Initialization: Things u need to do NOW !!

There are few things you need to do before At the beginning of your program, there are few things you need to do. These are designed to prepare you and the people around you for the few months ahead. They are also designed to reduce Negativity, and to help you to cope with Change.

The “ Why am I doing this? “ List

On a sheet of paper or on the first page of your Journal, write down the reasons why you want to lose weight. I know, this sounds childish and dramatic, but it’s very, very useful. Whatever you put in the list MUST be from the bottom of your heart. 

These reasons must be personal and private, you should put all your motivation, pain and suffering, into this list. In time, this list will be an excellent motivation tool. Right now, you are motivated, but few days/weeks down the road, your motivation will drop. 

That’s when you will be struggling with your workout, when you see that cheese burger, or that ice cream, or when you trying to find an excuse to skip that workout. This list, and the reasons in it, will be the kick in the butt that you would need to get back on track. 

In my experience, this list is an excellent motivation tool. But the key here is the reasons you put in the list. To make this list really effective, the reasons you put there must be heartfelt, honest, and from the bottom of your suffering and desperation. Only then this will work.

Obtain family support

Very nicely and politely, inform the people around you that you are about to start a weight loss program, and that you need their support and help. 

Trying to lose weight on your own is something near impossible, soon you will find yourself isolated, a bit embarrassed, and having to say “No thanks, I am on a diet” over and over again. As we discussed before, involving your loved ones will reduce/eliminate Negativity. 

Ideally speaking, when you gain family support, they would help you in your efforts. You family would be careful not to eat junk in your presence, they would put you in mind when ordering in, and most of all, they would not tease you on your efforts (say negative things). 

However, this is the ideal situation, you’d be very lucky if you get such support. In reality however, your family might simply ignore you and continue to live their lives as usual. Eating whatever they like, whenever they like, and you would be lucky if they just leave you alone. That’s because …

Family support is earned, not requested. 

It is you who need to lose weight, not the rest of the family. You need to understand that family support does not mean they too have to diet and workout like you. Of course if they do then it’s great, but if that does not happen, then just move on. Do not whine so much about it. 

The point I am trying to make here is, you should request for the ideal family support, but if you don’t get it, if all you get is ignorance, then just accept it and move on. In time, when your family will see that you are serious about it, then they would help. But it’s up to you to make it happen. 

If you are DISCIPLINED, people will respect you and then support you. But if you are not, then they will ignore you. If you tell people you are on a diet, then the next day you eat cheese burger and fries, why would they support you?, so it all starts with you. You be disciplined, and the support will come. 

On the other hand, you have to draw the line

This is also another important point. It’s possible that after you’ve told your mother about your efforts, she continues to cook that delicious (but bad) meal for you. You would find yourself at a cross roads, hurt your mother, or break your diet.

Here is what you need to do. For one time only, allow it to happen and eat the meal (and enjoy it). But then make a point, tell your mother that this would be the last time, and that you will not eat any bad food again. Hopefully she’ll get the point. But if not, then draw the line, and say NO. 

I used mother as an example, but this could happen from any close relation, spouse, girl/boy friend, etc. the situation - and what you need to do - is the same. I know this might not be easy, but you have to do it, because remember, your body does not care about feelings, it only counts the calories. 

But rather than just saying NO, you can tell your mother (or whomever) of what can you eat. This way, your family would be involved – actively – in your efforts. Most of the time, family and close friends want to help, but they don’t know how. It’s then your job to tell them what to do.

At a later point, you will learn what food you should eat, what cooking methods you should use, and what eating habits you must apply. Inform your family about all of this, believe me, they would love to support you, especially when they see results. They might even join you and the whole thing becomes a family activity, which is perfect. 

So .... Get to work, Prepare ur list, Obtain family Support .... we are bout to begin soon  .... I did it, why cant u ??

How to deal with the issue of time (How Long will it take?)

I am going to make this simple. If you are looking for a magic wand that will remove all your fat in 3 weeks, then I am afraid you will be disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, quick weight loss is possible, but not for everyone. You need to be at the peak of your physical and mental strength, not to mention that you need to be VERY strict about your diet. 

But when it comes to “how long?”, the answer to this question comes down to following ...

How much weight you need to lose?

This is simple, the more weight you need to lose, the longer it will take you to lose it. It is a simple matter of math. One of the things we will do together is figuring out exactly how much weight you need to lose. This brings us the next question … 

How many kilos you plan to lose per week?

If you need to lose 12 kilos (to reach your target weight) and plan to drop 3 kilos per week, then you should reach your goal in (12/3 = 4 weeks), or 1 month. But if you plan to lose just 1 kilo per week, then you should reach your goal in (12/1 = 12 weeks), or three months. However, these estimations (1 or 3 months) depend on a very important fact about weight loss … 

How many kilos you ACTUALLY lose per week?

Every time you skip a workout, cheat on your diet, or fall for Negativity, you simply delay yourself from reaching your goals. So, if you want to lose weight as fast as you can, DO NOT BREAK THE RULES. 

This is what I used to tell myself when I was about to break a rule. “Skip that workout, and you delay yourself by a week, eat that cheese cake, and delay yourself by a month”. Then I would ask myself, “is it worth it?, is this worth a week, or a month of delay?” 

OK, how fast (or slow) can I go?

To lose 3 kilos per week, you need to go through hell. You have to work out for hours EVERY DAY and go on an extreme diet, with no slipups or cheats. Furthermore, you need to have plenty of time, and spend a lot of money on equipment and supervision. 

Furthermore, everything thing we talked about before, issues with Negativity, Change, etc. will be amplified due to the increase in pain and suffering. So, your mental strength must be extremely top notch to keep up. 

Finally, you have to be physically fit to do all the above. You need to be cleared by a doctor before you even begin your program, AND you need to be monitored and supervised by trained professionals. Rapid weight loss could be extremely hazardous, and that is why you need supervision. Those people on reality TV shows are constantly supervised, even off camera.

Many times, I tried and failed the fast (and painful) approach. I spent a lot of money, I wasted a lot of time, and in the end, I could not keep up with change. It was always a matter of time before I gave in to Negativity and quit. That’s when I realized this next fact about weight loss … 

When it comes to weight loss,

Slow and Comfortable is the only way to lose weight

I want you to ignore the word Slow and focus on the word Comfortable. That’s exactly what I found out. I planned to drop just 1 kilo per week, and soon I realized I didn’t have to suffer at all, I didn’t have to work out as much, and my diet plan was flexible that it allowed few cheats here and there. 

So let’s talk about the Slow part. On average, As u already know ... I managed to drop 25 kgs in one year, that's an average of just 2kgs per month.

Let’s think about it for a minute, 12 months might sound like a long time, but let’s compare it with all these YEARS you’ve been suffering with your weight, so is 1 year a long time now? 

 

Secondly - and most importantly - in these months U never suffer. U dont have to workout as much, and u dont have to go on extreme diet. All u have to do is perform the FLM actions, and …. 

Live your life as usual. DO NOT count time.

A lot of people think of weight loss as something temporary. A program they have to go through for a (short) period of time, and once they reach their goal, they can return to their original life. 

That is why 10 months will sound like a very long time. They will feel they would have to suspend their lives for 10 months before returning to “living” again. This is a HUGE mistake. 

with me you will not go on a temporary program. Instead, you will make a permanent transformation of your life, you will add/remove/modify certain habits, but continue living your life as usual. If you were working, you would continue to work, if you were at college, you would continue to study, and so on. Somewhere along the way, you would start to lose weight. 

Believe me when I say this, in time, these changes would BECOME your life, and you wouldn’t want to return to your old ways anymore. Right now, I do things I never thought I could do, and not only do I do these things willingly, but I actually enjoy doing them.

But, there is a catch!

Yes there is, the main problem with the Slow and Comfortable option is the fact that it is … well … Slow. 

u may not suffer physically, but ull need to maintain ur "mental Fitness" over a long time, something may not be as easy as u think, this brings me to the next point …

How to remain focused over a long period of time?

If I ask you to go on a program for 12 months, you will reluctant, but if I ask you to go on a program for only 1 month, it should be easier, right?   

In fact, that IS the solution. All you need to do is to divide your long term goals into shorter and manageable targets, which would be much easier for you achieve.  

I planned to lose only 3-4 kilos per month, or an estimated 1 kilo per week, based on steps which we will do together, I identified workout load and diet needed to achieve this target. This helped me to develop a daily action plan, with a list of things that I must do every day of the week. 

Then, I made it an absolute target that no matter what, I wouldn’t break this plan. Because I knew if I did break any of the rules on any day, I would miss my weekly plan. If that would happen, I won’t be able to lose 1 kilo per week, which means I would delay myself from reaching my overall goal.  

So, rather than worrying so much about 1 year, I focused my efforts on that day, on that week, and on that month alone. I would use any tool available to keep track of my actions and maintaining them. The “Action Table” I discussed earlier is a great example. 

Before I knew it, I found myself achieving my weekly and monthly goals, and with time, these actions became easier to do, they became second nature to me. At the same time, results kept on coming. All the while I was living my life as usual, going to work, dealing with friends and family, and losing weight. 

So .... let's summarize 

How long will it take? .... it depends on you .... if u r disciplined, if u follow the rules, if u adopt well to change, if Do NOT fall for negativity .... then u will finish Fast. 

How Fast is fast? .... it depends on how much fat u need to drop, and ur abilities ... but I would recommend somewhere between 2-4 kgs a month ... trying to lose more would put u into a lot of pain and suffering, and you wouldnt make it

DO not count time, just divide ur plan into monthly/weekly/daily plans and work ur best on achieveing them ... and live ur life as usall ... before u know it, u would achieve ur target 

OK, how do I make such plans ? 

 We will discuss that in later posts .... wait for it :)

Avoid Negativity

Right now, you are motivated, you are ready to conquer the world. Years of frustration, despair, and agony have motivated you strong enough to do whatever it takes to lose weight. Right now, you are ready to move mountains to lose weight. 

But after few days/weeks, pain and suffering will begin, and all that motivation will disappear. Instead, doubt creeps in, and you begin to long for your old life, this is when you begin to suffer mentally. This is when Negativity kicks in.

Negativity is all the excuses you give to yourself to break the rules. Things like “ahh, this is not going to work”, and “I cannot do this”, “only this time, I will diet/workout later”, and so on. The bad thing about negativity is that once you fall for it, once you skip a workout, cheat on your diet, etc. it becomes easier from then on, and before you know it, you are back to square one.

Negativity could come from three sources: Pain and Suffering, social dynamics, and from within. If you understand each type, then hopefully you learn how to minimize and prevent Negativity from ruining your efforts.

Negativity from Pain and Suffering

Obviously if you are suffering from your program (working out or dieting), naturally you would question the point of it all. Fortunately, the answer to this kind of negativity is simple. You should NOT feel any pain and suffering if you were doing the right things.

You see, the reason why you suffer in the first place is because you are doing the wrong things (or do the right things improperly). So, once again, you need to be knowledgeable about an action before you begin. Not only will it helps through change, but also to minimize negativity.

Negativity from Social dynamics  

You could be invited to a party or a lunch at a fast food joint, your family might order in some pizza, your mother/spouse might cook your favorite food, which happens to be full of fat and sugar. In all of these situations, you find yourself at an awkward situation.

You might have to choose between your diet and your social happiness. You don’t want to miss out on the party, or the lunch, you want to have a good time, and above all, you don’t want to upset your mother. But on the other hand, you do want to lose weight.

So, the solution is clear, you should ALWAYS choose your diet. Your diet must come first, before your friends, family, work, and even your mother. I know this sounds cruel, but believe me, your body DOES NOT CARE about your social life, or the feelings of the people around you.

Your body cares only about the calorie deficit. If you break the rules, you cannot lose weight, it’s that simple. Unfortunately, when it comes to weight loss, you have to be selfish. In the end of the day, the feelings of others will not help you burn calories. 

But I don’t want to be Socially Awkward

If your family, friends, and loved ones knew that you are trying to lose weight, they would not put you on the cross roads in the first place, if your mother knew you were trying to lose weight, she would not make that fatty and sugary meal. if ur  friends and loved ones knew u were trying to lose weight, they will understand when u say no.

So, the solution is simple. You need to inform the people around you that you are trying to lose weight and that you need their support. This We will discuss in details later.

But what can you do when you are in the wrong restaurant or got caught up in a party? In this case you need to remember the point of these events is NOT the food, but socializing. The business lunch is about business, the party is about the party. So, nobody said you have to eat the bad food.

You could still go to the bad restaurant and eat the healthy options. I know it’s not easy, so you need to do your homework first, and NEVER GO THERE ON AN EMPTY STOMACH. Make sure you eat first before you go. We will discuss this in detail when we talk about Maintenance.  

Handling Negative people.

Sometimes, it’s not the place, but it’s the people that could be negative. Some people might tease you, saying negative comments like “don’t waste your time” and stuff like that.

Once again, your body does not care, no matter what people say. You need to learn to handle these people and prevent them from messing with your brain (ruining your mindset).

Negative people could be of two types, people who love you, and people who don’t. We just talked about your family and loved ones, and how they could put you in awkward situations, but that’s not all they could do, some family members would try to convince you to stop altogether.

They do so because they think it’s a waste of time, or because they want to spare you the suffering. You need to explain to them that your program is designed to END YOUR SUFFERING, and if they really love you, they have to support you, and stop all the negativity.

Handling BAD Negative people.

The other kind of negative people are those who just want to see you fail. That’s because they want to prove that weight loss is not possible, because they tried - and failed - in the past, and the last thing they want to see is someone else succeeding (because that would prove that they are losers).

In my experience, I found the best way to handle these people is to simply say NOTHING. Regardless of what they say, you should just smile and say “well, I’ll just give it a try” and avoid any pointless arguments. In the end, why argue with a loser?

But after a while, people will leave you alone. Eventually, something amazing will happen, when you start to show results, you will start to hear appraise from the same negative people, they will start to ask you for advice and wisdom on weight loss. So hang in there, payback is coming!!

Negativity from within

When someone makes a negative comment, you may or may not care, that is not the point. The problem is that these comments would register in your brain. Few weeks down the road, these comments will come back to haunt you, and you start to tell yourself things like “maybe they were right”, and start to break the rules.

So, if you want to shield yourself further from Negativity, you need to be able to refute all negative thoughts altogether. Before you can convince anyone about the effectiveness of weight loss, you need to convince yourself.

Why?

This is really a chicken and egg situation. Which one comes first, negativity or failure? Does failure bring negativity, or does negativity cause you to fail? I believe it’s the latter. 

When you start a program with little information, you will make mistakes, u will do the wrong things, and u wont give it 100% effort (because you don’t know how). Therefore, you will not see results.

When this happens, u would then say "maybe they were right", "i cant do this", "this is not possible" .... and the rest of the negativity, and before u know it, u would fail.

Unfortunately, these people fail to realize that the failure didn't come from negativity, but because they did the wrong things, because they were not knowledgeable enough, and because they didn’t give it 100%. 

So, once again, knowledge is key to handling this situation, you need to be well educated about your program, and then give it all you can with belief and dedication. If you do that, and only when you do that, you will start to see results. That would be all the confirmation you need, and negativity will disappear.

It’s like driving through a pitch dark tunnel, you can’t see a thing, but you still need to drive forward with the knowledge and belief that if you just keep going, eventually you will reach the end and be able to see the “light at the end of the tunnel”

I divided negative thoughts into two categories, the I can’t do it and the I don’t need it negativities. Let’s discuss each category here and refute them.

The I can’t do it Negativities

Many people do this, they try to lose weight and when they fail, they refuse to admit failure, or fail to identify the reasons for their failure. Instead, they declare it as impossible, and give excuses, such as:

-          Workout is physically demanding, my body cannot take it

-          It’s too expensive, I cannot afford it

-          It’s time consuming, and I am very busy

-          It’s too complex to learn/understand.

-          It’s not possible

Yes, workout is physically demanding, but you will not jog for an hour on your first day, that’s not possible. instead you will need to condition your body for workout, we will do this together. Secondly, weight loss is expensive ONLY if you decide to buy the expensive stuff, such as the costly equipment, supplements, the gym memberships, etc.

But if you chose the alternative – and in my opinion – more effective options, then weight loss will not be expensive at all. I tried all the expensive stuff, but in the end what really worked for me was just an exercise mat, pair of good sports shoes, a set of dumbbells, a set of gloves, and an old bicycle.

The issue of time is tricky. You might think there is little time for weight loss, especially when you see the hours and days fly by. However, you will be surprised on how much time you really have. Also, not all workouts are time consuming, as you will find out later.

As for complexity, I agree. Weight loss requires a lot of education, you need to learn a lot before you even begin your program. But then again, you have this book. This book will walk you through all the complexities and hopefully simplify it for you.

Finally, I am (and many many more people) is a living proof that weight loss is possible, and I am a regular person just like you. So yes, weight loss IS possible, I did it, why can’t you?

The I don’t need it Negativities

While some people refuse to admit defeat and mask it with denial. Others go one step further, they declare they do not need to lose weight altogether. It is much easier this way as they do not have to deal with the embarrassment, they would say things like:  

-          It never works, if you are fat, then you are fat

-          It works only for a while, then you regain it all back

-          Why suffer? Just enjoy your life

-          I am happy with my weight, happy to be fat.

To many people, the very admission that they are fat is a huge source of shame and embarrassment. Some people are really big, I mean it’s obvious, yet they stubbornly declare themselves fit. These people do so because do not wish to be targeted for ridicule or sympathy.

So, to avoid all that, they make the above declarations and go about their lives, and continue to suffer in silence. Because of some stupid social norms. Unfortunately, their pain would only grow and this will only prolong the problem and make it even harder for them to lose weight at a later point in time.

So, if you are serious about weight loss, you need to put all that behind you, you need to suppress any feelings of embarrassment, shame, pride, etc. and focus only on what your body really needs. If you are serious about weight loss, you need to make the following declaration:

I am NOT ashamed of being fat, and I am NOT ashamed that I want to lose weight !!

When you fall sick, do you feel ashamed? Then why do you feel ashamed of being fat? In fact, being fat IS detrimental to your physical and psychological health. So by losing it, you are improving your physical and psychological health.

In fact, you should be proud of yourself, because you are trying to better yourself. You have the strong well to do things most people cannot do. You are not weak, and you are not hiding behind some embarrassment, shame or any other stupid social norms.

Now, let’s return to these comments and refute them. As I said before, I have an average life with average means and responsibilities, and very limited time. Yet, I was able to drop 25 kilos of fat in one year. So, weight loss worked for me, why not you? The bottom line is, if you do all the actions right, you will see results.

As for temporary results, I agree. Remember that I said that achieving the FLM is 50% success. Maintaining it is the other 50% of the battle. But don’t worry, maintenance is a lot easier. We will discuss this later.  

As for suffering, we already agreed that there should be no suffering if you are knowledgeable enough. So, once again, education education education, that’s all you need.

Finally, for those who just want to enjoy their lives and those who claim that they are happy being fat, I simply ask them: Are you really enjoying your life? Are you really happy?

Learn to Change: How to adopt new habits (and Stop Old ones)

Do you know how to drive?, ride a bike?, or use a computer? do u struggle when doing any of these activities?, Now do you remember how you learned to do these activities?, let me refresh your memory, (let’s use driving as an example)

You began by holding the wheel, and learning what each paddle did, everything was confusing and uncomfortable, but you had no choice, you had to try and drive because you needed to learn. So, you tried, tried, and kept on trying till you eventually learned to drive.

In the first few days of driving, you had to make an effort to just focus, you held the wheel with both hands, and really paid full attention to every sign on the road. But as time went on, you relaxed, and it became easier, and before you knew it, driving became natural to you.

In weight loss, you would have to go through a very similar pattern. In the beginning, the activities needed to achieve and maintain the FLM (fat loss mode) would feel confusing and uncomfortable to you. But after sometime, you will get more comfortable, and before you know it, it would become natural.

So, the key to handling change is: Knowledge AND Persistence 

The first thing u need to do to make simplify change is to learn as much as u can about it. The pros & cons, the goods & bads, and most importantly, the easiest way to actually do that change. For example, if u knew u needed to do Circuit Training for weight loss, then u need to learn as much as u can about CT, what it is, best ways to perform it, etc.

But no matter how knowledgeable you are, there will be some initial discomfort. No matter how many books you’ve read about CT, you still have to go through that awkwardness and discomfort when you try it for the first time, knowledge will only minimize it, but not eliminate it. 

That’s where you'll need Persistence. You gonna need it to fight that initial discomfort and keep going, you will need to make an effort just to keep going. At the same time, your knowledge, which you gained beforehand, would come in very handy.

Over time, the combination of knowledge and your experience will make it a lot easier for you, and before you know it, it will become part of your life. At which point, you would know that you have succeeded in making that change.  

What does “making an effort” mean?

This could be anything that helps you overcome that initial discomfort. You could use a reminder, or ask a friend or a spouse to remind you, or do anything else. For me, I used what I call the Action Table. It is a very simple, yet very effective tool. Here is how it works ...

 

As you can see from the figure, the table is really simple. Now, let’s say I am required to do Walking for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week (rest on the weekends), so here is how I use the table.

I would hang the table on my wall, with the title “Walking” at the top of the table, then I would use it mark my performance for the week. I would put a tick (or a yes) for the days which I successfully do my walking, and I would put an X (or a no) for the days I don’t.

So, let’s say on my first week, I managed only 3 days out of 5, or a score of 3/5. Then, by the weekend, I would sit down and analyze. I would ask myself: "Why did i fail on two days?, what did i do wrong?"

I would try to recall everyday and try to identify the reasons for my failure. Then on the following week, I would try to eliminate these reasons and make it a target to do better than 3/5. So, the following week, I try again, this time armed with the experience, I try my best to better than last week.

This simple technique always worked for me. U can use the Action Table to help u make the effort and make yourself perform that activity and complete that change. 

So, here u have it, making a change is not so tough after all.

So, let's Summarize 
To make any change simple, first u need to learn as much as u can about it, get as familiar as u can with it. Then, Just do it, it would be awkward in the beginning, but be persistent. Make an effort, use any tool u have to help, use that knowledge u gained earlier, and soon enough, it will become part of ur life.


Now ... how does all that play with our "Operation Re-Burn" ... well, when i introduce a new activity/habit for u to adopt ... i will share with u all the knowledge i have about it ... i will also direct u to places where u can do further reading ... then, when the time is right ... ur part begins .. this where u need to actually Make the change, and this is where "persistence" would be needed .... see u in the next Post

Introducing the FLM - How to turn ur body into a fat burning machine !!

The human body is designed to keep us alive and well. It does so in many ways, one of which is through Adaptability. When the environment around us changes, the body detects the change and adapts to it. When you walk in a hot place, the body detects this change and adapts to it by releasing sweat all over the skin to cool off your body.

Considering the example above, we could use adaptability as a “release sweat” button. This means whenever you want to release sweat, all you have to do is put your body in the right conditions, i.e. elevate body temperature, and the body will do the rest.

OK, how about Weight Loss?

Absolutely, adaptability works here as well. Your target is to burn fat, so you need to put the body in the “fat loss mode”, to do so, you have to meet its requirement(s), and to achieve these requirement(s), you need to perform one, two, or any combination of its actions. Refer to the figure below,

 (click on the image to view full size)

The Fat Loss Mode (the FLM)

The FLM is the mode you need to put your body in if you want it to burn fat. As you can see from the figure, there is only one requirement.

You must create a Caloric Deficit, which means the amount of calories you consume from food MUST be less than the amount of calories your body burns from physical activities. This way, the body will be forced to burn those missing calories from the fat stored in your body. I know what you are thinking right now:

Oh that’s easy, all I have to do is to reduce the amount of food I eat, better yet, just stop eating altogether and the body will burn the energy it needs from the stored fat … right?

WRONG !!! (Actually, a big mistake)

Remember adaptability? When you simply reduce your food intake, your body recognizes this as an emergency: food shortage, and enters the Starvation Mode. When it comes to weight loss, Starvation Mode is the NUMBER ONE ENEMY.

If your body enters into starvation, then all your efforts, including exercise and healthy diet, will be simply wasted. That’s because when the body enters the starvation mode, two things happen that are bad for weight loss.

First, it reduces its caloric needs to match whatever is available from food, thus eliminating the caloric deficit. Secondly, it stops burning stored energy and saves whatever food you eat as fat, very much the opposite of the FLM you were trying to achieve.

The best way to explain this is with an example. Let’s take John, he needs 2000 calories per day. If he consumes more than 2000 calories, he will put on weight. But what if he reduces his caloric intake to just 1500  calories per day? Here is what will happen:

• John needs 2,000 calories per day
• He cut his food intake to 1,500 calories, hoping the body will burn the balance
• However, his body adapts to this, and reduces its caloric needs to just 1,500
• Therefore, John’s body is burning: (1,500 out – 1,500 in = 0 calories per day)
• Meaning, John is NOT losing any weight.

When your income is reduced you naturally start to save and reduce expenditure. You begin to focus on the absolute vital needs until your normal income is restored. This behavior is in our nature, and that’s exactly what happens when the body enters the starvation mode.

When the body enters the starvation mode, it reduces its caloric expenditure by reducing the efficiency of - or even stopping - some internal operations. Some of these operations are vital for your survival, like enzyme balance, gland function, etc. So not only starving yourself is useless for weight loss, it is also bad for your general health.

So, what can I do?

Mathematically speaking, all john needs to do is to reduce his food intake AND maintain his current caloric needs at 2,000. This will allow him to achieve caloric deficit, or as follows:

• John needs 2,000 calories per day
• He cut his food intake to just 1500 calories
• However, his body adapted to this, and reduced its caloric needs
• But, John performed other activities to increase back his caloric needs
• As such, his current his caloric needs are: 2,000 - 500 + 500 = 2,000
• So, currently, John’s body is burning (2,000 out – 1,500 in )= 500 cals
• As such, John is losing 500 calories worth of fat every day.

The obvious question now is, what are these other activities that john did? That’s next.

The activities required to achieve the FML

There are a bunch of activities you can do to enhance your metabolic needs and therefore maintain your caloric needs, they are summarized here:

• Perform a low intensity workout (Cardio) as often and as long as possible
• Consume good foods and avoid bad foods
• Consume the right amount of the good foods
• Perform a high intensity workout at least twice a week (NOT weight lifting)
• Apply healthy eating habits, and stop the bad ones.

Wow! That’s a lot … I don’t think I can do all (or any of) that

If these thoughts came to your mind, then congratulations, you have just joined the club of millions of people around the world who feel exactly the same why about weight loss: Confused, Overwhelmed, Lost, and Intimidated. So, do not worry, you are not alone. 

But I agree with you, if you start today and try to do all of the above you will fail, coz u r not ready. 

Therefore, the key here is to Divide and Conquer. We will not try to do all of the above at once; instead, we will tackle them one at a time. That’s what we’ll do together in Operation Re-Burn

Soon enough, you will realize that doing these actions is not really that difficult as you originally thought.