The Plan - Part I

Get Active!

As much as everyone would love a "magic pill" for weight loss, it really doesn't exist. Getting real weight loss results lies in self-discipline and adapting the change of eating right and getting more active to burn the calories you consume.

To lose weight more quickly and to keep it off successfully, you need to add regular activity to your life. If you choose not to include activity…you can skip to the eating plan, but I highly recommend you follow this course if you want to achieve the best results in the shortest time possible. If you are already using a regular workout regimen and are failing in your weight loss efforts, use some of these guidelines to help you off the plateau that you are experiencing. Also see the "Suggested Routines" page for effective exercise strategies.

At minimum, perform at least 3 hours per week or 30 minutes per day (remember, this is minimum) of physical activity. See the activity table page for calorie burning benefits of many different activities. Invest in a new pair of walking shoes, a pedometer, a set of hand weights, a video or a Body@Work program if you need additional incentive to get moving.

Your goal should be to burn at least 350 calories per day through physical activity of your favorite kind. Perform activities that you enjoy and know you'll continue. Use the tracking pages to record your accomplishments. Tracking your workouts will encourage you to fill up the pages with activities and increase your motivation, especially once you begin to see results. Guaranteed you'll see results quicker as you add more regular activity to your routine.

Next: The importance of your calorie burning heartrate during exercise: Keeping your heart pumping at the right calorie burning level during exercise is an efficient weight loss strategy.

Here is the formula you should use to figure your calorie burning heart rate. You should take your wrist pulse (never on neck during exercise) at rest and during exercise.

The ideal calorie burning heart rate or slightly higher or lower is what you should try to maintain during your cardio workouts for best results. Your maximum heart rate should be achieved only periodically to kick the metabolism into high gear, but not maintained as it can add unnecessary stress to your cardiovascular system.

The ideal calorie burning heart rate will increase your metabolism and get it working as efficiently as possible. You can also do sprints, or interval training, which is to get your heartrate higher than 70% for a minute then bringing it back down to 70% or slightly lower for 3 minutes.

Doing this 6-8 times during a 30 minute workout will give you ultimate calorie burning results. Anytime you challenge the body in this way, the metabolism will increase your calorie burn, adding to your negative calorie balance, which ultimately leads to weight loss.

How to Figure your Calorie Burning Heart Rate:

220 minus Your Age = [A]

Count Wrist Pulse for 6 seconds, add a 0 on the end

[A] x 85% (.85) =

Maximum Heart Rate Level During Exercise

[A] x 70% (.70) =

Ideal Calorie Burning Level

[A] x 40% (.40) =

Resting Heart Rate

The following steps are necessary to lose the greatest amount of weight during the next few weeks. If you follow these guidelines, you will see the results you are looking to achieve.

First, here are some of the more common excuses people use to avoid exercise.

Excuse: I have too many things to do.

Counter response: Yes, I am busy, but nobody is going to exercise for me. Exercise is a commitment I have made to myself for the benefit of my health.

Excuse: I am too tired.

Counter response: Sure, it would be easier to sit on the couch than to go out for a walk, but exercise can help me feel better and improve my energy level.

Excuse: I am bored with my exercise routine.

Counter response: I don’t have to do the same thing every day; I am going to take a different route on my walk today. There are many different things I can do for exercise. I will try something new to make my program refreshing." (See suggested activity page for ideas.)

You can excuse the day away, but Excuses get you Nowhere, Activity Gets You That Body you've always wanted!

Cardio Training

Do at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 3-4 times per week. Walk, bike, run, walk stairs, bleachers, treadmill, inline skating, tennis, swimming....etc. Anything that gets your heart rate up to your ultimate calorie burning level. See the Activity Table for a good variety and Suggested Routines for a solid plan for weight loss and health.

Stretching

It's very important you stretch after your workouts to avoid muscle cramps and soreness. Stretch each limb and muscle group for a count of 10. Do what feels good and never push too far with a stretch. Don't stretch before the workout, your muscles are not warm and can injure more easily.

Resistance Training

For every pound of muscle you build, you'll burn an extra 50 calories per day without doing anything. Replace 5 lbs. of fat with muscle...burn 250 while relaxing! Lean Muscle greatly increases metabolism function, burning more calories even while at rest. Aim for 2-3 days of weight training, covering all muscle groups or split your workouts into upper-body and lower-body routines. Which ever works best for you is what you want to do. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions for each muscle group. Increase weight when 3 sets becomes too easy.

Track your Results

Track your results and mark your calendar. This step will give you added motivation to keep your workouts regular and consistent. Use the available tracking pages for all your workouts and calories burned vs. consumed. Be sure to contact me if you need any help with these automatic tables.

Continue to next step....

Always consult your physician before beginning any new diet or exercise program, especially if you have pre-existing medical conditions.