Losing Weight - Now the Pants are sliding ….

I am losing weight. I cannot see it on the scale (for one I barely use the scale and second I am replacing fat with muscle), but I can feel it for sure. My pants are starting to slide down and I need to pull the belt a little tighter than before. I have increased my exercise level and I am seeing really good results. I am not trying to look too toned. I am actually just running and I am finding more and more joy in running and really miss it when I do not have the chance to work out. Of course there is always a difference on how you feel and how far you can run. But I am at the point that even when I feel I am not having a super day (in regards to exercising), I am still able to run for 40 minutes straight at a speed between 5.5 Mph and 5.8 Mph. On better days I usually start out at 5.5 Mph and then increase the speed during exercise to end up somewhere around 5.9 Mph and 6.1 Mph. I am also getting better in how far I run and have been able to extend the distance I am running to about 4.5 Miles (+ cool off walking in addition to that).

The benefits are clear. I feel that I have more energy. I am losing weight (exercise combined with more discipline in regards to what I eat and how much I eat). Even the occasional loss of discipline and over-eating is not a big deal anymore and I am able to fight off any weight gain apparently. However, my responsible eating also includes my old-time favorites that contain tons of fiber. I start out the day with breakfast cereal. Kellogg’s Special K with Protein + a mix of either just Blueberries or Blueberries mixed with Banana. I even use that as a dinner option when I feel like. I have reduced my fat intake to maybe 25% of what I had before. Keep in mind that your body still needs some fat from food to function properly. More on that later. Now I have think when to buy new pants to adjust to my smaller waist line …. (nice problem to have, eh)

Note to myself: It is Ok …

Note to myself: It is perfectly Ok to stay away from the Doughnuts and Bagels with cream cheese that the 3rd party vendor brought into the office today.

I have to say that I actually have been doing much better with staying away from all the free food that eventually crosses my way. I am also doing much better with eating more slowly, taking breaks, and drinking water (or diet Pepsi) during meals to allow my stomach to notify when I am full. It is so important to avoid over-eating when you are trying to lose weight or to maintain weight. I’m tempted to say those are extremely critical pieces in that process.

My Other Weight Loss Secret - Part IV

Dinner Time

When I am approaching dinner time I am usually becoming more hungry. Mainly because I reducing snacking in the late afternoon. Sometimes I just eat cereal with fruits again for dinner, but I usually try to make it a ‘normal’ dinner. Weekdays are different from Weekend days, but overall it works out good enough for me (I am easy). I eat a lot of salads for dinner. The right mix is filling and healthy at the same time. The good thing with salad is that you can combine it with many other items without going overboard. The only rule of thumb is that salads makes 50-60% of the main amount of food I am having for dinner. If you are eager to lose weight, bump it up to 75-80%. I often mix some lean ham or turkey breast into a salad. Again, use a light dressing or even fat-free. I prefer light dressings due to the better taste. As non-salad foods I use steamed veggies, eggs, English muffins or toast. Sometimes I grill some pork sirloin and eat 2 pieces of that. I keep that in moderation though and make sure there is not much fat attached to the meat. I do not like grilled Chicken that much as it is so dry usually, but depending on your preferences you mix around what you like. Stay away from fatty meats and sauces. Fried food should be a no-no during this time as well.

Late evening snacks are usually bad to have. I try not to eat anything after 8.30 PM. If I need to snack I might eat some sweet Cherry Tomatoes, a banana, some Mandarins/Cuties, water melon, or one serving of veggie chips (one serving = 30 chips = 130 calories). Chips do not happen often though - I am pretty disciplined with that to not spoil the results I am hoping to see. 3-4 times a week I am adding a 30-60 minute walk to my daily routine to either allow for a more conventional dinner or to increase my calorie burning for the day. Business lunch at a restaurant also changes what I am doing at night. I assume that I am ending the day with around 1200-1400 calories total.

And that is it. I don’t drink sodas other than diet or I drink water or green tea. I don’t drink coffee. Again, this is mainly how I go through the initial weight loss phase before switching to maintaining weight. I only really have to go back to this when being sick, travelling or after winters where you can’t do as much outside activities and I put on some pounds.

Following these rules for 4-6 week I am seeing good results after about 2 weeks. The first 2 weeks are pretty stagnant as I am swapping fat for muscles. After that I am seeing the pounds dropping fairly quick. Why am I building up muscle at all? The more muscles you have the more it increases your metabolism and fat burning. The good thing with this diet approach is that it is usually longer lasting and it includes exercise which comes with its own set of health benefits. For me more exercise and good eating go hand in hand for a successful diet. Once I reach my target range I have more muscles build up that help to cover the calories that come with a more conventional meal and it is so much easier to maintain weight then.

Read the first part of my best working diet here and then the second part of me dieting. Part III of my successful weight loss diet might be of interest for you as well.

My secret Workout Weapon

I don’t want to look like one of those walking muscle monsters you see on TV or in the gym every once in a while, but I do want to look toned. Normal weight lifting sometimes really hurts and goes too far, so I am always looking for other options. My friend Karen recommend the Push Up Pro exercise device and I borrowed hers and was sold almost right away. What is the Push Up Pro? It’s an exercise device that makes push ups so much easier and puts less pressure on the wrists. Instead of doing normal push ups where you hands are pointing out (away) from your body, you will be able to do your push up’s straight and therefore can extend your arm to the full length. The cool thing is that it matches the natural movement of your arm. As a result, your arms and shoulders will get the full workout that only Pushup Pro can provide. I ordered the Push Up Pro for less than $20 bucks and implemented a couple of exercise into my daily workout. If you do this on a regular basis your upper body and your arms will show excellent results. What I really like is that it seems to level out well and so my toned arms match up with the rest of my upper body. It is in sync and I can control the muscle growth perfectly – looking the best.

So, I highly recommend the Push Up Pro Exerciser. It’s extremely affordable (~$20) and you can take it even with you when traveling. Get up Push Up Pro directly from Jack, the guy who developed it or buy Push Up Pro at Amazon.com.

My other Weight Loss Secret - Part III

This is the 3rd part of my postings about how my diet looks like right now to efficiently lose weight.

Lunch Time

Lunch time is the wrong term. I do not really do a lunch meal, I rather go with smaller portions through the day to keep the metabolism burning. The main lunch portion is bigger than a snack, but smaller than a normal weekday lunch would be. The advantage is that you will not suffer from “food coma” and that it helps you to lose weight.

My lunch meals vary. It can be a salad with light dressing or it can be a tasty sandwich. I switch back and forth to keep it from becoming boring. Make sure to use fat-free or dressing marked as light and keep it in moderation. I mix several salads - including bell peppers, tomatoes, and several leaf salads. Stay away from normal mayonnaise for your sandwich. I prefer Smart Balance Light for the butter or spread and use different mustards for better taste. Use lean ham or turkey and chicken breast. Except for the salad I spread eating out over a period of 30-45 minutes.

Since I work at out in the office gym, I take a break from eating for 1.5 to 2 hours after lunch and then do my daily workout routine. I work out for 30-45 minutes with cardio and maybe some weights. I might also just go for a (power) walk instead, but prefer the real workout. I usually burn between 400 and 500 calories according to the fitness equipment. It’s probably more around 300 in real life, but heck - who cares.

After my workout I eat an apple and a banana, but try to stretch this out to an hour or two after my workout to allow for best fat burning first. Drink lots of water and it reduces any hunger feeling. Total calorie consumption for the day is probably around 850/900 now.

Read Part I of my personal diet.

Read Part II of my personal diet.

« Previous Page — Next Page »