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My Philosophy of Weight Loss

Steve Krenek

• 1 min read

I've been on a couple of weight loss / weight gain cycles.  Here some of my thoughts that seemed to help me.  Let me know what works for you. (Or doesn't work.)

  1. Weight loss shouldn’t feel like starvation
    a. Reduce cravings by avoiding sugary foods
    b. Include nuts to increase satiety and replace carbs
    c. Being awake = eating. Get enough sleep
    d. Stress = eating. Work to reduce stress
    e. Thoughtful shopping. You can’t eat what you don’t buy
    f. I find most eating is situational. Become aware of the triggers
    g. Those little “hunger pangs” before meals aren't hunger – it’s just the body’s alarm clock saying it is the usual time to eat.
    h. Going for a short walk is a good way to divert attention away from eating opportunities
  2. Mild Exercise
    a. Increase exercise slowly. Starting out too fast leads to soreness/tiredness that can seem like a reason to stop exercising
    b. Work up to 5 miles a day. Walking a mile is 100 calories. Walking 5 miles is 500 calories. Walking 7 days a week (7 days x 500 calories/day) = 3500 calories = 1 pound/week without reducing food intake
    c. Consistency is critical. Try not to miss more than a day or two in a row. Missing more can make it hard to start back.
  3. Take weight loss slowly -- it reduces the chances of quitting
    a. Target losing 1% or less of body weight per week. For a 200 pound person, weight loss would be no more than 2 pounds per week. Actually 1 pound a week is a good number.
    b. After losing 10% body weight, take a break from weight loss for a week or two. This is a time to mentally recharge and can help lock in the weight loss.
  4. Accept that some back sliding is inevitable. It is no cause for alarm. Just get started again.

If you have questions or comments please post them in the comments section.

Where We Are Going From Here…

We will look deeper into the effect that sugars and carbs have on your health as we go along.

I Plan to Publish on Fridays…

Coming articles:

  • Flex is Rex
  • Outsmarting Your Habit System
  • Book Review - The Power of Habit
  • Quitting Soda - How I did it
  • Blood Tests – Which ones I found helpful