Log My Loss

I was given the opportunity recently to review the EatSmart Precision Premium Digital Bathroom Scale, and let me tell you, I have been impressed!  Do you want to see why?  Check out my video review below:

If you are interested in getting an EatSmart Precision Premium Digital Bathroom Scale of your own, check out their deal at Amazon.com, from which they are donating the sale proceeds to a different charity monthly (March is the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society).

*Note: The kind folks at EatSmart donated this scale to me for my review and use.  Even so, all comments in this post and the related video are mine alone, and were nothing short of honest.  If my opinion on the scale changes over time, you can rest assured that will be posted here as well.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011 at 6:21 am by South Beach Steve.
Filed under: Product Review, Video Post
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As we are all getting prepared to publish our Perfect 10 goals, one thing we need to consider is exercise. One of my favorite bloggers, Wendy from The Whole Way, is a real health and fitness guru, and she has been kind enough to share some of her words of wisdom with us today. And now, heeeeere’s Wendy:

The day I woke up in 2002 and decided to live a healthier, happier, more productive life I knew I had to make four lifestyle changes:

1. Quit smoking (change unhealthy habits)
2. Eat real food in moderate amounts (lose weight, eat only what is sufficient to my/your body’s needs, get a decent balance of nutrients)
3. Get active (on a daily basis at whatever level is appropriate – start where you’re at)
4. Be mindful (show up for my/your life, pay attention to the choices I/you make)

These components are intertwined, moving in and around each other in varying patterns and shades and shapes. One cannot exist independent of the others, even when the relationships seem subtle.

It may feel easier or more manageable to create change in one of these areas at a time. And, that particular area may change over time, or even daily for that matter. Heck, it might even change from moment to moment. But, the reality is: each area has to come into focus in order to live a healthy lifestyle.

In my case, I took on the smoking, the daily activity, and the control of the elbow-bending at the same time because I could not figure out how to separate them. I was mindless about the mindfulness, though in hindsight, I see I did begin to incorporate this into my daily life about the same time.

Anyway, I quickly figured out that activity – yes, exercise – made losing the weight much easier and created changes in my body shape which I found desirable and rewarding. After reaching ‘goal weight’ (a concept which should be fluid, I believe), exercise allowed me to stay in that general weight vicinity and not obsess about daily food intake. It was a relief to not step on a scale for weeks on end, to not mentally calculate how much I was consuming of what, to remain mindful of my eating but not a slave to food.

As my eating habits began to change, regular activity took on a much more important role in my evolving lifestyle. Later on it became important enough that I changed careers, becoming a personal trainer and later took additional training to be a nutritional counselor.

So, what I am really wanting to tell you with this long story is this: you need to move!

You need to move regularly. If you aren’t already, you need to start. If you are already, you need to constantly challenge yourself by notching up the physical exertion expectation. You need to show up for your life, not waste another minute of a life which is precious, get your heart ticking a bit faster and move yourself into fitness.

I’m not going to spend time telling you why you need to move. You already know, well and good, that daily physical activity is necessary. I knew it when I started. I didn’t need to do research on why it was a good idea, I simply needed to drag my sorry backside out of bed early in the mornings and haul it around the block. The changes this created in my life, that was all the ‘research’ I needed.

Where to start? Well, where you’re at. Find where your level of conditioning, or deconditioning as the case may be, fits in to a continuum of daily activity and then do it – jump in, with both feet, a fierce heart, and a brave grin.

Build up your aerobic base by walking. Walk daily at 55 to 65% of your maximum heart rate (you can determine your maximum heart rate here and find out how to measure your heart rate here). Your distance will naturally increase as you gradually get into shape. When the walking becomes less of a challenge, try jogging or any other activity which takes your exertion level to 65 to 75% of your maximum. Build in recovery time (rest) from this level of intensity. Move on to running, or skating/swimming/biking at between 75 and 90% of your maximum heart rate.

Aerobically, and anaerobically, now you’re cooking. And I mean that literally! You have stoked a metabolic fire which will only help project you further into wellness and wellbeing.

Nonaerobic activity is important too. Strength training – using free weights or machines, body weight, and/or natural environments – and activities for balance and flexibility and mindfulness – like yoga and tai chi – are also integral to the landscape of your healthy lifestyle. Strength training will, among other things, reshape your slimming body, do outstanding things for your self confidence, shift your base metabolic rate into a higher gear, and amaze your friends and families.

Lifting weights or knowing what strength training exercises will best meet your needs can be daunting. I would be more than happy to answer questions and offer advice. You can post a question or send a private message to me at my blog and I will do my best to be of service.

So, if I were to lay it down briefly (which I could have done right at the beginning of this): the better your fitness level, the better your brain works, the better your body feels, the better your health outcomes, the better your life. What could be simpler?

Oh, and those four components I listed at the top? Well, I am making those changes and I love that it is always a work in progress!

Thank you Steve for allowing me to guest post on your blog and for being such an important part of this vital, thriving blog community-in-search-of-health. Blessed be.

Thank you Wendy.

You heard it folks – let’s be sure our Perfect 10 goals include getting up and moving!  Speaking of The Perfect 10 Challenge, you have signed up, haven’t you?  If not, what are you waiting on?

If you are looking for advice or assistance in your journey to healthiness, there is no better place to begin than a Health & Fitness Specialist like Wendy.  If you are in the market for this type of advice, you can reach Wendy via phone or email, both of which are available on her Contact Page.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 at 5:00 am by South Beach Steve.
Filed under: Articles, Exercise, General, Guest Post
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When I began my weight loss journey in July of 2008, one thing I wanted to be certain of is the permanency of my weight loss.  I wanted to follow a program that I could live with for life.  I wanted more than a diet.  All to often people begin a diet only to fail when they go back to eating like they have always eaten.  After all, eat like you have always eat, and you will be like you have always been, right?

When I think of long-term weight loss success, one name comes to mind immediately – Diane from Fit to the Finish.  If you haven’t been to Diane’s blog, you need to click over there as soon as you finish this post.  She has truly attained an amazing level of success, and is spending a great deal of her time now motivating others to achieve the same.

As we all look to our goals for the Perfect 10 Challenge, let’s be sure and keep the long term sustainability of our weight loss and fitness in mind, just like Diane has done.  Now, I’ll quit typing and let you enjoy a great post about this very topic from Diane herself:

I wanted to thank Steve for asking me to do this guest post! I’ve been so impressed by all Steve has accomplished. He’s almost into maintenance now, and as maintenance is on his mind, he kindly asked me to write about the importance of having a weight loss plan that can take you through the treacherous waters of beginning maintenance and into life forever.

Twelve years ago, before I lost 158 pounds, I had tried every diet on the market, from the Grapefruit Diet to much more reputable diets like Weight Watchers. If I lost at all, I’d lose the same 25 pounds over and over again. As soon as I stopped going to the meetings and started swinging back through McDonald’s drive-thru I’d regain my weight. Sometimes I felt like a yo-yo. Up to 300, back down to 275. Up to 300, back down to 280. It was a vicious cycle.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t alone. Most studies support the statistic that over 95% of people who lose weight will gain it back within 2 years. That’s depressing.

So when I decided to try one more time to lose my weight I knew I wanted to be in the 5%, not in the 95%. I lost weight using fat percentage, portion control, and exercise. I chose that method because I felt that those three things were reasonable for me to continue to keep track of even after I had lost all my weight. And fortunately for me, they were.

No matter what plan you are using right now to reduce your weight and improve your health I think it’s important to start thinking now about how you will continue with your plan after you reach your goal weight. Any plan will work as long as you follow it consistently. And any plan can take you through maintenance into life if you keep it up.

And that’s the key. You have to keep it up.

When I was losing that same 25 pounds over and over again using the Grapefruit Diet, I knew there was no way I could eat grapefruit unceasingly for the rest of my life, but I didn’t care. All I cared about was losing the weight. So even I wasn’t surprised when I gained it back.

Once I lost all my weight that final time, I had learned a lot of lessons. I learned how I always reacted emotionally with food. I learned that I really did enjoy exercise. And I learned that I liked being a size small rather than a size 3X.

But even more important than those lessons, I had learned how to eat properly to lose weight. So to maintain my weight, I kept eating exactly how I had been before, but added in just enough calories to maintain my weight and not lose anymore. I continued keeping the fat percentage in my diet low, allowed myself one portion at a time, and kept up with my reasonable exercise. I didn’t go overboard once the scale showed “I’m Done.” That was the key for me.

Whatever plan you use needs to be one that is sustainable. That’s why I love reading blogs of people like Steve and the rest of you, who aren’t doing some random, strange diet, but rather losing weight by eating healthy and exercising. Those types of plans are ones you can live with for the rest of your life.

And isn’t that what all this hard work of losing weight is all about? Living the rest of your life at a healthy weight! You can achieve your goals and stay in maintenance forever. I know Steve will, and I know you will too!

Diane, Fit to the Finish
Diane’s Before and After Pictures (click on the pictures to see the full image):

You heard it from one of the pillars in this weight loss community – be sure what you are doing is something that is sustainable.  As you think out your goals for The Perfect 10 Challenge, be sure those goals are geared toward sustainability.  After all, none of us will be happy reaching success and then falling back away.

If you haven’t joined in The Perfect 10 Challenge yet, what are you waiting on.  Get to it!  Let’s make 2010 one awesome year!

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41 Comments »
This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 29th, 2009 at 4:00 am by South Beach Steve.
Filed under: General, Goals, Guest Post, Pictures
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