The mini-goal challenge: 8 weeks, 20 lbs

I think today we decided on 20lbs by the end of April as our first mini-goal challenge. Something probably ambitious to get us really moving down this path, and inspire us to keep going. The works out to 3lbs a week, which is a generally pretty steep weight-loss goal. That is going to require a combination of both smart eating and extra calorie burning to achieve. I think we also decided to track our loss on Thursday’s using the scale in the locker room at the gym.

I found a calorie intake calculator here which proposes, if I am moderately active and cut my usual calorie intake down to 1589 a day, that I should lose 2.1 lbs a week. Moderately active is defined as exercise 3-5 days a week.  If I up my training to very active, 6-7 days a week, I can go up to 1769 and lose 2.4 lbs a week. Those are sobering numbers trying to reach 3lbs a week. Exercise has to go way up and food intake has to go way down.

That means we’ll need to think about some smart ways to curb cravings and get our appetites under control. Here are some links with suggestions in that area:

• Five appetite control foods
• Negative Calorie Foods
• Filling Low Calorie Foods

Near daily exercise is going to be an important component, too. Cardio and strength. Occasional two a days won’t hurt, either. Need to find that increased calorie burn!

AND avoiding those pitfalls that slow down our metabolism will be important, too. Consider this:

• Five Food Groups that Can Slow Your Metabolism.
• Five Factors that Contribute to Slow Metabolism

We definately need to reduce calories, but avoid getting our body into starvation mode — so we want to stay over 1200 calories a day, and we want to not go more than 4-5 hours without eating in the daytime. Water is so great at curbing hunger, that it might benefit us to make a schedule throughout the day of when we can just stop and have a glass of water — regardless of what else we might be eating or drinking. I’m thinking of a goal of 6 oz of water every 3 hours from waking up until bed. There’s a timer on my phone I can set to go off every 3 hours, so I’m going to try that and see how it goes.

We can do this!

• Thin is better than anything tastes!
  
• There’s no mood that can’t be improved by a little exercise!
  
• You can’t find 30 minutes to move more?
  
• Pain is just weakness leaving the body!
  
• Willpower! Motivation! Consistency! Habit! Results!
• Go ahead and picture that tater-tot stuck on your thigh, because that’s where it’s going!