Over the past few post, I have provided more than enough material to help someone who wants to start to be active again. Besides getting up and starting your healthy lifestyle, the only other thing that you need to do is set a goal! It makes it easier when you have a goal you would like to reach so you know how long and how hard you should work.
To weight your self…or not to weight yourself…that is the question!…
Some people like to know their starting off right. This is a good idea. Although it may be disheartening to find out how much weight you have gained, it is on a temporary number! With hard work and dedication that number will steadily decrease over time. You can purchase your own scale (which may be good to help you keep track of you weight loss over time) or you can use a scale at a gym, doctors office, or any other place that will allow you to do so.
How much weight you should expect to lose over time…
On average, with the right exercise routine and a good balanced diet, you should be losing about 2 pounds a week. If you are losing more than 7 pounds a week then you might want to evaluate what you are doing (because its normal to lose between 2-5 pounds a week). Accurately losing weight is done by balancing how many calories you burn with how many calories you are consuming. Naturally, if you are burning off more calories that you consume this will lead to weight loss. These results will not be seen overnight! It takes time and patience and a regular routine of exercise and a good balanced diet.
what is a realistic length of time to set a goal?…
Lets say that your goal is to lose 20 pounds. To be honest, the length of time it will take you to lose 20 pounds may be different from someone else. It all depends on how often you exercise and if you decrease your calorie intake to help you burn fat. Like stated above you should be losing about 2 pounds for week (but some weeks it will be more than that and other weeks it will be less than that. It is completely normal for that to happen!). So if you calculate 2 pounds per week this will take approximately 20 weeks (or about 5 months). Like I said before The length of time it will take someone to lose weight will be different from someone else! If are losing about 4 pounds a week it will take you about 5 weeks to lose 20 pounds. It just all depends on how hard you work and how many pounds you lose from week to week. Do not let the length of time discourage you! These things take time, patients, and dedication. And in the end the hard work will show.
What happens if I do not lose weight one week?…
It is OK if there is a week that you do not lose any weight or you lose one pound. Try not to worry or stress out too much if this happens! Just try to push yourself a little harder the next week to help you get back on track to reaching your goal!
What to eat during this time…
Setting a menu is just as important as setting a work out schedule. What I have personally found to be helpful is that each time I go to the grocery store, I plan my menu’s (at least for the next week to two weeks). It helps because I can budget the things that I need to get, and I can also cook some items I need during the weekend so that it can be stored to be used later in the week. Each month I set a monthly budget for how much I can spend at the grocery store and how much money I can spend going out to eat. A few years ago I stopped eating fast food all together, so my “out to eat” budget is for the weekly dinners I plan at restaurants with my friends (and I always save half of that meal to be eaten the next day for lunch or dinner! so I get two meals out of going out to eat) It also allows me to look at the local stores newspaper adds so I can try to get the best price for the fruits and veggies I buy and eat on a regular basis.
What happens if I do not reach my goal in the time that I set for myself?…
If you do not reach your goal in the time you set it is OK!! Just extend your goal time. Allow yourself a few more weeks to work hard and reach the initial goal you have set for yourself. What I have suggested to some clients is to possible keep a fitness/health journal. This can help you keep track of your workouts, if you happen to splurge during one meal (which is OK but try not to make it a habit), or any other things that go on during the time you are trying to reach your goal. It will not only allow you to keep track of these things, but it can also serve as an outlet of positive and negative things that happen. You can write it down, or blog about it (there are several sites that will allow you to keep your blog private or let you choose who can/cant see it). This can also help by letting people see thins and encourage you to keep pushing towards your goals. I also love this idea because if I am out and I hear of something I want to try or randomly find a recipe I would like to try, I have my journal near by to jot it down!
I hope that these tools will help you create your goals and start your own fitness and health journeys.
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