And We're Off!

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I wish!!

Okay we have a starting day decided.

 First off, it may be very difficult, possibly frightening, but yes it is time for weighing and measuring. I did mine straight after my shower this morning as my start date is today. Look on the chart and find out what section you fall in, then work out your BMI. This stands for Body Mass Index and works out if you are a healthy weight for your height.

To work out your BMI:

Divide  your weight in kilograms (kg) by your height in metres (m)

Then  divide the answer by your height again, to get your BMI

For example:

If you weigh 70kg and you're 1.75m tall: divide 70 by 1.75. The answer is 40.

Then divide 40 by 1.75. The answer is 22.9. This is your BMI.

1kg =2.2lb
10kg=22lb

1metre=3.28ft

A BMI ranges

18.5-24 is a healthy range

25-30 means overweight and a possible risk of stroke, heart conditions or type 2 diabetes

Over 30 = obese and really needs addressing before serious health problems as mentioned before take over.

I’m in the overweight section

Now for targets. Monthly ones. I hope to lose 8lb in 4 weeks, how about you?

This is what we need to follow. This sort of food proportion, so grasp the challenge with both hands, we can devise some really flavoursome meals. I will add some and welcome the addition of others. I am devoting a page with posts for breakfast, lunch, starter, main and dessert. Each meal will be calorie counted. I am also setting up a post for calorie counting. If I miss anything that others like, just add them in.

I am also setting up an inspirational page for when the going gets tough. Also to be added, a health and beauty tips page with some homemade ideas. This is our blog. Ideas welcomed. Let us make it a good meeting place!

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Start off Gently

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Yes, I know what you are thinking. Ugh!!! I have thought it myself in the past when on other diets. “I haven’t got time to exercise. I’ll just follow a weight loss plan. It will be all right. Right?

Wrong!

Think for a minute. Just say for instance after following a diet,  you lose the weight and on reaching the goal decide on buying a new outfit to show off a brand new figure. Then shock, horror, you take a long look in the mirror. Lose flabby skin, once stretched holding the fat now hangs looking unsightly. Not pretty.

Still never fear, with a bit of regular exercise this can be avoided.

Wait a minute, I hear you say, I have no time to exercise, no money to join a gym, etc. etc. Well here is the thing. This is just an excuse. You can exercise at home or the office. I am sure you have heard of multi-tasking. Well try these for size.

As with anything, exercise should be gently to begin with and these are some ideas.

Butt clenches – sit up straight and clench your butt cheeks. Hold for a count of 5, 10 if you can manage it. Then let go. Do that five times. At the office, at home, maybe at the bus stop, even the tube station. Nobody needs to know and eventually you will reap the benefits.

Squats – These are wonderful exercises for your legs and buttocks. You can even just try these by sitting and standing up again from a regular chair, if you are finding them to be too difficult. As long as you are able to do a few repetitions, you will be providing some benefit to your body and doing 5 minutes twice a day of these will soon prove beneficial.

An exercise for the arms and bust Hold a can of something equal weight in each hand. Slowly count to five as you bring each arm up by your side

s outstretched. Now hold it there for another slow count of five before lowering slowly to the count of five. Can you feel the pull? This will stop bingo wings. Do this five times. Eventually you can work to a count of ten.

The same thing beneficial to the thighs can be sitting on a chair, bringing legs up to a right angle with your body and holding for a count before bringing down.

All these can be done while doing other things. Even better done to music. Get out the kids' hula hoop.  Shake your booty and do a twist while cooking, ironing or hoovering. We don’t always get the opportunity to go for long walks, or go swimming. We do what we can to make things better.  

So above all, make exercising FUN!

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Preparation: Almost at the Starting Blocks

Naomi here

Still keeping in the preparation stage, you may have noticed I have added a chat page. That's for talking through the times when we need support and encouragement. Especially if we're thinking of giving up. Maybe we can build a buddy system.

Don't panic if you find you land in the red area. With regular visits here and support from buddies you won't be for long. I don't need to know anyone's starting weight. What I also suggest is having month by month targets, one at a time, taking into consideration the average weight loss will probably be 1-2lb/ up to 1kg a week. 

Of course sometimes there will be more, especially the first week. Just don't get lulled into a false dream that it will happen. I've tried too many diets to know that it doesn't. Another thing that doesn't work is faddy lose weight quick diets or diet pills. Yes, granted for the first few days they might, but it's only temporary. Gradual retraining of what your food intake should be is the only way. And the best way is with regular support of each other. 

Here I include my email - naomishaw6@hotmail.co.uk and I will return any emails asap. 

My aim is to help people enjoy food without feeling guilty about eating it. To love seeing the weight drop off and feel happier and healthier too. 

My next post will be about food and drink. So till next time, happy planning and keep in touch :)

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First Things First: Introduction to the Diet

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As with anything preparation is the key, the foundation to a successful venture, Here is where we start.

Basic Tools

A set of reliable scales

Scales for the kitchen

A tape measure

A cheap book showing food and up to date calorific values.

A notebook

Create a graph for marking your weight loss.

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Okay, write down a list of food and you enjoy. Then check the calorific values and write those next to it. Making your own calorie bible saves you thumbing through the book all the time. We won't be having ready meals so you'll need to add fruit veg meat and fish that you think at least looks nice. You never know, you may surprise yourself. I'm going to have a page with all my likes and I will separate them into three sections. Green for low calorie and good foods, orange for only to be eaten occasionally and red very high calories so try to avoid.

All herbs and spices can be used freely, we are going to make some tasty meals believe me.

One thing, be warned this won't be all plain sailing. There will be 'straying' times. These are the times when we need our buddy for support. To beat yourself up about it and fall of the diet is the worst possible thing to do. Especially after trying so hard.

See you at the next post
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Welcome

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A very warm welcome to one and all. I'm Naomi and this kind of blog is new to me, but sometimes you got to do what you've got to do.

If you're here it may mean you're considering embarking on an adventure with me. Yes, I call it an adventure because along the way we will support each other in pursuit of a personal destination. A new weight loss goal.

I'm not talking about the famous size zero, that so many think is perfection. That would be nigh on impossible to keep for long and would end up making us feel miserable thinking we are 'less than perfect'. Besides the pictures of models in magazines are nearly always 'touched up' so that which causes so much peer pressure ends up a lie.

Over the years I have tried umpteen diets, some boring, some strange and joined a few diet clubs which left me out of pocket. Now, however, I find support to help me lose.  myself overweight and  needing to try and retrain my eating habits.

Here I hope to find followers and create a diet buddy category. There's no fee and we can all offer helpful nuggets, in the form of maybe tips, or a recipe, it's all useful.

So come on, don't be shy, I'm not asking for fat photos, just to keep me company and the want to reach several small targets. One big target is daunting and can result in giving up if not achieved.
So that's the welcome over. The next post will be the start of our journey.

See you at the next post
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