Weight Loss Challenge 2012 Week 11

Welcome to the start of a new 6 week cycle. By that I mean it's time to change things up a bit. Your body can get used to whatever form of exercise and even eating and hit a plateau where progress seems to either slow down or stop if it is no longer challenged. By working in 6 week cycles we are going to keep things off balance and challenge your body and your brain to keep things moving along.

You can tailor these 6 week cycles to fit who you are. If you are a risky, throw it all to the wind type then you might want to try things that are totally different each 6 weeks. If you are just trying to get through the challenge then you might want to just pick one thing in the food area and one thing in the exercise area to change every 6 weeks.

So what I am suggesting is that whatever you are currently doing for eating you make one change for the next 6 weeks. Some possibilities are: meatless Mondays, trying a new grain each week, learning a new healthy recipe each week, cutting out all snacks 3 or 4 days per week. Whatever you want at whatever level of challenge you want for you.

Then do the same thing with your activity level. I want you to try something new or different. Some examples: try a new type of exercise, add light weights to your current exercise, do abdominal exercises 3 days per week on top of what you all ready do, take a class. Again whatever you want at whatever level of challenge you want but still remembering that whatever you change you still need to keep adding that 10% more time each week. You may still do the same thing you were all ready doing and change things up for one day only.

The last thing I'd like you to change is your mental activity. How? I'd like you to find 10 minutes per week to just breathe. Deep breathe. All the way down to your belly. You can incorporate it into you exercise time by adding it to stretching at the end or you can do it all on it's own. What I'd like you to do with that 10 minutes of breathing is to just concentrate on your breath. If you absolutely need to have something to think about or your mind will just wander then think on what you'd like your next food or exercise accomplishment to be. You have 6 more weeks before we shake things up again.

Drink your water, eat your food groups, add your 10% more activity time and make a change for this 6 week cycle that takes us through the beginning of spring. Woohoo!