Candace's Favorite Things

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Trying to Lose Weight? Here's the Key!

You're working to lose weight and get in shape, but the losing part is eluding you. You're following your eating plan well...you started on Monday,( don't we all?)...and had a miss step or two but that's all. Not enough to matter, so what is the deal Candace? I get this question almost daily so let's finally fix it right here, right now. Hold on to your hats. It’s gonna be a bumpy ride! It goes like this;


I'm being so good. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were Perfect. GOOD FOR ME! Now, on Thursday, I got 'stuck' at a restaurant where the 'only' decent thing I could find was a crab cake with some lightly buttered corn ...but that's not bad. I did my workout so no big deal. Friday, I took the kids out. I was sooo hungry, but I was sooo.. "good". I ordered a salad, so even though I ended up picking at about a half an order of my kids fries... all and all 'compared to what I used to do', I've been pretty darn good if I do say so myself! I’m Still keeping up those stink’in workouts, so 'I KNOW' that should've taken care of that too. SO the only bad day i really had at all was Sunday, my brother's birthday. Now there's a situation with no choice at all! I'm sure you'd agree! …(oh, sorry...I just choked on my unsweetened iced tea...back to the NO CHOICE SAGA). I couldn't be rude, so I HAD to have my dinner there. He served lasagna. I had a small portion. Oh, I also had some garlic bread sticks. Just two! Oh…and NOT TO BE RUDE, a sliver of cake. But, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were PERFECT and don't forget, Saturday too. Not one ounce off my eating plan. SO, I just don't get why the pounds aren't coming down. After all, you can see, I'm doing everything I should. (hummm??) It's just not fair!

Well my friend fair or not, consistency is everything when it comes to losing weight and consistent in this scenario...YOU ARE NOT! Four "Good days” and three, that were really not. Consistent, I think we can now agree..NOT! Here's where your logic knocks the door off it's hinges. Like it or not, seemingly fair or not, the problem lies in the numbers. In the end, it's just a matter of math.

In order to lose a single pound, It takes a deficit of 3,500 calories below what you'd normally need to consume, to maintain your current body weight. Obscene I know, but it is what it is. SO,

Let's say the eating plan you've chosen has you in a deficit of 250 calories per day. In addition, you have wisely added exercise to the tune of an additional 250 calories burned each session, each day. So, at the end of the day....you're in a solid caloric deficit of 500 calories overall. If you stick to your plan like glue, a neg.500 cal. x 7 days a week = a deficit of 3,500.. That's a solid weight loss of one Pound each week. IF....IF THAT IS, YOU STICK TO YOUR PLAN LIKE GLUE. If not...here's the problem:

Monday, -500 calories.. good job. Tues, -500 again, well done. Wed. -500 and going strong. By Thursday morning,. you’re down 1,500 calories . That's a little under a half a pound of body fat loss. If you'd kept that up my friend and stayed on track, you'd have lost a pound by the end of the week. But starting Thursday you loosened the screws and by the end of the week, you'd added back the same amount you'd whittled down...let's look and see... Back to the math.

Thursday's crab cake and buttered corn..... back up +300. Friday's French fries....back up +500 (you forgot you had a big glass of wine to celebrate your new resolve to get in shape and lose weight, Ironic I know), and Sunday...wait for it....back up +700 calories .SO, by my addition, that's a positive 1, 500 to leave you with a deficit of …..NOTHING! No deficit, no weight loss. YEAH, it stinks. I KNOW it doesn’t seem fair. I live this scenario too and I must add that contrary to popular belief...I am not small by genetic design. My entire family has struggled with their weight, including ME...(OH YES I HAVE)! I've diligently balanced my caloric intake every day of my life for almost 37 straight years now, as a result of a having been involved in professional sports training since the age of 13. I UNDERSTAND MORE THAN YOU MAY EVER KNOW!!! SO, I feel your pain. But we must deal with reality. You have to pick the straight and narrow and stick with it until the deed is done.

It’s worth the trouble because in the end, you’ll be healthier, thus happier and excited about waking each day in the new skin that you’re in! I’ve promised to write you each day,(with the exception of Sundays that is),with informative, fun and interesting blog posts that will I also vow to keep shorter, tighter and easy to digest. Thank you for indulging me here today my friends as I felt it necessary to address this issue before we head out on our new journey together. It’s my desire to HELP YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY to a truly rich and abundant life.

Tomorrow is Fabulous Friday. Better known here as weekend “Recipe Day”. Just in time for you to get to the store, buy your ingredients so that you may prepare some fabulous, nutritious and low calorie meals that will keep you on track and that your entire famio may enjoy!

Until tomorrow, remember…life is about choices. And YES, you CAN DO IT!

Blessings,

Candace

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