Fact of Crap?

Okay - pop quiz. Remember long ago, I said I was a lady on fire with the purging / de-cluttering of my house? Yes? Aw, thanks for listening. Well, the FIRE has flickered down to some hot ashes - hmmm, maybe we are warm coals by this point. But I'm still working on it from time to time.

Any-hoodle, in my mission to use what needs to be used and sort the loved from the unloved - I came upon an embarrassing amount of magazines. Still wrapped in plastic. From 2008. My face reddens. In an effort not to be wasteful, I have stuffed a few in my various work / wait bags and read them from time to time. This has lead to a wealth of information. First, I find myself needing (read as: falling for) the ads for products that are likely obsolete at this point.

A moment of silence for their departure, please. If only I could have been a better consumer...maybe they would still be here. *small sob*

Okay, back to the useful stuff...I found an article on the scientific approach to weight loss. Is it possible that this was fate? After all, in 2008 I was not in need of / ready to hear this info. But today, it has great meaning. Because I believe that all of our readers have the sh%* together and likely are no longer owners of the June 2008 Allure issue I will share the info that was suggested...by scientific experts, no less....

• There are two stages of weight loss. Losing and Maintenance.
• Losing goal should be around 10% of body weight or less.
• The focus here is NOT exercise but food restrictions - any method that you can stick with long term is fine.
• If you haven't lost in in 6 months you are likely not gonna. Move on to maintenance for some time (months) and then try again. *let us NOT reflect on how long we've been at this already*
  
• In Maintenance exercise is key. It gives you more room to eat - therefore, making the restriction more bearable. Daily, vigorous activity - like 60-90 mins a day. *weeping in corner*
• Good habits include FREQUENT weigh ins (yeah- I'm a daily gal), food diaries or calorie counting (boo! but I know it works), eat breakfast EVERY DAY (yeah - permission to eat).
  
• Myths about exercise include: strength training will NOT increase your metabolism unless you are a ripped bodybuilder (if this is the case, please go away or offer trainer services), a harder workout is NOT better - it increases the odds that you will be lazier the rest of the day, the idea of a slower workout being the key to a "fat burning zone is b.s."
• Stop drinking your calories. They don't fill you up.
  
• Stop trying to do the extreme-makeover. Set reasonable goals and stop beating yourself up for the crazy ones that were never attainable.
  
• Prevention is key - know thine own self and find a new method of coping and setting yourself up for success.
• Have a plan that is practical.
  
• Your body has a built in target weight - with a range of 20 lbs or so.
  
• Sleep deprivation messes up your chemicals and actually stimulates your appetite.
• Stress makes more calories get stored as fat.

Now, some of that was reinforcement - but some was a bit eye opening. I'm going to have to break out a calendar and calculator and put this to the test. Anyone else want to re-define the way they've been trying to reach their goal?