You have now lost a total of 46 pounds on your weight loss journey You are so close to your goal you can almost reach out and touch it. However, now is the time to continue with determination and motivation in order to fully reach your final weight loss goal.
Continuing with your positive lifestyle habits is the easiest way to stay on track. These habits are second nature to you now and because of that you are able to easily achieve them with minimal effort. However, just because something has become normal for you does not mean that you do not have to put in the time required to achieve it.
Your daily weigh in serves to keep you on track and motivated to finish your weight loss program. You need to see an overall downward trend with your weigh in so that you are able to achieve your 2 pound per week goal. If you are not losing weight at the desired rate then feel free to adjust your program slightly in order to get back on track with your weight loss. Remember that you are in control of your weight loss progress and that the daily weigh in only serves as a way to measure your progress in a tangible way.
Exercising on a regular basis is important not only for the caloric burn but for the increases in strength and endurance also. You might even find that you have more energy because of your regular exercise program. For the program example of a 201 pound woman the necessary calorie burn for the week is 3,381 calories. Because of the size of calorie burn necessary, you may choose to either exercise on a 4 or 5 day per week schedule. If you work out on the 4 day per week schedule then you need to burn 845 calories per day. If you work out on the 5 day per week schedule then you need to burn 675 calories per day. Although there are a wide variety of exercises and physical activities that you can do in order to burn calories, they are not all created equal in the amount of calories burned per hour. As an example, to burn 675 calories on a stair machine it would take 1 hour 15 minutes of moderate intensity and to burn 845 calories it would take 1 hour 35 minutes. Another example of possible exercise might be casual soccer. It would take 1 hour 5 minutes of casual soccer to burn approximately 675 calories and to burn 845 calories it would take 1 hour 20 minutes. Although the type of exercise you do is not important, it is important to put in the time and effort so that you meet your calorie deficit.
It is especially important to remain properly hydrated while exercising. A simple way to help offset the water lost during exercise is to drink a full 8 ounce glass of water both before and after exercise and to also have water available while exercising. Another great way to ensure that you are properly hydrated before exercising is to be sure to drink a full 8 ounce glass of water before each of your 6 daily meals. Not only does drinking before meals aid with hydration but also with promoting a feeling of fullness at meals. The suggested minimum daily water consumption is eight 8 ounce glasses of water. However, depending on your sodium intake, amount of exercise, and environmental factors you could require quite a bit more water on a daily basis. Proper hydration is important not only for your overall good health but also for efficient weight loss.
The age old adage that you are what you eat is especially true when following a weight loss program. You need to ensure that even while following a calorie restricted diet that you receive all of the nutrients which you require for good health and efficient weight loss. A simple way to ensure that you consume all the nutrients that are required is to take a high quality daily multi-vitamin and mineral supplement. The necessity of taking a supplement is not an indicator of improper eating habits instead it shows that your good health is a priority. Even with your healthy food habit of focusing on high quality fresh foods, supplementing with a vitamin and mineral is necessary.
By eating a diet which focuses on fresh produce, lean protein and whole grains you are increasing the quality and quantity of the foods you consume. The program example allows for consumption of 1,200 calories per day. The following menu plan focuses on high quality foods which in turn allows for a greater volume of food thus increasing the satisfaction of your meals. For breakfast you might enjoy a breakfast sandwich made with a whole wheat English muffin, a large scrambled egg and ½ ounce slice of low fat cheddar cheese for a total of 233 calories. Your mid morning snack might be 1 cup of chopped fresh apple and 1 cup of seedless grapes for a total of 134 calories. For lunch you might eat sushi out. 4 pieces of spicy tuna roll, 1 tbs soy sauce and 1 cup steamed sugar snap peas has a total of 196 calories. Our mid afternoon snack might be a salad consisting of 3 ounces turkey breast, 1 ounce fat free feta cheese, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, ½ cup sliced cucumbers, 2 cups fresh spinach and 2 tbs fat free Italian dressing for a total of 201 calories. Dinner might be a 3 ounce portion of bottom round beef roast and ½ cup cooked frozen peas with 100 grams of red potatoes roasted with 6 baby carrots and topped with a simple gravy made of ½ cup low sodium beef broth and ½ tsp cornstarch for a total of 272 calories. The final meal of the day might be ½ cup peach jell-o topped with ½ cup fresh peach slices, ½ cup fresh raspberries and 2 tbs whipped cream for a total of 166 calories. The grand total for this entire menu plan with 6 meals is 1,201 calories.
