The Retirement Plan

In my last post, I stated that my goal was to lose weight rather than just maintain my weight over the Christmas break. Guess what? I did it! No, seriously … and that’s even with my mom’s delicious Filipino home cooking, too, which, for anyone that’s ever tasted her cooking, is no easy feat! How did I do it? Well, I’ve jokingly coined it the “Retirement Plan” because for the two weeks that I was visiting my parents I was able to relax, celebrate and stay on track. My parents have always been busy people with full-time jobs and being parents but in their “active” retirement, they’ve really unlocked the secret to the fountain of youth.

1. Daily exercise–Whether it was a daily 30 minute walk, a round of golf or a few laps in the pool, it really didn’t matter what the activity, as long as it involved movement.
2. Keeping track–Knowing exactly how many calories I was consuming with every meal allowed me to eat a variety of food without sabotaging my diet. I personally use www.myfitnesspal.com which is a free online resource to track calories, exercise, progress and even has an online community for additional support. 
3. Relaxation–Since I was on vacation, my days included plenty of sleep, sun and fun. Allowing the body to recharge and distress is essential for not only mental wellness but physical fitness. 

After trying to keep up with my parents for a few short weeks, I came back home another five pounds lighter! Even though I’m back to my normal daily grind, I still manage to workout a minimum of five times a week (which includes meeting with my trainer twice a week and training for my next half marathon three times a week) and sticking to my diet. The “science,” as I’ve mentioned several times, is expending more calories than consumed. My trainer has calculated for me precisely how many calories I need for my body to function optimally versus the number of calories I need burned from exercise in order to lose weight. I would strongly suggest reading the following–http://straighthealth.com/pages/qna/caloriedeficit.html–which not only explains the calorie deficit clearly and concisely but also includes a link to a calorie calculator so that you can determine a plan for yourself as well.  So far I’ve been on this plan for two months now and have lost nearly 10 pounds. My goal is to lose a total of 30 pounds by my next birthday and at this rate it’s looking more and more like a reality!