5 Steps to Get Started on your Holiday Weight Loss

Day 1 of the Christmas Challenge!   

Step 1:  Set your baseline.  You can do this by checking your body weight, measuring your waistline or trying-on a realistically sized pair of jeans that are STILL IN STYLE.  None of that, "does my prom dress still fit?" madness. 

Step 2:  Journal or track your progress.  For this, I encourage you to find the tool that suits you.  Is it in your Outlook calendar, Excel spreadsheet, on a white board, scrap paper or even just in your head?  Whatever the means, keep track of how you're doing. 

Step 3:  Plan your workout for the day.  Today, I'm going to attend a computrainer cycling class at Vision Quest.  They will hand my a** to me in a 75-90 minute workout this evening.

Step 4:  Don't skip any meals.  If you want to keep your metabolism going and your hunger in check, don't skip any meals.  Start with a whole grain breakfast (I had cereal and a banana) and do not skip lunch.  I'm having baby carrots, yogurt, dates, an orange, raw almonds and a piece of toast.  It's what I like.  Maybe you're having a salad but being easy on the dressing?  Sandwich, hold the mayo and cheese?

Step 5:  Rate your hunger.  We often go a little nutty when we are challenged to lose weight because our brain and belly become nags asking us if we're hungry now?  Now?  Time to eat?  Now?  Try to dull the incessant nagging by rating your hunger.  Use mental imagery to consider how full you are before, during and after a meal.  Picture your stomach as a deflated balloon.  Is it completely empty?  Give that a 1-3.  Is it partially full?  That's a 4-6.  Are you bursting at the seams?  Call it 7-10.  Don't wait until you're balloon is 1-3 to eat and if you're 7-10, call it quits. 

That's all for today, my balloon is close to a 3 so I gotta go.