Most of us are unhappy with our bodies . Many of us feel we are overweight or that our bodies are not in proportion , with a “beer-belly” accounting for too much of our body weight .
Many of us are also unfit . If you work in an office , or somewhere else where you spend the best part of the day sat down , you may feel you just don't have the time for exercise . The Autumn and Winter months are the worst when it's a real wrench to leave the warm couch or the warm pub in order to get some exercise . It is difficult to show the self discipline , to think of your long term goals rather than short term comfort . I myself suffer from poor self-discipline and poor fitness . I have been over-weight for three years now and I have spent two years trying , but ultimately failing , to get fit and healthy . With this in mind I have spent a lot of time researching diet and nutrition and exercise advice , trying to find a plan that not only works but is easy to stick to .
My intention over the next 28 days is to drop a waist size ( from 38 down to 36 ) , loose a stone in weight and get in a routine which improves my fitness .
This is my 28 day fitness plan , and remember if I can do it so can you .
Week 1
On the first day I have a breakfast of porridge followed by a banana . Tuna and pasta for lunch with pork chop , jacket potato and salad for tea followed by fresh fruit . This becomes a fairly typical days food for me throughout my diet as it provides a good balance of most of the main food groups and if you cut the fat of the chop then it's also reasonably healthy as well as being easy enough to stick too . In terms of drinks I allow myself 1 coffee in the morning and 2 more hot drinks within the next 24 hours . I also have one glass of fruit juice with my evening meal . It is best to stick to water as much as possible .
Week 2
Exercise
I start off with a 25 minute walk after lunch . I make sure that I do at least 25 minutes of exercise a day and 3 or 4 times a week I also have another 30-45 minutes which I spend either jogging , swimming or cycling . Two times a week I also do some anaerobic exercise with dumb-bells .
Towards the end of week 2 I am starting to feel the benefits and I am able to exercise for longer and at a higher intensity .
Diet
I am sticking to 3 fundamental rules .
- No deep fat fried food , chocolate , cakes or crisps .
- Keep to a balanced diet involving all the different food groups and ensuring I eat the recommended 5 fruit/veg portions .
- Keep snacks to a minimum and no food whatsoever after 8.00pm .
Week 3
Exercise
I am now finding that I can exercise more and for longer than I have been able to for a long time . Stiffness is less severe .
Diet
I am still sticking with the three main rules I made at the start . Towards the end of the week I allow myself a small amount of chocolate and immediately I want more . I feel weak but I manage to restrain myself . In general I am finding it easier to eat healthy and vegetables seem a lot easier to eat . I still find myself becoming very hungry between meals .
Week 4
Diet
I am now finding it reasonably easy to avoid junk food and I am enjoying healthy food as opposed to forcing myself to eating it.
Exercise
I carry on slowly increasing the amount of time I spend exercising as well as the intensity of the exercise.
Motivation
I am starting to get compliments from friends and family which in turn means I feel good about myself . When the moment of truth comes I fit easily in to 36 waist jeans and I have lost over one and a half stone .
Hints and Tips
Vary your routine . Once your body is used to a certain type of exercise the benefits of it decrease. Try and get a good balance of both aerobic and anaerobic exercise .
Don't weigh yourself every day. If you don't loose as much weight as you would have hoped it can be easy to loose motivation. Personally I would wait until the end of the month when you should notice a big difference.
Do devise a routine you can stick to. For most people a super strict will not be enjoyable and therefore hard to keep up.
Try to keep an open mind to new ideas in terms of your diet and exercise routines . It is easy to say you don't like a certain food just because of the way it looks , but if you try it you might like it.
