The Journey to health.. How I lost 35lb/16kg- My 10 Step Plan

As you know, I love to share my experiences and recently I have had some fantastic results in regards to my health which will benefit a number of you who are or have been struggling with getting their weight under control.

My weight was fluctuating for years… I would reach threshold, go on a diet and start an exercise regime. I would lose a few pounds.. Then I would get comfortable, winter would arrive and then again.. Put the weight back on. I am sure that many people can relate to this! But then something happened… it’s hard to explain but, I call it a consciousness shift. Something clicked. It was one question… “When is Enough Enough?”

Sick of losing weight & then putting it back on.. My journey really started in September 2008 when I attended UPW Sydney…  I weighed 113kg (nearly 250 lbs), and was at threshold and needed a plan.  Not just any plan, I needed a sustainable plan. A plan that would utilize my mind, nutrition, Oxygen & exercise. Sounds unconventional.. Usually it’s just Nutrition and Exercise? What’s this mind stuff and Oxygen? Oxygen? I get oxygen everyday! really .. Do you really get quality oxygen everyday?

Before I go through my plan, you need to understand that I am not a qualified personal trainer or Nutritionist. I can only tell you the facts about what worked for me. As health should be your number 1 priority, I would ask you that you seek professional advice if you decide to use any of the steps that worked for me.

Ok now..Lets go through the plan;

Step 1-  Decide & Commit. Make a decision now! Don’t wait for threshold to kick in.. it could take years and then it will be too late. Get Committed and I guarantee you will find a way.

Step 2 – Write down your goal and/or Ideal weight – Don’t just talk about it. Write it down. You have heard of that saying ” If you think it INK it”. Make sure your goal not only challenges you but is also achievable. Also look at a number of smaller target goals that will get you to your end goal over a sustainable period.

Step 3 – Visualize – As part of my morning ritual, I did a visualization process where I pictured myself exercising and eating healthy options plus I visualized that every-time I weighed myself , I saw my ideal weight. People think this is crazy, but let me tell you it works.

Step 4 – Mind-Matters – Choose your role – Everyday I gave myself a role. Throughout my journey to health I chose the role of an athlete and I used this to motivate me.  Example. Every-time I was thinking twice about going to the gym or a run I would ask myself one question… “What would an athlete do?” and when I was tempted by the chocolate and fast I would ask myself the same question.. “What would an athlete do?”. Sounds simple but very effective. Ask yourself a smart question and usually you’ll get a smart answer!

Step  5 – Breath of Life- Fact is, most people don’t know how to breathe properly. You need to get as much oxygen into your system. Whether it’s through Meditating, deep diaphragm breathing exercises or doing an intense cardio work out. You need quality oxygen deep down into your lungs. This will give you a guaranteed energy boost every day.

Step  6 – Hydration – Water- Water – Water. No matter what I did each day, I ensured that I drank plenty of water, For me it was Minimum 3Litres/100 oz. Ultimate detox and energy kick…

Step  7 – Nutrition – I came across the concept of alkalizing your body… Alkalize ? In a nutshell, it’s about moving towards a high alkaline / low acid diet, I won’t go into it too much here however you can get some  good idea’s at http://www.ialkalize.com/ . This alone restored my energy . Plenty of raw green vegetables, raw nuts and any foods with high water content plus stay away from the acidic foods & drinks. I also, consulted a nutritionist to ensure I had the necessary supplements to balance out the change in diet.

Step  8 – Workout wonders- Although I did get at least 45 minutes of exercise 3-4 times per week. It wasn’t always  high intense. I mixed it up using boxing, running, walking, pushing weights and a concept called interval training which was very effective in the fat burning process. Interval training is a simple concept..an example would be. 30 Seconds of high intense running , followed by 15 seconds of walking and then back to intense. I also mixed up the durations of each interval between 15,30, 60 & 120 Seconds.

Step  9 -  E & R (Eliminate & Reduce) – One thing I learned from moving to a High Alkaline, Low acid diet was that if I eliminated and/ or reduced certain food types, the weight just drops off. For me, I gave up alcohol, espresso coffee, Fatty fast food and I significantly reduced my intact of meat.

Step  10 – Celebrate the Achievements – No matter how small the achievement. you must celebrate it. No excuses.. But ensure your choice on how you celebrate does not violate moving towards your end goals.

I hear some of you saying that this is too strict, inflexible and unachievable for you…Not once during my journey did I see it that way. I had a vision and nothing was going to stop me. I started at 113kg (248lbs) and I now weigh 97kg (213lbs). That’s 16kg in under 9 months. It was not quick but very sustainable over the long term.

Remember a bit of pain & discipline will get you to your goal. not excuses and procrastination. Get your priorities set now and get started with a small goal. It could be as easy as no alcohol for a month or getting to the gym 3 times in the week. Whatever it is start with something…. TODAY! If you’re not sure how to get started and need a massive kick start I recommend you attending UPW or a similar event or consult a personal trainer & nutritionist to get your journey started.

My journey continues and I am on target for my next goal…

I look forward to hearing YOUR success story soon..

Regards

Simon Boutros