have an ongoing challenge that starts this week. It's a very tiny challenge but one that you will continue to do every week from now on. It has to do with your amount of exercise. I want you to aim to increase your exercise every week by 10%. That means if you've been doing your 10 minutes per day 7 days per week you are going to do 11 minutes per day for the next week and then 12.1 minutes the following and 13.31 the next week and so on. Just round them off to the nearest half minute. This will continue on until you are doing atleast 300 minutes of exercise per week. Write it down on your calendar at the beginning of each week and make sure you have the increase.
Again at this point it doesn't matter if you put on some great music to dance around to, decide to walk around the block or head to an aerobics class. The bottom line is to just move! Again, you should be able to keep up a conversation while exercising or you are working too hard.
I understand that for many of you this is the hardest part of this challenge. I know many people do not enjoy exercise. I realize you'd like to cheat on this part of the challenge and just do the others. You must commit to this totally! The bottom line here is health. You can lose weight by starving yourself without doing exercise but that doesn't mean you'll be healthy. As a matter of fact you will most likely have more body fat and less muscle, a weaker heart and joints and more long term disease prospects. You'll look flabby even if your weight is low and will feel tired.
Also, with this being Family Day in Canada I'd like to suggest that you consider what your example will do for your children, your grandchildren, your partner, etc. There are enough studies proving the link between inactive parents to obese children and the increase of adult onset diseases in children. Repurpose for yourself and your family your end goals. Wouldn't it be nice to actually enjoy moderate exercise. Wouldn't it be great if it felt weird to sit around on a nice day and actually want to get out and be active. Well, that's what happens when you train your body to feel better being healthy and it starts by teaching it what to eat and how to move.
You're doing great! Don't back off now. All ready two months of this year have almost gone by. If you find yourself slipping you need to speak to your encouraging person. You need to get up each morning and reread your goals. Changes are all ready happening.
Please send some comments in so we can all hear how it's going and if there is anything that needs clarifying I'll do my best to do that. Have a wonderful week!
Well, I'm curious as to how well everyone is doing at sticking to their goals and meeting each week's challenge. It's vitally important now that you do not stop recording your daily foods and exercise. If you let that lapse you will not be able to continually change and track along with us as the week's go by in order to meet your end goal.
We're going to have an ongoing challenge that starts this week. It's a very tiny challenge but one that you will continue to do every week from now on. It has to do with your amount of exercise. I want you to aim to increase your exercise every week by 10%. That means if you've been doing your 10 minutes per day 7 days per week you are going to do 11 minutes per day for the next week and then 12.1 minutes the following and 13.31 the next week and so on. Just round them off to the nearest half minute. This will continue on until you are doing atleast 300 minutes of exercise per week. Write it down on your calendar at the beginning of each week and make sure you have the increase.
Again at this point it doesn't matter if you put on some great music to dance around to, decide to walk around the block or head to an aerobics class. The bottom line is to just move! Again, you should be able to keep up a conversation while exercising or you are working too hard.
I understand that for many of you this is the hardest part of this challenge. I know many people do not enjoy exercise. I realize you'd like to cheat on this part of the challenge and just do the others. You must commit to this totally! The bottom line here is health. You can lose weight by starving yourself without doing exercise but that doesn't mean you'll be healthy. As a matter of fact you will most likely have more body fat and less muscle, a weaker heart and joints and more long term disease prospects. You'll look flabby even if your weight is low and will feel tired.
Also, with this being Family Day in Canada I'd like to suggest that you consider what your example will do for your children, your grandchildren, your partner, etc. There are enough studies proving the link between inactive parents to obese children and the increase of adult onset diseases in children. Repurpose for yourself and your family your end goals. Wouldn't it be nice to actually enjoy moderate exercise. Wouldn't it be great if it felt weird to sit around on a nice day and actually want to get out and be active. Well, that's what happens when you train your body to feel better being healthy and it starts by teaching it what to eat and how to move.
You're doing great! Don't back off now. All ready two months of this year have almost gone by. If you find yourself slipping you need to speak to your encouraging person. You need to get up each morning and reread your goals. Changes are all ready happening.
Please send some comments in so we can all hear how it's going and if there is anything that needs clarifying I'll do my best to do that. Have a wonderful week!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Weight Loss Challenge 2012 Week 7
Week 7 and we're off to a good start. We're drinking water, we're getting more activity into our lives and now we're going to take a look at what we're putting into us.
Take a look back at your daily food log. How many calories do you consume on average? If it seems pretty obvious (eg somewhere between 2500 and 2800 calories per day) great! If it's all over the map then let's take an average for your week by adding the days up and dividing it by 7.
If you have been lazy and not writing down your food intake and calories then get an online site that does it for you and get cracking! (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/) One way or another you need to have an idea of your calories in order to work through this week's challenge.
We are going to start taking in less calories per day. Now unlike many diet plans this is not about losing 10 pounds in a week or even a month. This is about getting down to the goal that you have in mind in a way that you are able to conquer it and not give up. So here are the basic rules for this week:
1. If you are taking in more than 3000 calories per day please reduce your daily average by 500 calories per day.
2. If you are taking in under 3000 calories per day please reduce your daily average by 200 calories.
3. Women must not take in less than 1200 calories per day. Men must not take in less than 1500 calories per day.
That's it. Pretty simple really. Now WHAT you decide to take out of your day is up to you. You can choose to eat less fruit and vegetables and still have your 3 - 5 cookies OR you could choose to take away all cookies but 1. This is about being healthy though, not just cutting calories, so maybe moderation should be considered first of all before taking away healthy foods for empty calories.
The bottom line is that 3600 calories = 1 pound. For every extra 3600 calories that add up over time you will lose 1 pound. That means for those of you taking out 500 calories per day you should lose 1 pound in about one week. For those of you taking out 200 calories you should lose a pound in about 18 days. Remember it's not about speed. It's about being able to keep up this style of eating until you are down to your goal weight.
The great part of this is that with the change in activity level you will also be burning more calories and so may find you are losing a little faster based on how much activity you do.
Some of you will be seeing changes by the end of this week. Please post to encourage others. There are a lot of readers out there, don't be shy.
Have a great week!
Take a look back at your daily food log. How many calories do you consume on average? If it seems pretty obvious (eg somewhere between 2500 and 2800 calories per day) great! If it's all over the map then let's take an average for your week by adding the days up and dividing it by 7.
If you have been lazy and not writing down your food intake and calories then get an online site that does it for you and get cracking! (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/) One way or another you need to have an idea of your calories in order to work through this week's challenge.
We are going to start taking in less calories per day. Now unlike many diet plans this is not about losing 10 pounds in a week or even a month. This is about getting down to the goal that you have in mind in a way that you are able to conquer it and not give up. So here are the basic rules for this week:
1. If you are taking in more than 3000 calories per day please reduce your daily average by 500 calories per day.
2. If you are taking in under 3000 calories per day please reduce your daily average by 200 calories.
3. Women must not take in less than 1200 calories per day. Men must not take in less than 1500 calories per day.
That's it. Pretty simple really. Now WHAT you decide to take out of your day is up to you. You can choose to eat less fruit and vegetables and still have your 3 - 5 cookies OR you could choose to take away all cookies but 1. This is about being healthy though, not just cutting calories, so maybe moderation should be considered first of all before taking away healthy foods for empty calories.
The bottom line is that 3600 calories = 1 pound. For every extra 3600 calories that add up over time you will lose 1 pound. That means for those of you taking out 500 calories per day you should lose 1 pound in about one week. For those of you taking out 200 calories you should lose a pound in about 18 days. Remember it's not about speed. It's about being able to keep up this style of eating until you are down to your goal weight.
The great part of this is that with the change in activity level you will also be burning more calories and so may find you are losing a little faster based on how much activity you do.
Some of you will be seeing changes by the end of this week. Please post to encourage others. There are a lot of readers out there, don't be shy.
Have a great week!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Weight Loss Challenge Week 6
Week 6 and only one change has been made so far. At least I hope you have made the change to getting your water in every day. Don't stop! If you haven't made it to the 8 - 10 cups per day then keep adding as we head into this week's challenge.
One thing you may want to do at this point is to write down where you are at today. Weight, calories per day, measurements (chest, waist, hips, thigh, bicep), amount of exercise are all things you can enjoy watching change as the weeks go by.
Now it's time to look at our activity level. I personally don't know a lot of people that love to exercise. I know quite a few people that after they exercise feel good and are happy they did it. It's the getting up and going part that seems to have most of us troubled. I mean, seriously, in today's society we aren't really encouraged to get up and move. Everything is made easy for us to sit and enjoy. Well starting this week we are going to become rebels. We are going to buck the norms and make a change. Here are the basic rules for this week:
For those who are not physically active:
1. Start small. Maybe just walking is more than enough for you. Going up and down your stairs may be enough to wind you. Maybe following a yoga, pilates or fitness video is more your thing. Maybe you would like to take a beginner's fitness class at a local gym. How about swimming? Maybe you have a game system that has a fitness program. Any or all of these things are a good start to just get active. Pick one or a few of these activities to try this week.
2. Do a minimum of 70 minutes of physical activity this week. That is just 10 minutes per day. If you can't hold a conversation while doing the exercise then you're working too hard. Slow it down.
For those who are all ready physically active:
1. Change the activity you do. If you love walking and you do it regularly, great! However, change one of those walks to something else. If you continue to do the same exercise over and over your body will adapt and the results become less. It's time to try something you don't enjoy quite so much or something you have never tried. Go to a zumba class, try a weight class, add some slow running, go biking, swim, whatever. Just change it up!
2. Get a minimum of 105 minutes of physical activity this week in no smaller than 10 minute segments. That is just 15 minutes per day. You are welcome to do more minutes per day and take days off if you prefer.
For Everyone:
Don't forget to drink water before, during and after exercise. If you are only doing 10 minutes you may just want a few sips before and after and nothing during. Aim for a cup of water for each 1/2 hour of exercise. This water does not count towards your daily total :)
Well, that's it for this week. This is something we are going to work on for the next couple of weeks. There will be no change to this for next week so get a rhythm going and keep it up. Are you up to the challenge? Say your goals again to yourself. Okay, ready? Good. Go to it.
Don't forget to post any questions, struggles and triumphs no matter how big or small. Lots of us, including myself, would enjoy knowing what others are experiencing. Have an amazing week!
One thing you may want to do at this point is to write down where you are at today. Weight, calories per day, measurements (chest, waist, hips, thigh, bicep), amount of exercise are all things you can enjoy watching change as the weeks go by.
Now it's time to look at our activity level. I personally don't know a lot of people that love to exercise. I know quite a few people that after they exercise feel good and are happy they did it. It's the getting up and going part that seems to have most of us troubled. I mean, seriously, in today's society we aren't really encouraged to get up and move. Everything is made easy for us to sit and enjoy. Well starting this week we are going to become rebels. We are going to buck the norms and make a change. Here are the basic rules for this week:
For those who are not physically active:
1. Start small. Maybe just walking is more than enough for you. Going up and down your stairs may be enough to wind you. Maybe following a yoga, pilates or fitness video is more your thing. Maybe you would like to take a beginner's fitness class at a local gym. How about swimming? Maybe you have a game system that has a fitness program. Any or all of these things are a good start to just get active. Pick one or a few of these activities to try this week.
2. Do a minimum of 70 minutes of physical activity this week. That is just 10 minutes per day. If you can't hold a conversation while doing the exercise then you're working too hard. Slow it down.
For those who are all ready physically active:
1. Change the activity you do. If you love walking and you do it regularly, great! However, change one of those walks to something else. If you continue to do the same exercise over and over your body will adapt and the results become less. It's time to try something you don't enjoy quite so much or something you have never tried. Go to a zumba class, try a weight class, add some slow running, go biking, swim, whatever. Just change it up!
2. Get a minimum of 105 minutes of physical activity this week in no smaller than 10 minute segments. That is just 15 minutes per day. You are welcome to do more minutes per day and take days off if you prefer.
For Everyone:
Don't forget to drink water before, during and after exercise. If you are only doing 10 minutes you may just want a few sips before and after and nothing during. Aim for a cup of water for each 1/2 hour of exercise. This water does not count towards your daily total :)
Well, that's it for this week. This is something we are going to work on for the next couple of weeks. There will be no change to this for next week so get a rhythm going and keep it up. Are you up to the challenge? Say your goals again to yourself. Okay, ready? Good. Go to it.
Don't forget to post any questions, struggles and triumphs no matter how big or small. Lots of us, including myself, would enjoy knowing what others are experiencing. Have an amazing week!
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