A weight management plan that works

One of the most common things I am asked would have to be “How can I lose weight?”. This question is fundamentally wrong. If you care what the scales says I suggest you throw it out, that way you can not here it any more. What you should care about is the way you feel and look. If you feel and look healthy chances are the scale would not matter anyhow.

That said, I have laid out a weight management plan for many people that they have used to lose fat and build muscle. This is designed to start a body shaping lifestyle and does not end when a goal is achieved. Ending a weight management plan will guarantee a return to the unhealthy place you started from, or likely take you to a worse place.

This is the plan I have laid out: 

1. Set your alarm at least 15 minutes earlier. Go OUTSIDE (fresh air/ cool temps/ more oxygen) and just walk for that time. This turns on the metabolism and lets the body know that you need more energy (calories)
2. Complete your morning routines, including a good breakfast ( go ahead and eat, you will burn it during the day)
3. 2 to 3 hours later eat about 100 calories – protein or fresh fruit (remember, protein does not have to be meat, cottage cheese is ideal)
4. 2 to 3 hours later it a solid sensible lunch – lots of fresh foods carbs are OK but try to avoid processed food
5. 2 to 3 hours later eat about 100 calories – same rules as before
6. 2 to 3 hours later it should be about dinner (depending on when your body clock is trained to eat). This needs to be your smallest meal of the day! You will must likely store every calorie you consume at the dinner table so go for the proteins. The body tends to not store them as fat. Fresh vegetables are also the right plan. This the the meal that carbs and fats are your worst enemy-this includes starches like potatoes.
7. If you need a snack after dinner make it protein. (cottage cheese is again ideal because it is a slowly digested protein that can also be low in fat)

When ever you feel hunger and start reaching for a snack out side of this ask yourself “Am I hungry or am I eating out of habit?”.  Fifty percent of your appetite is habit eating. It takes 6 weeks to break a habit and 3 more to make a new one.

NO CARBONATED BEVERAGES AT ALL! INCLUDING BEER! In the first 4 weeks of the diet. Then only rarely after that! They are a treat and should be used as a mental reward for your successes.

As far as exercise goes:

Walk or bike as much as possible. You can make all the excuses you want and sometimes they really are valid but they are still excuses. (This is my biggest problem.)

Take a:

Multivitamin

Extra vitamin D

Omega 3 

--Remember exercise is important but you can not out run the calories or out train the diet.