Some goals to help jumpstart that weight loss
Here is the list of weight loss goals that I have for myself by month. Starting with January, any goals added in the coming months are in addition to the ones from the previous month. This change in activity each month is because of the idea that my body will be losing weight and will not need as many calories to use. But if there are too few calories taken in, by some experts under 1200 (for women) and by most under 1000 (again for women) calories a day, then the body’s starvation mode kicks in. In order to survive, a person needs so many calories a day to create enough energy to run certain the heart, the brain, and other vital areas. When we do not intake enough calories, our bodies believe that we are starving and therefore will not use as much energy and conserve all that it can. Therefore, it is a hindrance to not eat in order to lose weight. An increase in activity is the preferred way to use extra calories.
January
-Write a food journal. I talked about this in length in my goal setting article.
– Keep calories between 1200 and 1500 calories. This is how many calories that were decided on for me with my doctor. Remember men need more calories and pregnant women should probably not diet unless there is a specific reason that is given to them by their physician. I cannot stress this enough. Please consult with a doctor before deciding on how many calories to limit yourself too. There may be circumstances going on with your health that you are not aware about.
– Drink at least 8 – 8 ounce glasses of water a day. This is very important. It flushes out poisons in your system and helps your metabolism work properly. Some experts recommend as much as 10 glasses. Be wary though; don’t go overboard on the water. If you drink too much, you can flush out your electrolytes and cause major issues. This warning is given because of a friend who went into cardiac arrest because he had flushed out his electrolytes by drinking too much water. When I say too much, he drank a gallon or more within an hour’s time, so don’t worry too much.
– Eat 4-6 times every 3-4 hours. This is a major suggestion offered to me by my doctor. This helps to keep your metabolism going throughout the day and there is less of a chance of overeating and feeling hunger because your body always has sufficient fuel.
– Take a multivitamin. Most of the time, the change in eating habits will also change the amounts of vitamins that are taken in. Sometimes, there will be a deficiency in one or more, taking a multi-vitamin will more than likely help. Most people do not need one with too much iron though, unless specifically told by your doctor.
– Need to start exercising. My goal is to start walking 1-2 miles each day. This is anywhere from 20-40 minutes a day of exercise. Seeing that it has been a few months since I have been in an exercise regime, I believe that this should be enough to get me started but not too much for my system to handle.
These goals are simple but will be a challenge and one that I am looking forward to meeting.