You are making great progress and with 34 pounds lost you can really see the difference in how you look and how your clothes fit. You should be motivated to continue and complete this weight loss program. Losing weight in a safe and healthy manner such as you are doing takes time and effort. However, the benefits of your success are numerous which makes the hard work worth the effort. The positive lifestyle habits which you have formed aid you on your weight loss journey.
Daily tracking of your weigh in is important for a number of reasons. Although this may seem like such a trivial task, it is not trivial. Through your daily weigh in you are able to verify that you are making progress towards your 2 pound per week goal. While you may not lose weight each and every day, you should be able to see an overall downward trend in your tracking. If you are not on track to lose your 2 pound per week goal, then you can use your daily weigh in to help you adjust your plan in order to reach your goal. Keep in mind that sodium intake, amount of sleep, water consumption, calorie intake, calorie burn and time of the month all play a role in your successful weight loss.
Proper hydration is another of the positive lifestyle habits which you have built. Hydration is also important to your successful weight loss for a number of reasons. Adequate water is necessary in order for the body to effectively utilize your stored fat as a source of fuel. Then once the fat is burned, water is necessary to help flush away the toxins which were released from the fat stores. Additionally, proper hydration is important for your overall good health. Many people live in a chronic state of dehydration which causes them to experience headaches, fatigue, and any of a number of other systems. However, the health issues can be much more dangerous when dehydration is left unchecked. It is suggested that a minimum of eight 8 ounce glasses of water be consumed each day. However, it is important to remember that this is only the minimum suggested level and that depending on a number of factors you most likely will require more water intake to be properly hydrated. Drinking a full 8 ounce glass of water prior to each meal is a good habit to develop. Not only does this help ensure that you are drinking all throughout the day, but it promotes a feeling of fullness at meals which is helpful when dieting.
The act of regular exercise can improve your strength and endurance while helping you improve your overall health. When following a weight loss program such as this one, regular exercise aids with achieving your calorie deficit target through additional calories burned. The adjusted program example of a 201 pound woman must burn 3,381 calories each week in order to meet her calorie deficit goal and lose 2 pounds per week. In order for this amount of calories to be burned it is necessary to follow either a 4 day or 5 day per week exercise schedule. If the 4 day per week schedule is followed then 845 calories must be burned on each day scheduled for exercise. If the 5 day per week schedule is followed then 675 calories must be burned on each day scheduled for exercise. No matter which schedule you follow it requires a significant time investment in order to burn the necessary calories. In order for a 201 pound person to burn approximately 675 calories they must bicycle at a 10 mph pace for 1 hour 15 minutes and to burn approximately 845 calories they must bicycle at a 10 mph pace for 1 hour 35 minutes. Another example is that it would take 50 minutes of boxing, sparring to burn approximately 675 calories and 1 hour 5 minutes of boxing, sparring to burn approximately 845 calories. Remember that the type of exercise you choose to accomplish is not important; feel free to choose the activity that you enjoy. However, it is important to burn the necessary number of calories each session in order to stay on track with your weight loss goals.
Nutrition is another of your positive lifestyle goals. Focusing on good nutrition through healthy choices is important to your good overall health as well as your efficient weight loss. Even though you are focusing on healthy choices such as fresh produce, lean proteins and whole grains; it can still be difficult to consume all of the necessary nutrients from food alone. A great way to ensure that you do receive all of the necessary nutrients is through supplementation. A high quality daily multi-vitamin and mineral supplement can help ensure your good overall health and efficient weight loss while improving your immune system and increasing your energy.
A good way to keep your metabolism working at peak efficiency is by eating every few hours. Focusing on 6 meals per day is an easy way in which to accomplish this task. The program example for this weight loss program is 1,200 calories daily. When eating a total of 1,200 calories daily and spread over the course of 6 meals you are able to have on average 200 calories per meal. By making healthy food choices it is simple to feel full and satisfied on 200 calories per meal. For example you might have 6 ounces of plain Greek yogurt topped with ½ cup sliced fresh banana and 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries for a total of 199 calories. Another example is a 3 ounce portion of grilled boneless skinless chicken breast and 1 cup steamed sugar snap peas served with 2 cups cooked cauliflower which has been mashed with 1 tbs grated parmesan cheese for a total of 201 calories. A option for a snack might be a medium fresh apple cut into wedges spread with 1 tbs almond butter for a total of 183 calories.
