You Have Time!

You can lose 25 pounds before summer! The first day of summer is June 20. That’s 16 weeks and 3 days. If you lose 1.5 pounds per week, you will lose about 25 pounds. How would you like to go on your summer vacation weighing less than you do now?

What Will 25 Pounds Do?

In most cases, 15-25 pounds is where people begin to notice that you have lost weight. The positive reinforcement from those compliments will keep you motivated. Then you can use that motivation to push yourself farther. You might need to lose more, or you might just need to start exercising. Your self-esteem will improve, which will make you more social. A summer filled with shorts, swimsuits and parties is almost always more fun! Most people will have improvements in their digestive health, joint pain, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, sleep and energy. Read the article at the link below for tips to safely navigate summer parties.

How to Navigate Summer Parties – David’s Way to Health and Fitness

Food for Thought

We tell you frequently, there is no “secret” to losing pounds. Take in fewer calories than you burn. That’s how to lose weight. There are some tactics that may help you change your behaviors and keep you going to your goal.

Analyze Your Diet to Drop Pounds

Tracking your food intake is mandatory for good health and weight loss. Estimating portions never works for very long. Since serving sizes tend to be too big, we tend to over-estimate. Weigh and measure every bite that you eat. Weighing is more accurate. Read David’s article, Counting Calories Does Not Work for good advice concerning calorie counting. If you weigh your food, sometimes you will get more than if you measure. However, measuring in spoons and cups can cause you to eat more because you can pack them. The pounds will come off much slower if you measure and pack the utensils.

Take note of the foods that you eat that are high in calories but provide little nutrition. I discovered that on the days that I got hungry after I had eaten all my calories, I had eaten simple carbohydrates with little protein or fiber. The simple carbs degraded to sugar in my system quickly and caused an insulin release which triggered hunger. When you first begin analyzing your food, notice what satisfies you and what lets you get hungry too soon. You will notice the pounds begin to drop pretty soon after you correct these details.

Look at the Calorie Counter Pro to get an idea about how many calories you need to eat to lose 1-2 pounds per week. We strongly recommend losing only 1 pound per week. It’s easier and you are more likely to stick with the program and you have longer to adjust to your new body. ALWAYS consult your medical doctor before beginning ANY weight loss program or exercise.

Photo by Matt Flores on Unsplash

Build New Habits to Lose Pounds

Exercise will help you to lose. Don’t make the mistake of eating the calories that you burn exercising. If you eat them, the exercise won’t help you nearly as much. You will still build muscle and muscle will increase your metabolism but that is a long-term tactic. Eating the calories that you burn will slow your progress.

Plan your meals, weekends and all special occasions. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Remove sugar from your home. Don’t buy junk food on the premise that it’s for someone else. They don’t need it either. Eat plenty of fiber from vegetables and some fruit. Don’t drink your calories except in a no sugar added protein shake. Liquids, especially sugary liquids will not satisfy you and the sugary liquids will make you hungrier.

Remember, every day will not be perfect. Managing your weight is a lifetime endeavor, not a quick fix. In a lifetime, you will have good days and bad days. It’s what you do most of the time that matters. Strive for excellence every day, but don’t let one chaotic day be an excuse to go back to bad habits. As David told me when I asked him, “How long will it take?”, he answered, “The rest of your life.”