2011_0107 The "Lose It!" Book
The Lose It! book seems to very reasonable and realistic in its approach to weight loss. No fancy gimmicks, no real dieting, no food deprivation, no major restrictions. LoseIt! is all about breaking it down and making it simple to understand. When you understand, you can make as many minor changes as you like. The more of these simple minor changes you make, the faster you will lose the weight. They do warn you to make only small changes to increase your will keep and maintain these changes and thus increase your rate of success in both the short and long term.
The following is my input on the book, section by section. The section in the book is written in bold.
FOREWORD
The idea of a “Happiness Project,” as it relates to resolutions is a refreshing approach. In order to achieve a resolution, you have to define it and devise a realistic map to get there. That may sound typical, but there is one thing that also needs to happen. There needs to be some basic accountability. Lose It! lists 5 useful strategies to help you hold yourself accountable.
INTRODUCTION
Right off the bat the book defies the general idea of a diet with food restrictions and banned foods. The book introduces weight loss with strategy tailored to my individual lifestyle which includes the food I actually want to eat. The 5 crucial pillars of the Lose It! Philosophy are introduced. Since these 5 pillars are listed on the back cover of the book, I will list them here, but not go into detail.
- Embrace mindful empowerment
- Track your calories
- Track your habits
- Track your exercise as negative calories
- Benefit from peer support
CHAPTER 1: MINDFUL EMPOWERMENT - Calories Unmasked
It is not just about reducing calories and exercising. It is also about knowing how many calories you are actually taking in and how many you are actually using.
Think Economically, Not Judgmentally
In order to know how many calories you are actually consuming, you need to know how many calories are in the things you are actually eating. You need to know how many calories you need to use/burn and know how to burn them most efficiently for your lifestyle. All these things lead to making smarter choices. An analogy to shopping is made that just about anybody can relate to and drives the point home.
Another One Bites The Dust
This section points out those little mindless bites that seem so small in quantity but tack on the calories quickly. The book goes on to give examples of these seamlessly harmless bites. A table labeled “Plate Cleaning, Parenting Pounds, Sneaky Snacks, and Small Bites – They Add Up!” is great sample of these little mindless bites that tack on the calories and the pounds as a result.
21st-Century Calorie Counting
You have the 21st Century technology at your fingertips, use it to help you Lose It!
It's Not an Empty Calorie If It Fills Your Energy Gap
Sometimes we end up running around on a super busy day that we do not have time to eat. The stereotypical diet will ban an empty calorie item, so you go without food even longer. With Lose it!, it guides you to when it would be acceptable ( and dare I say acceptable) to consume that empty calorie item because it can be beneficial. A chart is included in this section labeled, “Surprising Ways You Burn Calories Doing the Most Mundane Activities.” This chart is very helpful and empowering when you want to consume that empty calorie item that will put you over your daily calorie budget.
What's the Big Deal Over 50 Calories
50 Calories over budget may not seem like a lot, and it isn’t. 50 calories over budget repeatedly over time is a lot. This section explains how easy it is to turn a blind eye to a slow and steady weight gain.
Calculating Your Daily Budget
If you have the LoseIt! app, the app does the math for you. If you do not have the LoseIt! app or prefer to do the math yourself, this section walks you through calculating your daily calorie budget. Based on your height, weight, gender, and age you will do some addition and multiplication.
Remember Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Determine how much you weight you want to total and then figure out how much that is per week. A common recommendation is to not exceed 2 pounds per week and Lose It! also states that here. Make sure weekly weight loss is reasonable, sound, and realistic. As the title of this section says, “... slow and steady wins the race.”
Setting Your Budget While Making Room for Date Night
Using the metaphor of your calorie budget as your financial budget is simple, clear, and relatable.
How Small Changes Can Help You Lose 100 Pounds
Some examples of the seemingly insignificant simple changes that can be made are shared and leave you feeling your can and will lose weight this time, for good.
----------
This book is simple to read. They present the information in such a way that it is easy to digest. It does not talk down to you, nor does it make you feel dumb. The authors do not come across as know-it-alls. They are there to help you help yourself into a healthy, manageable, realistic, maintainable weight loss.
I am looking forward to tomorrow when I will continue reading the Loseit! book. I will continue with page 30.
LoseIt! Page 20, Chapter 2: The Power of Paying Attention - Tracking Calories and Losing Weight One Meal at a Time
Feel free to contact me via LoseIt.com and become my friend, look for me via my email address, which is mrsg.journey@gmail.com. My name is Maribel.
I am also on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MrsGsJourney
Comments