Diet is going to be my biggest problem, i know, because historically it has been my biggest problem and i cant see how that is going to change. I have looked to see why i have such an issue with food. I can remember as a kid scoffing chocolate biscuits before my parents got up out of their beds! I can remember it pissed them off. i can't remember why I had such a hang up with food. But I continue to try and beat it.
My diet will consist of enough calories to keep my metabolism working hard, but not too much that I start to store more fat. The principal of cutting 500 calories a day by reducing intake by 250 calories and 250 calories burned through exercise is still a good benchmark, but my diet has to contain the right foods, the right balance. But strangely the biggest challenge will be to continue eating all day, splitting into 6 meals a day. The body takes 2.1/2 hours to digest a meal, so i am looking to eating every 2.1/2 to 3 hours. This should mean the metabolism is getting maximum energy from food, the right food. One problem is my lack of real knowledge of food. I need to read up on proteins, carbohydrates and fats so i know what i am putting into me is the right foods!
One challenge will be eating out. Aisha likes a MacDonald's now and again, maybe once a month. Taking her and Kim out without eating will be a real challenge. But one i feel i am ready for.
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
Tuesday, 7 September 2010
Metabolism
I have been doing research into how I can increase my metabolism for weight loss. One is by energy intake, ie food and drink, the other is by exercise. The key is to get the right balance of the two, so i lose weight while my metabolism increases.
Last night I read about the zig zag effect. its where you have a few low calorie days followed by a couple of high calorie days. The theory is that a few days of low calorie intake burns body fat, and before the metabolism can adjust to this new low intake a high calorie day or two increases the metabolic rate, ensuring fat is burned even faster. whether or not this works I don't know yet, i haven't done enough research, but it would make sense as to how I am not hitting 20 plus stones. I know My diet has been bad in the past, and I look at very fat people wondering, on the basis of how much i eat, how much they must put away! Maybe the difference is that most weeks i would start of with great intentions and this would fizzle out. Maybe i was on a zig zag diet without knowing it!!
To get my metabolism going I need to keep exercising, that I know. And one routine that stands out is kettlebells. I think the key with them is they give you a cardiovascular workout while building muscle. Building muscle is going to be key, as this will also increase the metabolism. I want to burn fat, and only fat.
i also need to understand my diet better. when i started this I hoped to keep my diet healthy, without having to make too many changes. This approach was wrong, I need a complete overhaul. The hearty meals is great, but I need to split that into 5 or 6 small healthy meals to get my metabolism going. I am researching how best to do this.
The final thing I am looking at is improving my sensory acuity when it comes to my body. I am going to chart this, and measuring will help, but if i can improve how I understand my own body, and what works and doesn't work for me, then i will have a better chance of succeeding.
Last night I read about the zig zag effect. its where you have a few low calorie days followed by a couple of high calorie days. The theory is that a few days of low calorie intake burns body fat, and before the metabolism can adjust to this new low intake a high calorie day or two increases the metabolic rate, ensuring fat is burned even faster. whether or not this works I don't know yet, i haven't done enough research, but it would make sense as to how I am not hitting 20 plus stones. I know My diet has been bad in the past, and I look at very fat people wondering, on the basis of how much i eat, how much they must put away! Maybe the difference is that most weeks i would start of with great intentions and this would fizzle out. Maybe i was on a zig zag diet without knowing it!!
To get my metabolism going I need to keep exercising, that I know. And one routine that stands out is kettlebells. I think the key with them is they give you a cardiovascular workout while building muscle. Building muscle is going to be key, as this will also increase the metabolism. I want to burn fat, and only fat.
i also need to understand my diet better. when i started this I hoped to keep my diet healthy, without having to make too many changes. This approach was wrong, I need a complete overhaul. The hearty meals is great, but I need to split that into 5 or 6 small healthy meals to get my metabolism going. I am researching how best to do this.
The final thing I am looking at is improving my sensory acuity when it comes to my body. I am going to chart this, and measuring will help, but if i can improve how I understand my own body, and what works and doesn't work for me, then i will have a better chance of succeeding.
Monday, 6 September 2010
Going for Goal
the last four weeks have seen my mindset change. My diet is steady, but no great, but the major change has been the level of activity. I am far more active than i have ever been, and more importantly I am enjoying it. The kettlebells is great, though i am out more on the bike, trying to use up as much of the summer as i can.
I have also been doing a lot of reading lately, trying to learn more about weight loss. I have also been trying to incorporate NLP into the fray, not easy with my limited knowledge. But I think i am going on the right direction. So this week, i have set myself a target of writing up my goals. I am going to write up a daily goal, a weekly goal, a monthly goal, a quarterly goal and a yearly goal. At the moment i will concentrate on fitness, but I am going to do something similar for my finances. Hopefully by setting targets I have something to aim for. I also want to do a proper assessment of myself physically before I begin, a sort of before and after shot. I am going to take all my measurements, and use them to assess my progress. My one concern and its a big one, is its groundhog day and I have been here so many times before. I don't know why this time its different, but i think the biggest one is that I have been assessing my life recently as I turn 39 next year. That means I am one year away from the big 4 0. A milestone i want to pass in far better shape than i am in now, both physically and financially. So i think with that coming up Its the right time to take it to the next stage.
I have also been doing a lot of reading lately, trying to learn more about weight loss. I have also been trying to incorporate NLP into the fray, not easy with my limited knowledge. But I think i am going on the right direction. So this week, i have set myself a target of writing up my goals. I am going to write up a daily goal, a weekly goal, a monthly goal, a quarterly goal and a yearly goal. At the moment i will concentrate on fitness, but I am going to do something similar for my finances. Hopefully by setting targets I have something to aim for. I also want to do a proper assessment of myself physically before I begin, a sort of before and after shot. I am going to take all my measurements, and use them to assess my progress. My one concern and its a big one, is its groundhog day and I have been here so many times before. I don't know why this time its different, but i think the biggest one is that I have been assessing my life recently as I turn 39 next year. That means I am one year away from the big 4 0. A milestone i want to pass in far better shape than i am in now, both physically and financially. So i think with that coming up Its the right time to take it to the next stage.
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