By now, the January New Years Resolution has worn off and you’re stuck in front of your TV doing the same thing that you said you’d stop doing.
For me, that’s been eating popcorn, watching a bunch of YouTube videos, and doing everything but exercising. I did happen to throw in watching some Vikings, Brandy’s version of Cinderella (the only one that matters), and a few Disney videos in there, but who’s counting.
The point here is that it’s okay to fail.
You just have to get back up and keep movin’.
My goal this year is to lose 70 lbs. So far I have lost just about five as I managed to gain some of it back by sliding back into my old eating habits and sheer laziness. To be fair, I don’t like the cold, and the only time you’ll see me willingly go out into the cold is to do some sort of active winter activity.
Aside from that my boyfriend scrapes the snow off my car and shovels it out during the wintry months because I won’t do it.
I refuse.
However, now that the winter is practically over and the Northeast is getting legitimate false starts to Spring, it’s time I get my head back into the game.
I’m starting with a micro-goal and it’s to lose 10 pounds by Easter.
So, at the posting of this article, I’ll have around three weeks to drop ten pounds.
At my now current weight, that is easily achievable, but you’re probably wondering how I’m going to do it? I have a few ideas, so, tag along for the ride.
Drinking Lots of Water
I bought one of those nifty water infusers.
It’s the only thing keeping me accountable (I add lemons mostly and for a little razzle-dazzle strawberry), but, I’m not drinking enough.
You need to be drinking enough water that sustains your body as your body is basically made up of the good stuff.
I’m going to try a few ways to get more water into my diet, and maybe from my list, you can find a few ways to get some more into yours, too.
The plan? Try to:
- Opt for water instead of sugary drinks if I’m going out to eat.
- Drink more hot lemon water in the morning to aid with digestion.
- Throw in various kinds of fruit into the infuser to spice it up. (•̀ᴗ•́)و ̑̑
- Eat more water-rich fruits and vegetables.
- Drinking 8 oz of water before each meal (you feel fuller which means eating less).
- By adding more spice (peppers, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, etc. – not salt and pepper, y’all) to my meals forces me to drink more water.
But overall, the biggest plan should be not to sweat if you don’t make your water intake goal of the day. Each day you’ll get progressively better.
However, if you’re doing more activity make sure you’re drinking more water. Please! Dehydration can cause mood changes and create headaches and all sorts of bodily issues that you’ll be mad at yourself over.
And if you’re spending more time outdoors as the weather heats up, yep, you guessed it – drink more water.
Speaking of being outdoors!
Taking More Walks Outdoors
I’ve practically been sedentary since about three weeks after the New Years Resolution post went out. I wanted to be upfront about that because when you’re trying to challenge yourself to something as arduous as this knowing that others are struggling is what can help you to keep striving.
Well, I’m starting over basically.
The weather is starting to warm and on days when the sun is shining warmly on us in the Northeast, I’m going to take the time to get some much-needed fresh air and exercise.
I found a spiffy exercise calculator on WebMd and because it is a trusted site, I trust the calculator more than most calculators found on Google.
My main goal for the next three weeks is to walk for a minimum of two hours, at 2.5 mph, three times a week. My current weight dictates that I should burn around 630 calories each session which would equate to around a loss of 1890 calories.
Just want to remind you there are 3200 calories in one pound of fat, so that’s a little over half a pound lost just from walking alone. Imagine if I were to do that five days a week?
I mean, my legs would be jello, and I know myself, walking for two hours every single day would make me miserable over time. Plus, my back is achy just from cleaning around the house because of all the weight I added to my midsection during the pandemic, so, in all honesty, I don’t think I’ll do this option as much as I want to lose a ton of weight right now.
But if you’re curious, I would lose 3150 calories just by walking for five of seven days. That’s 50 calories shy of one pound.
I’d like to vary my outdoor walks, but, I think for now just being more conscious of my body and how it feels while walking outdoors is going to be the first step to victory. So, if you’re anything like me, take your time and don’t push yourself too hard when you’re starting.
If I had listened to my own advice when I was struggling to start I promise you I would have lost thirty pounds by now, but alas, lessons needed to have been learned.
But if you’re looking for ways to vary your outdoor exercise, trying taking a hike that will have various heights of incline and terrain that isn’t just a flat trail. It’ll keep you mentally active
Being More Conscious of What You Eat
I’ve been eating like there’s no tomorrow (and honestly will there?) and I managed to gain a lot of weight during the pandemic.
At the start of the year I was pumped and ready to eat like an Olympian.
Then it turned more into my mouth turning into a vacuum.
Don’t be me. Don’t do what I did.
I have intentionally tried to set myself up for success for the next two weeks. However, when you’ve already got food in the house that can be tempting, it’s better to either rid of it, put it in a box in your basement (non-perishable!), give it away, or eat it in moderation.
Eating in moderation can be incredibly tricky and quite frankly I have to remind myself constantly to look at food as a resource, a necessity, and a privilege just to avoid overindulging.
So, if you’re trying to be more conscious of what you’re eating try to look for foods with more fiber and less sugar.
There’s a new app on the market called Intent that I hope to use in due time once most of the food in our house is depleted. They personalize meal plans (that actually look tasty for once – I’m a very picky eater) weekly and they simultaneously try to keep you on track with your caloric goals, too.
My best advice is don’t try to be the healthiest person immediately. It’s going to take some time (and that’s on period).
When you try to do something as grand as “I’m only going to eat ____ for ____” you set yourself up for failure. We’re not trying to fail on our weight loss journey; not anymore!
The Conclusion to Lose 10 Lbs Easily
Alright, now that we’ve gotten through this list, I’m sure you can agree that these are easily implementable things to do in your daily life.
It’s easy to get in that glass of water.
It’s easier when you can look at what you’ve been eating and take out small things that aren’t satisfying you to keep you on track.
It’s also easy to take a walk (if you’re able).
Take care of your body and it’ll take care of you. It’s that easy.