Current BMI: 31
A manifesto, in political terms is a statement about a particular vision and the strategy to get there. It often has the connotation of war or a coup. . .and that’s why I’ve chosen that word as opposed to “Dieting Rules” or “Dieting Guidelines.” I am declaring war on weight loss scams, unhealthy trends, and the negative mentality that leads to our depriving ourselves. You can lose weight by moving more and eating less. It’s that easy. With that said, here is my vision and strategy of weight loss:
There is no fast weight loss cure. It will take work. I will not strive to lose more than 1 to 2 pounds per week. Since my goal is approximately 55 pounds, I expect that I will be on this journey for the next 30 weeks.
Losing weight will not make me happier with who I am. I am already happy with who I am. Losing weight will make me healthier. I am loved and there are people who want to see me live a long and happy life.
I will not starve myself. Nor will I deprive myself of all the foods I love to eat. I will control my portions by eating less more often. I will decrease my sugar intake from a bowl of ice cream every night to three bowls of ice cream per week.
My birthday is coming up next week. I will not use it as an excuse (or any other holiday) to ‘cheat’ and tell myself I’ll get back on the wagon tomorrow. Instead, when we go out, I will save some for later. Save some for later, doggy bag, and leftovers will become a regular part of my thinking and vocabulary when we’re going out to eat.
I will not drink soda. I will drink at least 8 glasses of water per day.
I will increase my exercise. I hadn’t really been exercising too much and so I will start with 6 minutes of aerobics and 6 minutes of strength training. It’s not where I should be. . .but it’s better than where I was. Slow and steady wins the race. . .
I will evaluate my bad habits and analyze where I need to change. I prefer to do this by keeping a journal.
I will eat 5 different colors of fruits and vegetables every day. To do this, most of my snacks and meals need to consist of a fruit or vegetable.
I will not watch the scale like a hawk. I will measure inches and sizes. I will periodically check my weight to calculate my BMI.
I will view each victory as a success to be celebrated and I will view each set back as an opportunity to learn. The word failure is simply not in my vocabulary.
So who’s with me? We can take back the weight loss by eating sensibly and exercising.
Your assignments: Calculate your BMI. Set a reasonable weight loss goal. Evaluate your eating habits: do you get enough fruits and vegetables, do you drink enough water and do you eat too many sweets? Evaluate your exercise habits: Are you getting any? If not, start with 5 minutes! And don’t forget to join us in the forums for support!
There’s a forum for support! Come chat with us!
Did you miss some Mission Possible blogs? They are linked in the forum, but you can also check them out here.