How Is My Free Weight Loss Program Going?

I haven't posted here at My Free Weight Loss Program for a couple of days because I have been actually putting into practice some of the things I have been talking about, one of which was to get off my backside and go and get some real healthy exercise.

So how is my weight loss plan actually going?

Well, so far I have only lost 2 pounds, but as I only really put this program into action a few days ago, that isn't too bad. And the best thing is that I am pretty sure I have lost actual body fat because I have been exercising and trying to tone my muscles as well as dieting.

There is also one thing to bear in mind when exercising to lose weight. If you build up your muscles they will become a little heavier, so, even though you are losing body fat, you may not notice such a difference on the scales as you had been hoping for.

This fact never bothers me, as I know that, at the end of the day, I will have lost real weight and my stronger muscles will be helping me to keep slim, as they will be burning more energy than the excess fat cells used to do.

However, I am not into 'body building'. I just want strong, toned muscles, particularly a nice flat tummy. Getting rid of the flab on my bum would be great too, so I have been exercising my 'gluts' with some up hill walking. This is very easy to do where we live, as we are surrounded by mountains, but walking up and down stairs or using a 'step exerciser' also works very well.

One thing which I always have to consider when beginning a weight loss program is my blood sugar levels. Despite all my best efforts to watch my diet, I do suffer easily from low blood sugar, which can make me feel faint and exhausted and tell my stomach that I should eat to put things right.

I try to handle this by having a low calorie yoghurt or a small banana before I begin any form of exercise. This way, I am not overloading my digestive system before I begin an exercise routine.

If you eat a heavy meal (or anything high calorie) you will find that when you exercise, a lot of that fat burning exercise will use up calories from the food you have just eaten, rather than from your body fat. It is also the case that your body needs time to digest a large meal and giving it other energy burning things to do at the same time is not to be recommended for your general health.

This is why, to counteract my low blood sugar problems, I always have something to eat about 15 minutes before I exercise, but that 'something' is very low calorie and very easy to digest.

Many people will tell you that after an exercise session you do not want to eat. This is not always the case. I am one of those people who likes to eat and I have this very bad habit (from a dieting sense anyway) of wanting to 'reward myself' with food. When I have completed an uphill walk or an aerobics session, I am not immediately hungry (a shower is my first thought :) ), but once I have cooled down a little, I do feel like rewarding myself. I have to find other ways to do this than with food, or else all that fat burning effort will have gone to waste and I will not lose an ounce of weight.

One way I have found in the past is to try on those clothes that were a little too tight a few weeks ago, or just have a good look at myself in the mirror and see that I have lost some weight. Feeling my ribs helps too. If I can feel them quite well, then that makes me feel good too and reminds me that I don't want to lose that feeling!

All of these methods are, of course free. It would be nice to go out and buy yourself something as a reward (as long as it isn't food of course), but as this is a free weight loss program, that is not my intention. After all, why spend money when you don't have to?

As to my diet, I have been trying to eat healthily, but to eat things I like. Despite all the diet sheets and recommendations you can find out there, this isn't always easy, especially if you have got into the habit of eating and enjoying unhealthy foods. If you have gotten used to eating chips, then that diet meal of salad and low calorie protein probably isn't going to taste that good!

I follow what some see as an 'old fashioned' method. I count calories. I make sure I eat enough healthy food (5 portions of veg/fruit plus protein in 2 meals etc), but I also allow myself a daily 'dieting treat'. It could be an ice cream, a small chocolate mouse, or even a small chocolate bar or a small glass of wine. None of these things (and there are many more like them) come to much more than 150 calories if you are careful and check the labels.

This is the method I use. Others find different weight loss programs succesful. For me, I know that if I 'deprive myself' (or think I am doing this), then all that 'dieting stoicism' will only work for a short while and I want this weight loss to be long term and the fat to stay off. When you begin a diet you can usually get away very easily with a calorie count of 1250 to 1500 calories (more if you are a man or a woman with a lot of weight to lose), so using up 150 or even 200 calories a day will not effect the healthy balance of your diet too much at all and I reckon it's well worth it.

As time goes on, you may reach a 'dieting plateau' and your weight loss could stop or slow down and some people (but not everyone) will have to adjust their calorie intake a little to continue to lose the pounds, but by that time you should be so happy with your newer, slimmer figure that losing out on the odd 'dieting treat' will seem a small price to pay for a fitter, thinner you.

Well, that's my thoughts on this matter anyway. As I said, I do have qualificatins in exercise and nutrition, but I am not an 'expert' on dieting. I only know what is best for me and can pass on these tips to you in case they help you too.

Anyway, I have rambled on far too long here. I suppose I just wanted to tell you that my free weight loss program is going according to plan. Now it's onwards and upwards (maybe up more hills :) ).

Wish me luck!