BACKGROUND
In October 2009, I was within the Class 2 Obese range with a BMI of approx. 37.5. I made the decision to get my BMI down to 24.9 (which is within the normal range) in order to
avoid developing illnesses associated with excess weight.
I felt I would be more successful if I settled on a casual rather than an overly regimented approach to weight loss and gave myself all the time in the world (1 year) in which to achieve this. Without these proviso, I knew I ran the risk of the whole thing taking over my life or worse still, the prospect of beating myself up everytime I failed to hit an interim target.
Since October, I have been happily drifting between various weight loss plans, some of which I had stored in my mind over the years and some of which are newly popularised. Most of these strategies involve calorie reduction.
OUTCOME
Oct 09: 211 lbs, BMI c37.5
Jan 10: 189 lbs, BMI c33.5
Lost 22lbs in 11 weeks with no effort
Current BMI 33.5 = within Class 1 Obese range
My travels so far have cemented two life changing habits:
- Firstly, I set aside 2 days a week during which I can indulge. Intially, I would overeat on these days and cancel out any progress but after a couple of setbacks, I developed better control. The 2 days occasionally creep up to three, four or even five days a week but rather than beat myself too much about it, I just write it off and get back on track.
- Secondly, after flirting briefly with fasting, I eventually settled on Intermittent Fasting. My fast period is 8pm to 12 noon the following day. During this time I drink water and occasionally green tea. I then have two main meals: The first meal anytime between the hours of 12noon and 2pm and the second between the hours of 6pm and 8pm. I have a snack at 4pm. At 8pm, I'm back to fasting again until 12noon the following day and the cycle continues.
GOAL
Weight loss
Short term: BMI 29.9 (within Overweight range)
Long term: BMI 24.9 (within Normal range)
Within the Overweight range, I will be able to exercise to intensities that thrill me rather than intensities that bore me to tears.
RFL AND ME
This science-based weightloss plan is attractive to me mainly because it spares muscle. I also like that it addresses essential nutrition, downplays exercise (except toning) and provides general food guidelines from which I can create my own menus. That it promises rapid weight loss (fat loss really) is a bonus.
I will use RFL to reach my short term goal of BMI 29.9. I intend to do it for 6 weeks and upon evaluation extend this to 10 weeks.
The first 2 days will include whole eggs, the first 2 weeks juice from whole lemons. Although this diet deserves strict adherance, I have to allow for my own flexibility which paradoxically improves my adherance.