Day 1

As planed, I organized and completed a circuit of calisthenics. I tried not to make any drastic changes to my diet; I only refused some candy that a friend offered me. Otherwise, I indulged in some smoked almonds, grapefruits, whole wheat pasta with creamy marinara sauce and chicken.
It is a good practice to drink water, but most people don’t have the taste even for diet drinks, much less plan old water. For my own part, I don’t enjoy sugary soft drinks anymore. Years ago, I made a point to ‘cut’ my requisite Coca Cola Classic with the diet version. I worked t0 half parts and then to straight diet coke. When I’m dedicated to losing weight—or gaining muscle—I try to reduce even my diet soda habit. Often, I’ll switch to a Splenda-sweetened diet tea and then mix it with my own home-brewed sun tea. In like manner to cutting soft drinks, I’ll increase the amount of sun tea until I’m drinking a lightly sweetened or unsweetened homemade tea. I’ve found this a great way to glean the benefits of drinking green tea. My favorite is to mix peppermint or mint tea with green tea. It isn’t too strong and really has a pleasant flavor even without sugar or sugar substitutes. Beyond the boon of increased antioxidant intake, the flavored tea helps to keep me from feeling hungry.

To fight hunger and cravings, I found it is best to 1) never let yourself go so long without food that you become hungry and 2) (related to the first) always have an assortment of healthy treats nearby your workspace. I can’t emphasize #1 enough. Most people are way too harsh with calorie restriction when trying to lose fat. Think of dieting more like a finesse move in tennis or baseball. You just can’t come out of your shoes swinging. Particularly if you are trying to lose 20lbs or more, you must find the sweet spot; a place were you can lose weight without feeling deprived. Sometimes it takes a few weeks to find this balance. However, once you do, the weight will come off quickly and—surprise—painlessly. Imagine that; enjoying diet and exercise!

While this isn’t necessary for the initial stages of dieting, I’ll post my caloric intake and macronutrient break down. A few comments first: 1) my calories are too low; I’ll bring them up tomorrow. 2) I stayed under 100 grams carbs (carbs – fiber) without even trying. 3) I enjoyed a fair bit of pasta and feel as though I’ve denied myself little. 4) Since this is the early stages of my diet plan, some of the numbers are estimates. I’m not ready to bother with measuring; I just need to ease into the plan and program. 5) My protein intake is on the low side. This is the first thing to correct. Protein is naturally difficult to break down into usable energy. As such, eating a substantial amount of protein increases one’s metabolic rate. Look for lean sources and consume about 1 gram per pound of lean body weight (total body weight – body fat).