Dropped 22 pounds on the 12-week test panel and 30 pounds overall
Elizabeth Woodard knew she needed to make a healthy change.
“I was up thirty pounds over my ideal weight — meaning the weight I wanted to be at,” she says. A former exercise physiologist, Woodard was already very active, walking six to eight miles every day and going to the gym regularly. So she knew if she was going to drop those unwanted pounds, it meant changing her diet [AARP 2022]. Read her full weight loss challenge article now.
Beth Woodard, former exercise physiologist
Fun Fact: Beth Woodard, my wife advised me on sections of my book Ageless MirrorAthlete “Overweight & Unfit No More.” If you’d like to check out Beth’s contribution to Ageless MirrorAthlete book, go to Amazon and type “MirrorAthlete” into Amazons search engine, or click this link. Click on the books “Look Inside” for the free preview and read Beth’s full bio and more.
Which Weight Loss Trigger Will Defeat Your Weight Gain Nemesis?
As a fit healthy lifestyle consultant and author of Ageless
MirrorAthlete “Overweight and Unfit No More,” I can tell you there
are lifestyle changes you can make right now to trigger weight loss and stop
weight gain. Below I list seven weight loss triggers through lifestyle change
my clients have used to reverse an overweight and unfit condition.
New Year – New You. You Deserve it!
Change One or More Weight Loss Triggers Below to Lose Weight Now
This year set a new year’s goal. Plan to focus on a known bad
habit and/or behavior triggering your weight gain and keeping you overweight.
Then apply a lifestyle change to remove that trigger once and for all. You do
not need to apply all seven weight loss trigger changes listed below. I
recommend focusing on one at a time. As will power increases to sustain the
course this will motivate you to include other healthier lifestyle changes that
trigger weight loss at a more rapid rate.
Ageless MirrorAthlete – Overweight and Unfit No More by Marc WoodardWhen You Have a Good New Year’s Resolution Plan, Hard to Change Habits… Change.
“When mindful of daily stress triggers it’s easier to target then minimize or remove them.“
Target, then minimize or remove environmental stress triggers, or factors causing an unhealthy habit(s) and/or behavior(s) keeping you overweight and unfit. Once you know the cause of your overeating, addiction and/or sedentary habits, then it’s easier to modify or remove them.
Once you become aware of an environmental stress that causes you to stay overweight and unfit, it’s easier to shift course. For example, if someone or something makes you feel uncomfortable, or causes anxiety, or obsessive behaviors, remove yourself from the situation, or minimize the exposure time. If a relationship makes you feel bad, remove yourself from it, or seek relational and behavioral therapy if your more inclined to make a relationship work. Or if the workplace presents undue stress within a hostile work environment, seek Human Resources help per company policy. Or if food addiction is the source of your stress and increasing health risk concern – seek medical treatment.
“Pain Trigger Factor“
All pain triggers are directly related to mental and physical illness, disease and/or injury. And with pain comes more sedentary habits that cause weight gain. It is for this reason you confide in a doctor and request a referral to see a pain management specialist [physiatrist]. Don’t let your pain keep you in a sedentary weight gain hurt locker.
“Party On Triggers Weight Gain“
Some carry the end of year festivities into the New Year. This behavior can last for months, or the entire year. This perpetual party habit will not help you lose weight. First and foremost, you must understand this is occurring and break the habit. A referral to see a behavioral therapist can help target and change unhealthy habits and behavioral triggers keeping you overweight and put your health at risk.
Weekly Calorie Excess Will Not Help You Achieve Your Weight Loss Goal.. Moderate food/drink splurges to once per month.
“Fast foods after Holidays Trigger More Weight Gain“
Too many Americans consume fast foods especially during the Holidays. Here lies the crux for much of Americas obesity and related diabetes and obesity problems. Processed foods are convenient, chemically addictive and cause unhealthy weight gain. Food ingredients on labels you can’t pronounce or recognize are generally unnecessary food chemical additives that cause weight gain and illness and disease. Now you can better differentiate between healthier foods and processed food triggers that increase health risk. Labels on decorative packages tell the unhealthy processed food story. Whereas whole foods in their organic form are: meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, grains, seeds, dairy, etc., Not tough to identify in their organic form.
“Love of Baking Triggers Excess Weight Gain“
I know the kids love your homemade cookies, cakes and pies.
Remember moderation with deserts. Too much sugar, fat and salt is not good for
anyone, even children with fast metabolisms. Try serving healthier desserts,
i.e., fresh fruits, jello, pudding and peanut, oatmeal raisin and pumpkin
cookie and cake treats, etc. Search on-line for low glycemic (GI) dessert recipe
ideals. The GI has a foods list rating of low to high sugar foods. Learn how to
bake delicious deserts without triggering more weight gain, and cause illness
and disease.
Learn How to bake awesome deserts using low sugar ingredients that don’t spike blood sugar levels. Search the Internet using Glycemic Index (GI) to learn how.
“Use Portion Control to Reduce Over Consumption Trigger“
Regardless of season, there are many who continue to cook for
an entire family after the children have left home. Modify home recipes for one
or two to reduce left overs and temptations that trigger you to eat more than
an average serving size. Use portion control to reduce calories. Simply fill
your plat a 1/2 serving of a normal portion. No piling on. Take 20 minutes to
consume your food. It takes the brain that long to determine if the stomachs
been satisfied. If your still hungry, add another 1/4 serving. At this rate
calorie intake is reduced and the over consumption is NOT turned on.
Low-Impact Aerobic Dance is a Good Fat Burning Exercise
“Low-impact aerobic exercise is very important to perform – Especially throughout the Holidays.”
When you consume excess calories on “any day,” you will need to mobilize the body to remove the unspent fat fuel. I highly recommend at a minimum… a daily walking program, or other low-impact aerobic activity at least 30 minutes a day. It is low impact aerobic exercise that triggers the fat burning furnace. The large muscles in the legs and buttocks prefer body fat as it’s fuel source during low-impact aerobic exercise. In my opinion, daily brisk walking is the best low-impact fat burning exercise almost everyone can perform anytime and anywhere.
Once you target the cause of your weight gain nemesis and make healthier lifestyle choices – your fitness levels and health will improve while achieving your weight loss and fitness goals during and throughout the New Year. Live the lifestyle you need and want and deserve now. Get’er Done!
Good
Health to You and Your Family!
Author: Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET. 2020 Copyright. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Publishing @: www.mirrorathlete.org, Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.
What many weight watchers and/or weight loss resolution plans have in common is an annual goal to lose body fat weight. But what people lose sight of who set these goals and New Year’s Resolution… finding a daily fat burning exercise activity [they enjoy] that motivates and compliments other healthy lifestyle changes necessary to stay the course. In my opinion, there’s one piece of the weight loss puzzle that’s more important than any other lifestyle change piece. Especially if one is to be successful at sustaining the weight loss change long-term.
Most of us know excess body fat increases the risk associated with diabetes, cardiovascular problems, stroke, gout, sleep apnea, gall bladder disease, high blood pressure and certain types of cancer, etc. “So it stands to reason once the weight gain and increased health risk connection is understood, ‘it seems it would be easier to drum up the will power to stay and hold the weight loss course.” Although health literacy education is an important component of understanding how you will develop a weight loss plan based on current health status, and/or mitigate health risk… exercise and diet are almost-equally important puzzle pieces in consideration of developing a plan you’ll stick with. In my opinion, daily aerobic exercise is the most important habit change [puzzle piece] to focus on to achieve and sustain the weight loss goal.
To identify a fat burning aerobic exercise that motivates you to stay the exercise course – Simply think of an activity that keeps the body moving for extended periods of time. To help you find an activity that’s right for you… simply think of one you enjoyed as a child. As children we rode bikes, danced, hiked, walked to places and played intramural sports, etc., all aerobic-effort activities. Now hold onto this thought and we’ll get back to it.
If a daily fat burning exercise is not incorporated into the weight loss plan, it becomes very difficult to stay motivated and achieve the set weight loss goal and/or sustain the course once you’ve achieved it. Why? the will power to cut calories; and/or select healthier food choices; and/or change other unhealthy habits and behavior to achieve the goal is greatly dependent on daily activation of the fat burning engine. The fat burning engine also stimulates the brain-body chemicals that provide a sense of well-being [they are the natural feel-good chemicals that increase the will power that motivates us to move more and enjoy life to the fullest!]
Healthy whole foods selection and total consumption are important puzzle pieces to weight loss. But what I’d like you to focus on is identifying and sustaining a year-around daily low-impact exercise activity you enjoy doing.
When you sustain a daily low-impact aerobics program [working-up-to: 20-40 min/daily], you’ll see weight loss results within weeks. Regardless of any other habit change. Eventually exercise activity will lead to other healthier lifestyle changes that compliment other puzzle piece weight loss components.
Reflecting back to my childhood [as I’m asking you to consider], simply identify an aerobics activity(s) you would enjoy doing daily … . As a child I walked everywhere. So it seemed natural for me to continue this low-impact fat burning exercise as an adult. Why do I ask you to reflect to your childhood? Because if you don’t have a favorite aerobics activity identified, you’ll likely recall one you enjoyed as a child. As opposed to following somebody else’s activity you may not stick with.
In my opinion, the most important piece of a successful weight loss plan is dependent on performing low-impact aerobics daily [ride a bike, walk, row, jog, hike, dance, site seeing, shadow box, jump rope, etc.]. However, those who live in changing weather and stressful work environments and with non-flexible schedules may feel it impossible to squeeze any more into a day.
Regardless of season, limited resources, inflexible schedule and/or seasonal activity interest… there is one fat burning exercise anyone can perform 365 days out of the year. That aerobics exercise is coincidentally my favorite childhood activity. Walking is an activity nearly everyone can participate in and can be performed year around anywhere and at anytime.
Walking is a very addictive form of low impact aerobics exercise and easy on load-bearing joints. It also activates the brain-body chemicals necessary to ignite the fat burning metabolism, which increases the mental and physical will power and well-being necessary to sustain other healthy lifestyle changes to stay on course.
If your looking for detailed information to help you achieve your weight loss and other fit healthy lifestyle goals/resolution and fully understand how brain-body [feel good] puzzle pieces work together and lead toward sustainable weight loss and healthier lifestyle. Ageless MirrorAthlete “Overweight and Unfit No More” is the coaching and lifestyle change guidance programming and planning information you need and want now.” It’s like having your very own Fitness and Healthy Lifestyle Coach in your corner without paying hundreds of dollars for a professional trainer. Learn more about the book by Clicking on the link now.
Ageless MirrorAthlete book includes all the permanent weight loss and annual fitness resolution truths you need and want now!
Author: Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET. 2014-19 Copyright. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Inc., www.mirrorathlete.org, Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.
