Hello All,

I’m down about 10lbs over the last 1.5 months.  Part of the reason I lost the weight was I found out I was having excessive acid build up in my stomach, so I never felt hungry!  I’m taking a prescription acid reducer which has increased my appetite, but am closely watching what I’m eating.  As I normally take a multi-vitamin, the doctor wasn’t too concerned.  One thing he did suggest was that I may have slowed down my metabolism.

So what else can you do to lose weight?

Here are a few simple suggestions that I have:

1.  Plan Ahead.  Being a guy, I know how tough this is.  For example, this afternoon I felt hungry and went out shopping.  I spent $20.00 on “prepared” meal (soup, salad and sandwhich).  Had I prepared in advance, I could have bought a bag of pre-mixed salad, some bread and several tins/packages of soup and had lunch for a week or so.  By planning ahead you ensure that when you’re hungry you eat — rather than starve yourself and then over indulge.

2.  Grocery Shop in Style.  Ok, ok, no such thing.  But make a list when you decide to grocery shop.  You may still buy a few items not on the list, but since you’re conscious about what you’re buying there will be less tendancy to over buy and over fill your cart with less nutritious foods.  As you shop read the labels!  You can find a GREAT tool at “Lose Weight ‘n Feel Great” that will give you calorie counts for over 7,400 different foods!

For example, I entered “Peanut Butter” and it came back with 39 items with the words “peanut butter” in them — foods like Cap’n Crunch all the way to reduced Sodium peanut butter.

So when I clicked on “Reduced Sodium Peanut Butter” (the URL is http://www.lose-weight-n-feel-great.com/ffd.php?ndbno=42291&fdgrpcd=1600) I’m told that per 100g serving there is 633 calories.

3.  There is NO magic pill.  Pills won’t help you, they don’t work.  I don’t say this — doctors say this, the FDA says this, dieticians say this.  You gotta lose weight the old fashioned way.  Heck, if I can loose 100lbs — why can’t you?

4.  Understand what your motivation is to lose weight.  My motivation was easy: the birth of my son.  For those of you that know (or care) my wife and I were told that we could not have children.  The birth of our son (through traditional means) was nothing short of a miracle.  I decided that I wanted to see his kids.  Now if you do the math, when he’s 25 I’ll be in my 60’s — I want to see him get married and have kids.  If I’m overweight, chances are I may see him get married but won’t see his kids.

I’d like to get his kids all the noisy toys we were given!  :-)

What is YOUR motivation?  Perhaps to enjoy your retirement years with your significant other?  Be fit so that you can travel?  The opportunity to wear designer clothes?  Eat an ice cream cone without people staring at the “fat person” eating an ice cream cone?  There has to be something — think about it.

5.  Monitor yourself.  Write down what you’re eating, and when.  Why did you eat?  Write down how you were feeling.  I bet ya that when you go through your list you’ll see that you’re eating when you’re bored or not being challenged.  That’s my weakness — as such I’m quite a workaholic and spend countless hours at work or other activities.  Keeping a log sound silly, but it works.

6. Work with someone.  When I first decided to lose weight, a bunch of us went to WeightWatchers.  It really helped motive us to stay on top of it!  It was great, until we stopped going.  Then we ALL gained the weight back.  Ideally work with your significant other.  They’ve got a vested interest — your health and well being.

7.  Eat breakfast!  Why are you starving yourself? Your body needs breakfast to give it the push to complete the day.  Even if breakfast is a cup of coffee/tea, slice of toast with butter and an apple.  It doesn’t have to be fancy to be filling.

Here is to YOUR HEALTH!

Regards,

Mohamed

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