Step Two: Which Plan is Right for Me?

Image via Wikipedia

After accepting the fact that you need are in this for the long haul, both diet and exercise wise, and that what is going to work best is an individualized program, it is time to find a plan that is going to work best for YOU. There are so many different factor that determine what will work best for you that they can't be addressed in a single post, or even a series of posts. That is why I am interested in working one-on-one with people and developing individualized plans for them. But we will discuss several factors that are important in choosing a plan that is going to be right for you.

Your lifestyle is all-important. How often will you be able to eat. A bare minimum for success is 3 meals and 1 snack, but if you can eat more frequently, 6 small meals/snacks are better. Are there any specific foods you cannot live without. Even if these foods are not "healthy" foods, forbidding yourself a food you love forever will set yourself up for failure. It is much better to have a "planned cheat" and incorporate that food into your diet once or twice a week in a specific amount. Likewise, if there is a particular food you abhor, it will not work to chose a plan that makes you eat that food daily. Instead, substitute a different food that is similar nutritionally, or chose a different plan.

Your lifestyle will also determine how often and for how long you can exercise. If you currently do no activity at all, you will want to start slow and build up to a certain goal. A goal to shoot for for weight loss is 60 minutes of cardio/strength training combined on most days (at least 5 per week). Believe it or not, you will need to INCREASE this amount for weight maintenance (to 60-90 minutes 6 to 7 days per week). The fun thing here is that you can chose your form of exercise and there are SO MANY of them! Lots of different aerobic activities exist for you to chose from. Strength training can be done using weights, resistance bands, dumbells, or your own body weight for resistance.

The problem with most "plans" is that they usually encompass EITHER diet OR exercise and not BOTH, which is REQUIRED for success. That leaves you having to pick one of each. That is fine and will work, but things can work so much better if the two compliment each other. That is what I would like to do for you, if you are interested. Please comment here or email me at MomDocTalk@gmail.com for more information.

In the meantime I wish you and yours a very Happy Holiday season filled with light and love.

MommyDoc