Where do I start?

This is probably the number one questio
I receive from prospective clients. Let me begin with the client that comes to me because they want to lose some weight. Let’s say this person needs to drop 50lbs. After we discuss medical history, past exercise experience, prior eating habits we start breaking down the steps to the new healthy lifestyle.

It is very important to remember to start slow and set realistic, attainable goals. There are no miracle pills or infomercial exercise machines that will get you healthy. It takes a lot of hard work, increase in your daily activity levels, good nutrition with balanced portion controlled meals, daily exercise and adequate sleep.

In order to get where you want to be, you need to know where you have been. It is vital for success that you document/journal the exercise routine you do each day, what you eat each day and how much sleep you get.

It takes a calorie deficit of 3500 calories per week/ 500 per day to lose 1 lb of fat. In order to diet safely, you should gear yourself to lose 2-3 lbs per week. It may not sound like a lot, but if you lose it this way, by eating right and exercising, your chances to keep this weight off for life has improved significantly. What would be the good to lose the weight really fast and gaining it back again, usually you gain that plus some more.

Start reading the labels of all the food you consume. Use a food scale to weigh your food. What we see as a serving is way more than a serving. Just by incorporating a scale into your routine, you may drop weight right away.

One major mistake people make is to skip meals, especially breakfast. You need to fuel your body for it to function correctly. We will talk about this in more detail in later discussions.

Add a little exercise into your day. Something as simple as a 30-60 minute slow to moderate walk per day instead of sitting in front of the TV or computer can make a huge difference.

Set attainable, realistic goals and you will be amazed at what you can accomplish. Before starting any exercise routine, I recommend seeing your doctor for a checkup.