small victory
Here’s some progress to report toward one of my three-month goals (losing six pounds of fat while maintaining lean body mass [LBM]):
I’m about 40 percent of the way there, although progress has been slow, but my LBM is constant, which means none of the poundage lost has been muscle.
Why such a small poundage goal over a three-month period? Several reasons.
1. Slow, steady weight loss is more likely to be permanent weight loss.
2. The caloric restriction advised by most "sensible" weight-loss plans–a 500-calorie deficit per day–makes me feel as though I’m starving. I already eat a clean diet, so I’m not going to achieve calorie reduction by cutting out soda with sugar, butter on bread, desserts, chips, crackers, and fried foods. I don’t eat any of that stuff anyway.
3. I’d rather burn the calories through exercise.
4. I can afford to be patient, as my health is good and my body-mass index (BMI) below 25. (25 is considered overweight; 30, obese. Caveat: BMI doesn’t distinguish between muscle weight and fat weight, so a lean, densely muscled man or woman might well be over 25.)
That said, I do sometimes get frustrated with the pace of this process and the length of the plateaus.
I read an article not long ago that put things in perspective, though. The author said she had lost weight and although she hadn’t reached her goal, she hadn’t regained any of the weight over a period of a year. That might not seem significant, but the fact is, the vast majority of people who lose weight through dieting begin regaining it almost immediately. Not regaining is a major victory.
Some small steps that I think have helped me get off the latest plateau:
1. Replacing the coffee cream I used to buy (my one dietary vice: coffee with lots of creamy stuff) with a low-fat version. No, it doesn’t taste as good, but indulging my tastebuds was costing me quite a few calories.
2. Replacing a higher-fat protein shake with a non-fat one. That probably saves me 200 calories a day, as I tend to grab a canned protein drink when I need something to eat but don’t have time to cook a chicken breast.
3. Eating more fruits and vegetables. They’re low in calories, and they satisfy.
Enough navel-gazing for now. Let’s see how long it takes to get the next 3.6 pounds off.
