Weight Loss for Idiots – or, Please Don’t Burn my House Down, Angry Mob

It occurred to me the other day that this stuff – getting in shape and staying that way – is easy. How do I know this? Because I can do it with no trouble at all.

Before you form an angry mob and set out to burn down my house, let me qualify that somewhat bold statement. Now I can do it no trouble at all, whereas previously I found it nigh on impossible.

What made the difference? Finding an efficient way to work my body so as to build enough muscle to balance out my calorie intake with the energy I expend. Result? Most of my body fat used as fuel, and I maintain a healthy body.

So why do so many people find it difficult? I can think of several reasons straight off the bat. One is that when I say you have to work your body, I mean you have to work your body. Many people won’t put in the effort. If you’re not prepared to exert yourself, you won’t get the results you want.

Another is the resistance we all have to necessary change. Making changes in diet and lifestyle is hard, but it helps if you consider the consequences of not changing, if, for example, your present way of life is affecting your health. It took a health scare to stop me smoking, but it’s a move I’ve never regretted, and the pay off in terms of health was well worth the one week of cold turkey withdrawal symptoms it cost me.

Yet another reason is the sometimes astounding level of ignorance that otherwise smart people have about food in general. I once sat open mouthed while a work colleague solemnly assured me that bananas are full of fat. (They really, really aren’t.) Others skip meals or flit from one insane fad diet to another, in the mistaken belief that these are good moves. In the morass of misinformation that somehow gathers around the topic of diet and fitness, it’s generally best to stick to the basics – and here they are:

- Eat a varied and balanced diet which includes all the major food groups: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. They’re all necessary to maintain and fuel your body. Get them from fresh produce like fruit and vegetables, and starchy foods, such as rice, pasta, bread and potatoes. Choose wholegrain varieties whenever you can. Eat meat, fish, eggs and beans, milk and dairy foods. And keep a close eye on your intake of fat and sugar and salt, but don’t cut out any food group from your diet. Ditch junk food, but eat all the foods you enjoy. Mealtimes should always be a pleasure.

Eat well, and do resistance exercise twice a week. By which I mean a gym workout with weights, forty minutes maximum. Work in some light cardio too. Listen to your body and take time off when you need to, and always make sure you get the rest you need.

So easy, even I can do it. So what’s stopping you?

Filed under: Weight Loss by admin