MY METHODS

"Weight loss is simple, not easy." 

General Philosophy

I believe in the golden rule of weight-loss:

                    calories in - calories out = weight loss

I also subscribe to the strength/weight training fundamentals:

                    lift heavy weights, eat, sleep, repeat

Keys To Weight Loss

KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid!

After trying every diet under the sun, and reading numerous books, blogs, and bulletin board posts, I have defined my own "Keys to Weight Loss" as the following:

  • Count Calories
  • Exercise
  • Drink Water
  • Sleep

I believe if anyone who is overweight does these 4 things every day, they will lose weight. Everything else is just noise.

I track my calories online at Daily Plate (Livestrong), my daily goals/keys at Joe's Goals, and I mark a big red X on my Calendar every day I do all the keys.

Diet

My approach to diet is straight forward - calorie counting.

Keep it simple - eat 2000 calories per day for a man, 1600 for a woman. If you're not losing weight, eat a little less. If you are tall or muscular, or REALLY heavy, you can try eating more.

Adjust as needed. Add or subtract 200 per week until you are losing 1-2 pounds per week (3-4 if you have 100+ pounds to lose).

Exercise

I am really in pathetically horrible condition. I get no physical activity from my life or desk job, but plan to do some aerobic (for fat-loss) and some resistance/weights (to build muscle) workouts.

Walking
Recumbent Exercise Bike
Dumbbells, Strength Training, Kettlebells?

Motivation/Mindset

This one really is the killer, and I think the key to everything. I have read a number of self-help books, watched "The Secret", listened to Tony Robbins, etc. to no avail. I will report back on what I do and whether I feel it is successful or helpful on this blog.

Coaching

My wife and I are each other's weight-loss coach. It's like having Stevie Wonder be your navigator, or Keith Richards your AA sponsor (yup - she's fat too).

We plan to have weekly compliance meetings, reviewing our performance and re-stating our goals.

Accountability

Of course I plan to blog as well. Like a diary or journal, it's a great way to review how you've been doing and force yourself to look at your goals and what you are or are not doing to achieve them.

Some people use social media or friends and family to keep them honest, I don't think that's for me.

Feel free to offer encouragement, and accountability when I slip up.

No comments:

Post a Comment