So the New Year is here along with my targets for this year. My theme is going to be “How to live twice as good on half as much”. This quantification will not be strictly dollars, but immeasurable item like health, fun, etc. Just know the goal is to live better and be happier and healthier on a daily basis.
So my first thing I want to tackle is my weight. I would like to lose around 50 lbs. in 5 months. Big target, but it will improve so much in my life. If I can do half it would be a big accomplishment. So let’s figure out how to look at this project.
The first building block to me is to get myself in better physical shape. So down to “fighting” weight. Last year I was able to lose 20 lbs. by increasing my physical activity. That meant walking either on the treadmill or outside for 15 consecutive minutes. I use music to keep me motivated. It sort of gets rid of the monotony of just walking. I usually play upbeat music that is inspiring to me. I love Megan Trainor and Pitbull because the beat keeps me moving. I would like to lose 50 lbs. this year and keep it off, but 25 would put me in a good place.
I also changed my eating to some type of intermittent fasting schedule. 16 hours fasting and 8 hours eating. My biggest problem is that I really like to snack, I used to smoke and that was my oral gratification but now candy and food fill the void. I find sugar free gum works for a while, so I replace every 15 or 20 minutes. This week I will try to drink water to flush some of the toxins and replace all other beverages except my coffee shake which is a 16 oz. glass filled with ice, 8 oz. of coffee and tablespoons of sugar free creamer (usually French vanilla or hazelnut). I sip it through a straw and the coffee is a kick to get me moving in the morning. Its’ my own version of doing intermittent fasting.
For those of you not familiar with intermittent fasting it’s a way of eating where you fast for a certain amount of time each day and limit the hours in the day you are able to eat. This doesn’t mean go hog while but eat things that will nourish your body. In my case, I’m not a breakfast eater so it’s easier for me to eat from 12 noon to 8 pm. That gives my body 16 hours before I eat again. I’m working on tricks to be able to do this so if you have any hacks let me know. I don’t want to rely on any appetite suppressants or diet pills.
Lunch consists of either a big salad, a bowl of soup or a bag of vegetable heated up with seasoning only. Please look at me crazy when I through that bag of broccoli in the microwave, but the results were amazing. No cheese sauce! Just the broccoli florets a 12 or 16 oz. bag with seasoning.
If you want to snack, try fresh vegetables like celery, baby carrots and a little dip, or some nuts between you lunch and dinner or after dinner. If you eat a whole bag of broccoli it should keep you until dinner about 6 pm. Also if you feel hungry drink a glass of water, it could be that you are just thirsty. Dinner should be as it would be normally. So whatever you cook for the family if fine, just make sure you don’t overdue it. Don’t pile the plate to the sky.
So my goal this week is to increase my water to a minimum of 64 oz. daily as well as to work on my intermittent fasting. So that will be no breakfast, just lunch and dinner . I will try not to eat after 8:00.