Slightly less food and slightly more movement is one formula for weight loss success
Jodi Davis
| 3 min read
Ask any person who has lost weight successfully how they did it and you will see a smile that can light up any room. That is exactly what happened when I met Marcus, an amazing gentleman from southwest Michigan. I actually made an appointment to meet him when I discovered that Marcus had successfully lost over one hundred pounds. Just to be able to shake his hand and congratulate him would have been enough, but we sat down and had a little chat.
I feel that his weight loss was partially due to the fact that his beautiful fiancée, Dawn, was right by his side. Because I realize how important a support system can be when it comes to living a healthier lifestyle, I had to ask Marcus if he could have lost the weight without her. He looked in her eyes and responded with “No. I don’t think I could have.” It was one of those moments when I had to hold back my tears.
They shared some pointers that helped Marcus stay on the right track. One tip that really impressed me was the Lose It! App. Lose It! helps a person set goals for weight loss, exercise, blood pressure and so much more. He said that he inputs all calories that he consumes daily along with exercise, and has found that he needs to burn 4,000 calories to burn off a pound of fat. This app is obviously working well for Marcus because he has lost 102 LBS since he changed his lifestyle about eight months ago. That is more than 12 pounds per month!
Another pointer was quite simple, but one that many of us forget to do, slow down and enjoy the food.
We laughed at this tip because it’s not always easy to do. I know that for me, a person who has always loved to eat, it was normal for me to eat very quickly. Scarfing down food, especially when I wanted to make sure I received a second helping, was a habit that I wasn’t concerned about breaking. I decided this habit had to end when I began my new lifestyle; I had to take control over the way I consumed food. Marcus made the same choice.
It’s amazing how you taste food more when you take the time to enjoy it.
The first words out of Marcus’s mouth when I asked how he lost the weight was simple and to the point: “slightly less food and slightly more movement.” Think about those words. It makes sense, which is why Marcus made a commitment to them.
He didn’t overwhelm himself by decreasing his food intake by massive amounts.
He didn’t become exercise obsessed by working out several hours per day.
Marcus consumed slightly less food and he made sure that he incorporated slightly more movement each day.
It worked. He is successfully on his way towards reaching his goal weight, which he feels he’ll achieve by October. With a June wedding right around the corner, I have no doubt that not only will Marcus accomplish his goal, but he will be continue to succeed with his beautiful support system by his side.
Marcus and I shared the thought that exercise was a dirty word before we changed lifestyles. It was another shared opinion and one we both learned had to change. But that story is for another post.
Photo Credit: Jodi Davis
