The Strategy

Since I've been down this road before, tried all sorts of fad diets and quick weight loss schemes in past years, I can speak with experience when I say that there is only one way to attain your ideal weight (assuming there is no medical reason for being overweight), and that is to eat less and exercise more. BOTH of these must be done in order to achieve your ideal weight. By "ideal weight" I mean a healthy weight and body fat percent. Before you get upset with me for making a seemingly absolute statement, bear in mind that there are exceptions to every rule. But let's don't use an exception for an excuse, okay?

On to my strategy. First and foremost, I set an attainable goal for the week. I'm only three months out of major surgery, so I set my goals accordingly. And I always state my goals in terms of attainment, not loss. For example, my goal for this last week was to weigh 156, not to lose two pounds. The brain hates loss, and frankly so do I. I want to say that I achieved something. It seems a little odd to say, "I achieved a loss." Which sounds better: I burned seventy gallons of gas, or I went to Disney World? Who drives with their eyes on the rear view mirror? Always focus on where you are going! With my goal set, I then created a strategy, one that I know works for me.

Knowing my body fat is high, knowing that working with weights will increase muscle mass, and knowing that increased muscle mass burns more calories, I chose to resume working out with weights. I have an old Joyce Vedral video that I used years ago, that is perfect for beginners. As in any endeavor, returning to the basics is always a sound plan. I started with the lightest weight I have, a three-pounder. Don't laugh! Try doing super sets with Joyce and then tell me how you feel in the morning!  I also have an Elliptical machine, and I use it.

So, my strategy for this last week was to work out with Joyce for four days, alternating between her upper body workout and her lower body workout, to work out on the Elliptical machine for 30 minutes, four times, and, of course, to drink at least sixty-four ounces of water each and every day. When you think about water, think about this quote from a general surgeon: The solution to pollution is dilution. Think of your excess body fat as pollution, and as you burn that fat, the water will help flush it out of your system, before it finds another place to hide.

Did I follow my strategy? Yes. Was I perfect? No. The weight work was the toughest, and I had a hard time keeping up, even with three pound weights. Using the Elliptical machine is easy for me. Cardiovascularly, I'm fit as a fiddle with a resting heart rate in the low fifties. Did I achieve my goal? Almost. My weight this morning was 156.5. My goal for next Saturday is 154.5, and I will continue with this same strategy for the next several weeks.

Next week, we'll explore childhood programming and how to break free from these old, outdated, belief systems.