How many times have you told yourself that you need to lose weight?
I’m not talking about a couple pounds either – I’m talking about 20 or more pounds of extra fat that you’d like to see disappear.
I’ve come to notice a trend. Most people psyche themselves out before they ever start losing the weight. It’s as if the enormity of their goal simply puts them into shut down mode, and they give up on the idea entirely.
Has this ever happened to you? You try out a diet or exercise plan for a week or so, and then you get frustrated when your body looks the same as before. So you give up.
Weight loss isn’t a speedy thing. It takes time to gain weight – many people put on weight for years and then expect to lose it in a few weeks or months. It doesn’t work that way.
So instead of pressuring yourself into losing 50 pounds in two months, how about sticking with a realistic, proven way for long term weight loss: Small changes to your lifestyle over time will make the difference.
In practical terms, make it your goal to drop one pound a week.
Now, this may not seem like that much, but if you did this consistently for one year it would result in 50 lbs lost. All it takes are small changes in your daily lifestyle. Let’s break the process down…
How to shed a pound a week: Burn 3500 extra calories.
It really is that simple. Try the following three steps:
- Record your normal weekly exercise – look at everything from walking to participating in sports to exercising in the gym. This is your starting point. You need to burn an additional 3500 calories on top of your normal weekly exercise. If you don’t currently exercise, then this step is really easy for you, a simple blank page will do.
- Record your normal weekly food intake – this may be hard to do honestly, but remember that you are only cheating yourself by not recording everything. Calculate the total number of calories that you eat in an average day. In your quest for dropping inches you shouldn’t exceed your normal daily caloric intake – you should, rather, work at slowly decreasing that number. Remember, we are going for a 3500 calorie deficit each week – this can be done by a combination of increased calorie exertion (exercise) as well as a decrease in calories consumed (eating less).
- Chart the difference – now that you know your starting point for both calorie exertion and calorie intake it is time to turn the tables in your favor. Take every opportunity to exert more calories by increasing your physical activity, and to decrease your calorie consumption by eating fewer calories and by making healthier selections. Record your progress in a notebook and refer back to it often. You will be surprised how encouraging it is to see your progress written down on paper.
Remember, if you burn up 500 calories a day you will drop a pound in a week.
Here are some practical ways to lose calories:
| If you normally… | Do this instead… |
| Drink regular soda pop | Drink water or diet soda pop (160 calories lost) |
| Eat a snack from a vending machine | Enjoy an apple (180 calories lost) |
| Hit the snooze button in the AM | Jog for 30 minutes before work (150 calories lost) |
| Skip your workout | See me for an invigorating workout (changes your life!) |
Weight loss doesn’t have to be allusive. Make small changes each and every day toward a healthier, fitter you. Remember that small changes make a big difference.
I’m always available to help – call or reply to this email to set up your free consultation.
Emotion Creates Motion
Can you remember a time when you felt completely discouraged with your body? It’s easy to beat yourself up when the body that you have is miles from the one you want. When negative emotions flood over you resist the urge to get down on yourself, rather turn the tides in your favor. You may have heard the expression ’emotion creates motion’. This is a very powerful tool. Channel your dissatisfaction with your body into ‘motion’. Take control of your body and put a plan into action.
Curried Chicken and Veggies
This chicken and veggie dish is light and delicious. Yogurt and curry flavors blend for an enjoyable new chicken experience. Enjoy it as a tasty lunch or a protein packed dinner.
Here’s what you need…
- 5 oz boneless raw chicken breast, diced
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 5 cups raw mushrooms, sliced
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 cups red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cups China peas
- 1 cup plain low fat yogurt
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
How to prepare…
- Put 2 teaspoons olive oil and the diced chicken in a non-stick pan. Cook chicken until browned, then add chicken broth, yogurt, curry powder and cornstarch, stir constantly. Heat until thick sauce forms, then simmer for 5 minutes.
- While chicken is cooking put 2 teaspoons olive oil, mushrooms, bell peppers, and china peas in another non-stick pan. Cook until the vegetables are tender.
- Place an equal amount of vegetable on 2 plates and top with equal amounts of chicken.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 373 calories, 13g fat, 35g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, and 32g protein.
Motivate your friends, family and co-workers
