Weight-Loss Plan - Part II
"
You will become.........what you invest your time on
"
- Anonymous
As detailed in Part 1, the attack strategy for this weight-loss plan is in two-folds:
Curtail Calorie Consumption
First plan of attack is to reduce calorie consumption.
As the quote goes,
"
Much easier to put down the fork.....than to burn the fat.
"
The exact consumption strategy will change as the program progresses; processes that yield results will be continued while processes which do not, will be discontinued.
Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is certainly a major tool in this plan; by restricting calorie consumption to only specific contiguous times of the day, it will reduce the overall intake.
Besides, I'm much used to it and it certainly fits my lifestyle.
Increase Activity Level
Second plan of attack is to increase my activity level.
The days of sedentary lifestyle.......is over!
Again, while the specifics will change over the course of the program, the plan is to
- incorporate gym time into my daily routine
- increase movements within my daily routine
Gym Time
I have bought gym membership at the YMCA (Young Men Christian Association).
Why a gym? Well, many times with weight loss, being in the company of others trying to achieve similar goals is motivating.
Also, having a regular gym time makes it easier to burn more calories; after all, having prepared & driven to the gym, I won't just stand there and eat popcorn. I'd work out and every little exercise count.
Also, gym time gives you energy for the rest of the day.
Lastly, it's a mental issue; spending time & effort in the gym keeps you in check to constantly consume rubbish; gyms have mirrors and you certainly want to see the fruits of your effort staring back at you.
YMCA gyms are more expensive (about $80 per month for a family) than regular gyms; I decided to invest in that monthly bill for 2 reasons:
- YMCA has Olympic-sized swimming pools and the monthly membership gives you access to the pools 7days a week. Growing up, I never had the opportunity to be near large bodies of water or learn to swim. I want my kids to learn how to swim and YMCA provides that opportunity.
- It's very close to my house and opens very early (5am). By starting my day at the gym, it sets a good frame of mind (and provides energy) for the rest of the day.
Walking Time
My sedentary lifestyle involved staring at the computer/phone/tv while sitting.
My standing posture is all messed up!
I'm introducing walking time into my daily routine.
I purchased a pedometer to record the number of steps I typically take in a day and I was surprised when I saw that I barely crossed 3k steps!
So, I set a walking goal for myself.
A minimum of 10k steps a day
No running, just walking.
If & when I consistently meet that goal, I will increase the minimum to 15k steps.
Currently, it's
a base goal of 15k steps and a stretch goal of 17k steps daily on weekdays
Progress Tracker
By the time I developed the tracker, I had already lost about 26 lbs; however, I've been using the tracker ever since and it has tremendously helped my accountability.
Weight To Lose
My starting weight was 234 lbs at ~ 30% body fat.; my body fat percentage goal (to reveal my abs) is 10% body fat
1% of 234 lbs is 2.34 lbs; to arrive at 10% body fat, I need to lose 20% body fat.
So, total fat to lose is 20% x 2.34 =~ 47 lbs
Therefore, my ending weight should be 187 lbs (234 - 47) @ 10% body fat.
I would have lost a total of 70 lbs at the conclusion of the program.
Program Duration
Plan is to lose 1% body fat every week.
Since I need to lose 20% body fat, it means the program duration is 20 weeks (about 5 months).
Since at least 2.34 lbs should be lost every week, I will measure my weight every weekend to track my progress.
The program should end on Oct 20th.
Contingency Plan
"
Everybody's got a plan......until they get punched in the mouth!
"
- Mike Tyson
A 20-week long program will be tough.
There will crescendo moments when everything seems to be going so well (gym-time is excellent, movement routines are great, weight is dropping, etc.); there will also be moments when nothing seems to be working (lack of energy/desire to workout, desires to abandon the program, food binge moments, etc.).
A good program needs to account for these moments and provide a way to get back on track.
To account for this potential setback, 4 additional weeks has been baked into the program to offset any potential setback(s); hopefully, the setback is reduced to the barest minimum.
Thus, the program will officially end on Nov 17th.
Conclusion
At the conclusion of the program, I should have
- Body weight of at most 187 lbs
- Attained a 10% body fat body, verified via well-defined abs.
- Lost at least 70 lbs of body weight
With this plan, I should be able to achieve my weight-loss goal.
So, shall it be!