Along with starting the Couch to 5k running plan, for the last week I’ve been focusing on my diet. My goal is to lose 35 pounds. And I will. I don’t know how long it’ll take, and I don’t care. I’m going to do the simple eat right and exercise. Nothing wild.
There is the age old saying “losing weight is easy, I’ve done it a hundred times.” Count me in as one of those. I have no problem losing weight when I focus on it. It’s maintaining it that’s key. And I think maybe the key to maintaining it is not to get too crazy. Rather do small changes that become not a matter of effort, rather a matter of habit.
What’s my different approach this time? It’s what I’m going to call my “but it’s much better than” philosophy. I’m not going to be a maniac with my eating; rather I’m going to choose items that are better than what I would “normally” have—even if they are not perfect.
So for example, 2 scrambled eggs on white toast with ketchup is not great, but it’s much better than 4 Eggo waffles with syrup. It’s also easy to make, inexpensive, and filling enough to get me to lunch without feeling too hungry. Same applies for [fill in the blank]. You get the idea.
But, even with this philosophy, I’m still going to limit my calories until I reach my goal. I can easily eat 3 scrambled eggs on a roll with bacon. See?
In a nutshell, my program consists of:
1) Exercise – Couch to 5K
2) Diet – Calorie Restriction and “but it’s much better than” philosophy
3) Nutritional Supplementation – Multi Vitamins, Omega 3s, and Extra Vitamin D.
I also want to accomplish this without joining a gym. Besides the nutritional supplements (which I take regardless of if I’m on a diet or not), I’d like to spend no extra money (special food, exercise equipment, gym memberships, etc.).
Once I’m well on my way to my goal, I’m going to incorporate some resistance training—which might require some investment in some equipment. I’m thinking rubber bands, but we’ll wait and see.