Weekly plan
I have got a few ideas to really get some weight shifted this week. I will put them down here as a plan.
Exercise
Mon: Run/Exercise DVD depending what time I get home
Tues: Rest
Wed: Run
Thurs: Bodypump class
Fri: Yoga class
Sat: Run
Sun: Yoga or exercise DVD or rest.
Mon-Fri Cycle to and from work (total 3.4 miles).
Food
So far my rules have been
1) Maintain -500 daily calorie deficit.
I do not think I have been very consistent with this. Eg some days it has been -800 but other days +300. Although it averages out at about -400 I think it may not be consistent enough for significant weight loss.
2) Eat more protein than I previously was.
I have managed this, and it has helped a lot with hunger control!
3) Snack more to maintain metabolism and reduce evening nibbling.
I started off well on this one, and it was helpful, but I have slipped back into old habits in recent days, of goingup to 8 or 9 hours throughout the day without food. (I eat my evening meal very late beacuse I often don't get home from work til about 8pm)
New rule
So, for this week I am renewing my commitment to rules 2 and 3, but instead of focusing on calorie deficit, which I think may be giving me a bit too much wiggle room, I am going to try to stick to no more than 1700 cals a day. Preferably 1500-1600 but I don't think it would be realistic to commit to that right now! With the exercise I am planning 1700 should give me some pretty significant deficits anyway.
Specific challenges
OK. This is not the best week for me to try to pick things up a gear as I am attending a three day scientific conference for work so will not have control over several meals. This will culminate tomorrow night in a boozy three course dinner!
All I can do is try to stick to calorie limit anyway, control myself as much as poss and control my other meals throughout these days to compensate. It is going to be tough though!
Other
I think increasing my protein intake may have resulted in a decrease in fibre intake, for example I have been having eggs instead of high fibre cereal for breakfast. This may be slowing things down, so to speak. I will make an effort this week to remedy this. Eg I could have my high fibre cereal for lunch instead, and I can add soluble fibre to drinks.
I am going to also attempt to drink more water. So far I have been very skeptical as to how important this is for weight loss, but it has got to be worth a try. Unexplained weight retention could be down to salt, maybe? We'll see. Anyway, I will try to add at least two pints of water to what I already drink (which is mainly juice, black coffee, green tea and peppermint tea).
So, there you have it, my plan! Watch this space to see if I can stick to it, and if it works! I am feeling quite positive about it at least
