Mission 2013 – Lose a stone of excess weight!

It is the start of another year, 2013! I truly hope you had a fab time and enjoyed the break with friends and family. I have been reflecting over the past week and pondering on what 2013 may hold for me. For some time now I have mulled over the thought of losing a bit of excess weight and really fine tuning my nutrition. People I met in 2012 such as Tara Stiles and Ramona Braganza have been a real inspiration and encouraged me to think about myself, my body and my life in a fresh way.

With all that in mind I have decided to try and loose a stone during January and February. I have had to think very carefully on how this can be achieved as my nutrition and exercise routine is generally quite good. However, there are some areas which I know I can improve on and with a little bit of extra effort, I believe I can improve my fitness, nutrition and physique.

There are some key things which I am going to alter or implement and I am going to share these with you. It does not matter who you are or what your current fitness levels and nutrition in-take looks like. You can follow my journey, learn some tips and even participate with me! I want to hear from you about the tips I share, the results you are getting and how you feel about my or your own journey loosing your excess weight.

I do not want to hear about anyone loosing weight which that they do have, so if a stone is too much alter your target. It may even mean body weight is not on the agenda, but healthy eating and time out for you is. If you are over 40 years, overweight, a smoker or have any heart conditions you should consult a doctor before drastically changing your health and fitness routine. Obviously, I cannot be held responsible for any injuries or problems which may occur from following my journey, so please be sensible and careful.

Back to the plan. These are my key areas of attention which should help me shed the excess fat and boost my health and well-being for 2013!

1. Calorie intake

Using the Calorie Counter and Diet Tracker app from MyFitnessPal I am going to record my food intake. Based on my goals and measurements I need to eat 1200 calories a day in order to loose a stone over the next three months. If I exercise I can eat more calories to compensate but will try to keep to proteins to aid recovery.

2. Exercise at least 3 if not 4 days a week

This is going to include a 60 minute spinning class, a 60 minute Pilates reformer bootcamp class, a 60 minute run and a 60 minute session of Yoga. I am going to get out my heart rate monitor as well so I can track my heart rate and training zones. Making sure I exercise using a variety of methods will hopefully create more balance in my body and help to strip the excess fat.

3. Stocking up on super healthy alternatives and making healthy treats

I am going to start to substituting things like refined sugar, and adding in extra goodness. For example, using honey or agave nectar instead of sugar, adding in tasty fruits such as dates to healthy flapjacks, stocking up on raw nuts for snacks and using natural ingredients such as coconut oil and almond milk in my cooking. Primarily using vegetables with fresh fish or white meat, my meals will remain similar to before but using carbohydrates sparingly.

My water in-take will remain high, but I will add a variety of lemon, fresh mint and Berocca tablets for additional goodness.

4. Track daily movement with pedometer

Using a pedometer on my iPhone, I will track and try to increase my daily movement during work. Choosing to walk to the train station instead of hopping on the bus will be my first significant change which should help to increase daily energy expenditure and general activity levels.

5. Daily 5 minute meditation and ‘quite time’

I am determined to implement this into my daily routine. The practise of meditation as been proven to lower stress levels (and associated risks) and improve overall well-being and focus. I will concentrate on my breath during these minutes and give my self time to shut out all the other noisy thoughts. Anything which comes to mind I will write down as creativity is also linked with meditation.

With a combination of lowering my calories intake but eating more foods which are super good for you, exercising using a range of methods and making time for my self should help me to loose a stone and feel revitalised.

Let’s see what happens next week then!