How to Lose 30 Pounds Naturally (And Keep it Off) – Part 2
What you learn is as important as what you do. That’s a Guy’s Guy credo.
Last week I wrote about how I lost 30 pounds over the past six months, naturally. Since losing those 30 pounds, I’ve peeled off yet another five pounds through a combination of diet, exercise and healthy living, and I’ve never felt better. Although my last post took readers on a quick sojourn through my first six months of the year, I never summarized the program template or share what I learned from the process.
Guy’s Guys don’t tell others what to do, so this program is for your consideration only. Consult your doctor before starting any diet, blah, blah, blah. This plan is flexible, customizable and designed for results, not misery. No diet plan works if it feels like drudgery. And ultimately you know what works best for you. This is what worked for me.
THE PROGRAM
Week One – Limit diet to juicing organic carrots, kale, beets, dandelion, apples, lemon rind, ginger, spinach, and any other vegetables. That’s it. Begin cardio- elliptical, running, always taking the stairs, and getting lots of fresh air. Visualize yourself at your best weight and how you will feel. Use affirmations throughout the day. Be mindful of any negative thoughts. Hydrate constantly. Get lots of sleep. Relax.
Weeks Two Through Month Three – You can start eating solid foods, but eliminate meat, soda, ice cream, cake, pie, candy, chocolate, sweet desserts, alcohol, and caffeine. You can have fruit smoothies, but use water instead of fruit juice. I continued juicing five mornings per week and ate lots of veggies and legumes. Eat small meals throughout the day instead of pigging out at night, which is my weakness.
Ramp up your cardio. Hydrate with lemon water throughout the day. De-caf tea or coffee are acceptable, but use Stevia. Limit carbs. Continue affirmations, visualizations, positive thoughts and get lots of rest. Limit watching television, especially the news. Weigh in once a week.
Month Four – Continue the program. Add an occasional glass of wine or beer. Treat yourself to dessert or a slice of pizza now and then. Weigh in weekly. If you level off or experience weight gains, which is normal, eliminate the pizza, desserts and alcohol. Keep hydrating and continue with cardio.
Months Five and Six – Continue program and eliminate gluten, sugar, salt, processed foods and alcohol. Increase cardio. Weigh in twice a week. The pounds will fall off.
That’s it in a nutshell. It’s healthy and easy if you’re focused enough to get through the first few weeks. Seeing positive results helps.
WHAT I LEARNED:
1. We really are what we eat. Garbage in results in building a vessel which functions like a barge filled with trash. Eating clean food makes a difference. Our internal systems function smoothly, our body looks better, our energy level soars and our minds are clear. What’s not to like? Okay, you had to give up cheeseburgers and buffalo wings, and they do taste good, but that brings me to my next point.
2. It gets harder as we age. For Guy’s Guys who like to roll with the good life, the fun ultimately plants its flag in the abdominal area. And it does not plan on leaving, so you have to stick to your own program and out-will the fat. The longer you wait, the harder it gets to lose that unwanted, expanding paunch. And it’s not healthy. As I stated last week, do you know any obese old people?
3. Patience and perseverance pay off. Once you fasten your belt one notch tighter, sticking to the program gets easier. Results spur us on. Congratulate yourself and keep going.
4. The enemies of weight management and good health are sugar, carbs, gluten, salt, GMO’s and processed foods. I’m not going to serve up all the empirical data that’s available online. I realize it’s next to impossible to completely eliminate all of these culprits from you diet. But, you can certainly limit them by being mindful of what you put into your mouth, which brings up my final point.
5. It boils down to choice. This is where we began the discussion last week. Life, and eating in particular, is a series of choices. If you do your best to choose healthy foods, your body will thank you. Of course there are other circumstances when it comes to health and disease, but health, or a lack of it, starts in the mind and manifests in the gut. Think about it next time you are hankering for a side of bacon.
Do you have a handle on managing your weight and well being?
This week’s Guys Guy of the Week is Bill Clinton. Say what you want about his politics or character, but when facing serious health and heart-related issues, he embraced a vegan diet. He lost weight, looks terrific and has given himself a better chance for long-term good health.
