Calorie counting, into the second week

Right, I let things be over the weekend but didn't in the event do anything that led to any particularly excessive eating.  I started the week at 14 stone exactly which was a comforting point to begin from.  My plan for gradual weight loss is bang on target if that is the case since I aim to lose less than an ounce a week.  I need to keep to the plan so that I take my biochemistry with me, so I want to avoid big drops as much as putting it back on again.

I will stick with calorie counting for a while.  It is still proving very educational and it is effective enough at the moment.

Calorie Counting Day 3

As I thought it would, my calorie counting regime went to pot on Saturday.  I think I probably went over my target of 2,300 calories mainly due to an unfortunate chocolate brownie situation at lunchtime.

I am now at 14 stones 2 lbs which is below my deliberately easy target so I am still on course.  What I have noticed is that overindulging in carbohydrates does drain my energy for several hours afterwards.  I sort of knew that already but it is interesting just how strong an effect it is when you start paying attention to it.

Calorie Counting Day 1

I can see why calorie counting is not a popular option. You spend your whole time thinking about food!  Still I managed the first day without incident.  Consumed just over 2,000 calories. I had allowed myself 2,300 so that was okay.  My weight is now 14 stone 2 lbs so plenty of progress still to be made.  Not sure how it will work over the weekend.  It put in about 150 calories worth on the treadmill yesterday as well - not sure if this is contributing in any way but it makes me feel better.

Calorie Counting

My aim is to lose weight slowly.  I have heard that losing weight quickly is itself a heath risk.  I haven't checked up on the details but it sounds like common sense and in any case I regard this as not a crisis but as a situation I am happy to change gradually.

My target weight loss is only three quarters of an ounce per week so there is no rush.   I can try different approaches and strategies until I hit on the approach that works.

My first trial is calorie counting.  This has a poor reputation for efficacy but I will give it a go.  If nothing else it will be an education to find out the calorific values of different foods.  I have to start somewhere so my first target will be 2,300 calories per day and see how that goes.

Overweight

To my surprise I find myself overweight.  Weight has never been a big issue for me.  I've always been able to pretty much eat what I feel like without really feeling any particular effect.  However, the death of coworker who was the same age as me - I am 51 - made me consider how I was looking after my body.  I decided to do pretty much the bare minimum health check which was to stand on the bathroom scales.  This was sobering.  With clothes on I was 14 stone 7 lbs.  I was incredulous enough to check the next day on the scales in Boots.  (Buying a packet of crisps to get the right money to put in the slot.  I really am in denial that I have a problem aren't I?)

This confirmed my worst fears.  My BMI is now 28 making me officially overweight - I think for the first time in my life.

Okay, this is unacceptable so I need a plan. 

First of all l need an objective.  12 stone 9 lbs will put me comfortably back in the healthy range, about half way between the centre and the top of the range.

I will monitior my weight daily from now on, and I have set a target every week for the next 30 weeks on my calendar.  How I am actually going to achieve that target I will work out as I go along.