I pledge to "try" to lose one pound a week to achieve a healthy weight - for my family, for my friends, for me... because it's the right thing to do.

HOW WE GOT HERE

 

I'm not a doctor. Nor am I a nutritionist or personal trainer. And I'm definitely not a weight-loss expert. I'm someone who's been hovering between being overweight and obese since my late teen years - a long time ago. I've tried various diets, cutting back on calories, metabolism boosting pills, fat burners, and other sure-fire solutions. Each one offered short-term limited results - but before long the weight started creeping back. Like most people, I had a list of excuses; I'm too busy to exercise - I don't have time to prepare my meals - My fat gene keeps me from losing weight - I'll start dieting tomorrow.  It's taken some collective wisdom, and now - after repeated trial and error I understand how this works. 

 

Losing pounds and achieving a healthy weight has less to do with science, and more to do with math. You need to burn about 3,500 calories to lose one pound of excess weight each week. But simply reducing your caloric intake by 500 calories or more a day won't solve the problem. For starters - it's not sustainable. You simply can't do it for the rest of your life. And the longer you try - literally starving yourself, the less effective it will be - causing discouragement and what soon follows - the rebound. Gaining back what you lost, plus a bit more. That's why diets, any diet, won't work in the long term.

 

THE SECRET FORMULA

 

The only way to achieve a sustainable healthy weight, and most likely spend many more enjoyable years on this 3rd rock from the sun is to make a firm commitment to permanently change your lifestyle through a combination of exercise and adjustments in food choices - a proper diet (not that kind of diet). This isn't a  temporary fix - this is forever. As such, it will demand  tremendous willpower and determination. But each and every one of us can accomplish our mission if we "choose" to. No one can do this for you. Only you can make it so. The alternative is saying goodbye to those you love way too soon. Think about that.

 

Don't look at your BMI score and be intimidated by needing to lose 30, 40, or even 60 pounds to achieve or come close to a healthy weight. You'll quickly convince yourself there's no hope, and no use in trying - surrendering before starting the fight. Instead, focus on losing one pound in one week. And when you lose that one pound in one, or maybe two weeks move the needle to the next pound... and so on.

 

Of course, check with your health professional before embarking on any exercise regimen - especially if you have any pre-existing conditions that would otherwise cause risk. If your weight is on an upward spiral, you'll need a checkup to make sure there isn't something more serious causing a problem. If you're like most people though - toggling up and down a few pounds each month, simple things like fast-walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, light aerobics, or other "easy to do" exercise will set you on your way. You don't need to join a gym and hire a personal trainer;  remember, you'll be doing this for the rest of your life. But it's your choice. Plan on dedicating 45-60 minutes a day for exercise. Tame your "time bandits" and you'll fit this into your busy schedule. Let's do some math. Exercising an hour a day to lose 30 to 50 pounds in two years will consume 730 hours of your time. That equates to 31 days. Assuming it extends your life expectancy by 5 to 14 years, that's somewhere between 1,825 to 5,110 additional days to enjoy this blue planet - potentially a 165/1 payback. Most would call that a good investment. Don't underestimate the importance of exercise. Without it, you will most assuredly not be successful. Find things you can do "every day" without any excuses. Consistency is the key. Once you miss a day, you'll find an excuse to miss the next... and the next.  Shoot for at least a 300-350 calorie burn each day - "every day." That's important. You can't choose when you feel like exercising. Stick to a schedule, and don't let anything; work, weather... whatever, interfere.  Developing a routine - exercising every day will help to build muscle mass which will burn more calories.

 

Make some adjustments in your eating habits - permanent adjustments. Assuming you're at a stable weight, you'll need to find a way to eliminate 250-350 calories per day from your caloric intake without feeling deprived - because that's where most diets fail. Eat "most" of the things you enjoy eating today - just eat smaller portions. Make incremental adjustments - maybe eliminating cheese or croutons on that salad. Or a tad less dressing. Substitute lower calorie ingredients where possible without significantly altering the taste. Use math to help rationalize. Cutting back or substituting an ingredient that could save you 25 calories almost every day doesn't seem very significant. But multiply that 25 by 300 days, and you just saved yourself more than two pounds over the course of a year. Do that several more times across your diet - toss in some exercise, and you'll be well on your way to a healthier new you. The objective is to reduce quantity, but not at the cost of quality. You need to enjoy what you eat, or you'll most certainly fail. Celery sticks be damned. While you're reading all those labels, look for choices that are lower in sodium and cholesterol - ticking timebombs.  As well, it would be a good time to learn more about healthy eating - including choices higher in fiber. Don't allow that to change your focus though. Reworking your entire diet all at once could backfire and cause you to give up. Eat what you love - just less, making the needed adjustments. Explore new - healthier, enjoyable alternatives. It's your personal taste buds you need to keep happy. Be creative. That's the formula - the secret. 

 

If you don't feel you have the fortitude to see this through on your own and choose to use one of the many weight loss programs available today - at least it's a start. Understand though; this fight to lose weight is for the long haul - it's forever. And be assured - it will never get easier.  Pre-planned or pre-packaged meals... hospital food - much of which you likely won't enjoy eating, cannot be tolerated forever. Your taste buds will rebel, and you may find yourself starting over… again. 

 

Weigh yourself once a week, preferably on the same day - at about the same time. Make it a part of your routine. That's the easiest way to measure your progress week-to-week. Weighing in more often will cause unneeded anxiety as your weight typically bounces up and down from day-to-day. 

 

Before long, you'll be losing a pound a week. Success! Understand though, that even a change in lifestyle won't ensure constant weight loss. There will always be exceptions; holidays, birthdays and other special events. That's why I included the word "try" in the Pledge. You can't feel deprived on those days, but there's nothing wrong with feeling a bit guilty. Get back on the horse the next day and stay with it. Be assured though that the more you lose, the more difficult it will most likely become - requiring incremental adjustments in your plan; burning more or consuming fewer calories. Those fat demons are a feisty bunch. They won't go away without a fight. A realistic goal is 25 to 35 pounds in weight loss a year. Imagine that! It's not impossible. And the more you lose, the better you'll feel - both physically and mentally. It's a win-win.

 

A FEW FINAL WORDS

 

If you've read down this far, you must be thinking at least a bit of this makes sense. It's time for some serious self-reflection regarding your weight. Don't let your fat demons control your life one more day. You alone have the power to fix it. Should you "choose" to Take The Pledge, I promise it won't be easy - but it may just change your life.

 

This isn't a glitzy website. You don't need glitz to lose weight - you need perseverance. You won't find any ads here, or products or services that I endorse. Nor will I try to sell you anything, though I will mail you a FREE Jump Start Kit to put you in the right frame of mind, to help spread the word and get those you love and care about on board. I won't ask for your email address or phone number. This is my entire pitch. There's nothing else - no hidden agenda. My motivation is to lose weight myself and help as many others as I can to do the same. That will give me, and hopefully you, the courage and determination to never give up. Imagine for a moment if all of America could collectively lose 100 million excess pounds next week. That would be awesome!

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Visit our Facebook Page, One Pound Pledge, to share your own story and offer ideas to help others lose one pound a week.

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Or, download and print this Take The One Pound Pledge (PDF format) flyer and get started today helping others learn about the Pledge.

 

Can't wait to get started? Download this PDF file (see below) with images of the magnet and pledge card - that you can print, cut-out, and start working on the new you today! Then download a background image (click to select) for your computer screen to serve as a constant daily reminder. They're available as dark or light - in two different screen ratios:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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YOU CAN DO THIS!
 

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Our One Pound Pledge Business Center offers displays and signage that you can use at your workplace, office, waiting room or small business to help others learn about the Pledge. Spread some good will with a positive message to improve ones health.

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Author: Jim Szymanski - 67 years old - 5'-10" - Took the Pledge: 3/1/2022 - 219 lbs.   Current: 176.6 lbs.   Target: 169 lbs.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-study-finds-extreme-obesity-may-shorten-life-expectancy-14-years

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1448478

 

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