Menopause Weight Loss | Cortical Fatigue Weight Loss

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GETTING STARTED

Step One:

Calculate Your Daily Calories Needed to Reach Your Goal Weight:

To calculate your daily calories, click here. Fill in the fields, and follow the directions from screen to screen. At the end, it will tell you the number of calories you need per day to reach your target weight. Make sure to accurately assess your activity level. I work out for about an hour, 6 - 7 days per week, and I check the box for "Moderate Activity." Put in your "Goal Date" at the bottom of the "More About Me" page. Be sure to allow yourself at least 6 months for each 10 pounds you want to lose. I prefer to go in 4 - 5 pound increments, allowing at least 2 months for this weight loss. That may seem like a long time, but remember, this is not a diet, it is a lifestyle change, and it must be realistic and easily manageable for your life or it will not be permanent.

Step Two:

Accurately and Consistently Calculate the Calories You Eat Each Day:

Review the “Nutrition Information” label on every food you eat. Make sure to check the “serving size” as there may be 2 (or more) servings in the package. If there is no nutrition label, or it is a fresh food, you can still calculate the calories by checking a calorie database. I like www.calorieking.com. (You do not have to be a member to use their food database.) Type in the name of the food you will be eating and click “Go.” Follow the prompts that appear below the food item. Be sure to identify your correct serving size (you will see 2 boxes that allow you to refine the serving size.)

You can also search calorie counts and food composition on www.calorie-count.com. I use both sites, but I particularly like www.calorieking.com because it tends to be a bit easier, and it has so many common restaurants listed on it. There are many other similar sites, but I particularly like these two.

Step Three:

Eat Approximately 40 Percent Carbohydrates, 30 - 35 Percent Protein, and 25 - 30 Percent Fat At Each Meal:

Strive to balance the carbohydrates, protein and fat in every meal by including all of them in approximately the above percentages. You can figure this out by checking the Nutrition Information label on the food or checking a calorie database (for example, www.calorieking.com). If neither is available, just make sure to get some protein in every meal (like chicken, fish, low fat cheese, nuts). Don’t stress about having these exact ratios, but do aim for them.

Strive to have the above percentages at each meal. This is a critical step, as without the proper amounts of carbohydrates, protein and fat, you will not feel satiated. This is why diets fail in the long term - for the most part, although you will lose weight when you cut your calorie intake, you will not make that calorie reduction a permanent lifestyle change because cutting calories without balancing the carb/protein/fat ratios will leave you hungry and feeling deprived. This hunger and deprivation is what causes people to eventually revert back to their old eating habits and regain the weight.

Step Four:

Keep a Daily Tally of How Many Calories You Are Taking In:

You will have identified your target number of calories in Step One. Keep a log during the day so you always know how many calories you have taken in, and how many more you are allowed.

Step Five:

Weigh Yourself at Least Once a Week, First Thing in the Morning:

I never used to own a scale and I was only weighed once per year at the doctor's office, but studies show those who weigh themselves regularly tend to gain less weight, and lose weight more consistently when cutting calories. I now own the the Weight Watchers digital bathroom scale that provides weight within .1 pound. We did quite a bit of research before buying this scale, and agree that it's accurate, lightweight and easy to read the numbers.

Step Six:

Start Your Daily Exercise Program:

I have experimented with many different workouts and workout frequencies, and found the key to permanent weight loss requires about an hour of exercise most days. These workouts do not have to kill you to be effective, but you need to consistently move every day. Please refer to our "Workout Guidelines" tab for the FollowHolly workout suggestions.

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