When you can barely catch your breath shooting hoops with your buddies, or when your waistline limits your wardrobe selection, you know it’s time to loose weight. You need a fitness weight loss plan. If only everyone, you mumble, had world enough and time.
But you already are engaging in a workout when you sprint after that bus, run down the hall to that fax machine, and jog with you kids on the park. Add to this a realistic schedule and some workable expectations and you are on your way to losing weight.
You won’t even have to spend for weight loss drugs and supplements, and neither will you have to worry about their side effects. But you can’t just start running on a whim, suddenly stop, and expect your weight to drop dramatically. You have to put in the minutes per day of the week, and consistently at that.
Ready? Of course you need a good pair of shoes, one that fits snugly to prevent discomfort and unnecessary misstepping. A watch to time your sessions (most cellular phones have stopwatch features). A running route and schedule (three to four days a week) to adhere to, because you can’t just keep running until you suffer muscle strain. Recovering from that eats up time and keeps you from the goal of losing weight. Also, a route may condition your mind to a routine, into a habit.
You are advised to see your doctor before you engage in running. This becomes crucial if you smoke or are overweight. A stress test administered by a physician may inform you of your physical limits, and consequently, you may use that information to set a ceiling on your physical activities, including running.
Ok, you do this in increments of eight weeks. On your first week, allot twenty minutes on two different days. Set your watch to twenty minutes and start walking for around five minutes. Start with a slow jog and run as far as you can. Slow down to a walk when you feel that you need to, and run again after recovering. When the twenty minute timer you have set goes off, you are done. Walk to normalize your breathing.
On your second week, do the same routine. Set the timer to twenty minutes, walk for five, and run as far as you can, but try to make it longer this time compared to last week. Slow down to a walk when the timer ends the session. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t run as far as you want to.
Third week tweaks. Adjust the timer to thirty minutes this time, also on two different days. Five minute walk, thirty minute run, but don’t strain to hard. Stay within the thirty minute mark; don’t push yourself to keep running after the timer ends. Walk to normalize your breathing.
Week four and doing good. Stay within the thirty minute mark, no pressure. Just do what you did in week three. Don’t overdo it.
Fifth week and holding on. Twenty minutes but this time on three different days. Run as far as you can, knowing that your running time is shorter compared to the previous week, only the number of sessions have been increased.
Week six and almost there. Now aim for thirty minutes on three different days. Same routine: five minutes walk and then break into a run; stop when the time says so. Week seven is a repeat of week six. On your eighth week, aim for thirty minutes on four different days.
There you go. After your body has accustomed to the running, you can run for however long you choose any day of the week. This fitness weight loss program is not too hard to adhere to, and with the adrenalin rush, increased endurance, and toned muscles, you’ll be fit and begin shedding off weight as early as two months.
