The "Right" Approach

I read a great blog today (by Tony @ theantijared) about how he has found what works for him (and it does!) and he is not going to be swayed to do anything different.

I think that he has a very important point.

We all know (or should!) that weight loss is a simple formula of calories consumed less than calories burned.

But the best way to achieve that is a subject of much discussion and billions of dollars!

My belief is that there is no single 'right way' to lose weight.  There are wrong ways for sure!  But there are a number of 'right' ways.

The trick is to work out how you can best lose weight and keep it off long term.

~*~*~*~ please feel free to stop reading here, the rest is mainly for me, about what and why I am doing what I am doing.  It is probably complicated and boring to anyone else!~*~*~*~

For me, I have thought long and hard about what I believe will work for me.  I am sure things will evolve as I go forward, but for now it is working.

1. how much effort am I willing to put in
• I need to be realistic.  I work full time and have at least 3 hours travel time each day on top.  I regularly need to work weekends and late nights.  Any plan I make needs to require minimal time and have lots of flexibility.
2. what am I willing to do long term
• I am not going to live forever without chocolate and biscuits.  I have coeliac disease and hate putting further restrictions on what I can and can't eat. 
3. what is important to me
• To me getting smaller, stronger and fitter are key.  I want to eat the foods I need to be healthy, but I also want to be able to eat out.  I love to socialise.
• Losing weight fast is not important, being able to stick to a plan long term is.
4. what motivates me
• I am driven by achievement based goals.  Sticking to WW is NOT optional, but to start with I told myself just to get past 4 weeks.  I love following training plans like the C25K and the 100 push ups challenge.
5. what has and has not worked in the past
• I find I need to be allowed to eat whatever I want with a 'cap'.  I am a fan of capped plans!
• I need to not 'borrow' from tomorrows food allowance.  That puts me off track immediately.  If I go over my allocation for that day I draw a line under it and start fresh the next.  I do try and 'save' from earlier days to allow for evenings out which works well for me.   I rarely need to draw that line
• I need to exercise as well as change my eating for both good losses and mental health.
• I need lots of protein to balance out my blood sugars and stop cravings for sugar a few hours after I eat.

So what does that all mean? 


It's not complicated (I need simple!)


25 WW points per day and 3 lots of core work per week are my only 'rules' right now.

~*~*~*~*~ still reading?  it gets more boring! *~*~*~*~*

I follow WW, but I have allocated an extra 4 points per day to my allowance (25 instead of 21).  This was based on an incorrect assumption actually (that UK WW points calculations were different to Australian), but it is working for me!  I will continue to monitor this, but while I am losing weight and not feeling deprived I am happy.  As my weight loss slows I can reduce points.  As a counter to this, I don't ever eat activity points.  So maybe it evens out anyway.
I eat whatever I want within that points allowance.  I may eat a smaller, low point dinner so I have points left for a chocolate treat afterwards.  I base how many points of healthy food I eat on how badly I want treats.  I am quite happy to eat 3 low point healthy meals and lots of treats one day. The next I may want more 'real' food and less treats and so I adjust accordingly.  I have a book with a number of breakfast, lunch and dinner options at various point levels.
I am trying to do the C25K but am restricted.  So I am working with my physiotherapist on core strengthening.  I can walk, but am meant to keep the distances short.  As per my earlier blog I may switch to a walking plan instead of the C25K.

~*~*~*~*~*~


So that is what is working for me.