I listened to a phone in today on 5Live
about the rise in the incidence of type 2 diabetes and how it was caused by
being overweight. There was a general cry for “something must be done” and an
argument between those who said it was all abut personal responsibility and
those who blamed the food and drinks industry. Solutions were in short supply.
I am not a dietician, doctor or indeed
anything that is relevant to the debate. I am just a normal middle age bloke
whose weight has fluctuated as I have aged and has tried various things to try
and manage this.
I know (as do most people) that eating more
calories than I use means I will get heavier but that alone does not really
help. I can also see when I gain or lose weight (scales, which clothes fit etc)
as can most people.
However calories are quite abstract things
– you cant see one and it is surprisingly difficult (despite all the labeling)
to count the calories you consume and it is even harder to count those you use.
Guesswork doesn’t work well so how do you keep score?
Based on my own experience here is a simple
strategy that will help those who want to helped (if you don’t want to help
yourself, then you need to deal with that first).
Step
1 – Decide you actually want to lose weight and you
care enough about it to do something.
Step
2 -
You will have a smart phone or tablet. Use that to find a free app that
helps you count calories in and out. I use MyFitnessPal but there are many
others. They allow you to see daily progress even though it takes time for your
weight/size to change; there is a social network side if you want to share (I didn’t)
and it adds a little fun (gamification I believe it is called!)
Step
3 – Do the set up. This will tell you how many
calories you actually need each day to achieve your goal. Bound to surprise you.
Step
4 – Keep score. Tell the app what you consume and
the exercise you do (tip: play with the exercise search facility and you will
be surprised what counts as exercise and how many calories they burn – its not
just about going to the gym)
Step
5 – Persevere. No quick fix here, slow and steady
is what works – but it does work. I have found I end up exercising more and
eating differently; net result? A steady and continuing weight loss that is
taking me back to a weight I have not been for over 20 years – and in no sense
do I feel like I am on a diet.
