I have lost a stone in weight and it was easy

"I don't like being outdoors Smithers, for one thing, there's too many fat children."At the end of April, the RMF members set a goal to lose a stone in weight by the end of September. It is now mid June, which is pretty much the half way point, and I'm happy to report that I have achieved the target.

Here are some thoughts from along the way:

* I enjoyed the challenge a bit too much, partly because I like to test my will power. That said, I didn't push myself too hard because I wanted to see how I could achieve the goal by small increments.
* I learned that habits are easy to form (snacking in the evening, for example) and hard to break.
* Keeping a tumblog really helped the process.
* I also kept a daily log, estimating the calories of almost everything I ate during this time. This was probably the most useful tool of all. I'll do some analysis on the calorie log in the next post.
* When doing weight training, it helps to focus intently on one's actions. However, when doing cardio for a long period, distractions (such as watching sports on tv) are effective in helping you to 'lose yourself' and keep going for longer. Caffeine also helps, as does having a moderately sugary drink to keep one's energy levels up.
* Having a cheat day works wonders. After pigging out on Saturdays, I felt 'dirty' and would make up for it the following day.
* I seemed to hit a plateau at 10.6 stone for a few weeks. Then, after a week spent binging on chocolate and the like, I cleaned out the closet and ate a mere 1,500 calories per day for three days. This has pushed me through the 10.6 stone barrier. I wonder whether taking whole week off the diet actually helped me to break through the plateau by telling my body that there was no need to 'hold on' to the calories. A week is a bit much, but I ain't complaining.
* I believe converting calories in to body weight is not a simple, linear equation, as many would have you believe. Nevertheless, it is an excellent basis of thinking on which to base a weight loss project. Reading the science stories on dieting and weight loss with interest during the period has led me to believe that there is no magic bullet solution and moderation is the key.
* Most dieters put weight back on after a while. For the RMF, the next challenge will be to keep the weight off. The simple idea that you need to control both diet and exercise to manage your weight is very true. It's simply more sustainable than eating as you were before and going crazy at the gym, or not doing any exercise and eating very little to compensate. We need to move, and we need to eat (calories for energy, and nutrients to keep the body in order).
* I ate lots of small meals and lived by the motto 'stay hungry' - that is, not to feel like I always needed to eat, but also not feeling filled up. I breached this rule on both sides on occasion.
* Eating less deserts but more fruits and carbs may be more healthier from a nutritional perspective, but you have to watch out for refined carbs and for natural fruit sugars. From an energy perspective a calorie is a calorie.
* It's nice to feel lighter. I have more energy than before, and my clothes fit a lot better. I might push myself down to 10 stone and then work my way back up to 10.5, which feels like my natural weight.
* The good thing about cutting back on calories to achieve your weight is that when you hit your target, you can increase your calorie intake to keep your weight stable. I estimate I'll be able to eat about an additional 400 extra calories per day. That's 400 calories of additional healthy foods ... okay, maybe with the occasional doughnut for good measure!

--- Addendum ---

The latest weigh-in puts me a shade under the target. I initially weighed 72.5 kg (11.4 stones, 159.9 pounds). My target was 66.1 kg. Sensible units converts a stone in weight into units we all understand:

# 45 wireless computer mice.
# 42 human kidneys.
# 15 cans of baked beans.
# 11 basketballs.
# 8.5 hardback copies of ”Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”.
# 4.7 MacBooks Air.
# 3.8 average physics textbooks.
# 1.3 average domestic cats.