Set Goals When You Start A Walking Routine

By Wendy Bumgardner

It is time to commit yourself to better health, fitness, and a body you love. To make this a reality, we have tools you can use to help you build and keep your walking habit.

There are four facets to setting up a new habit for a lifetime.

• First, set clear and realistic goals.
• Second, keep yourself on a schedule so that the habit sticks.
• Third, monitor your progress and reward yourself for success.
• Fourth, keep it interesting.

How to Set Great Fitness Goals

The essentials of a good fitness goal are:

• Realistic: The goal should be challenging, but realistically achievable. Don't set you sights too low, but also don't set yourself up for failure.
• Measurable: Your goal should be stated in a way that can be measured. How many miles a week? How many pounds or inches to lose? What 10K distance time? Finishing a marathon by what date?
• Dated: Set dates by which you will attain the goal and intermediate goals along the way.
• Written down: Your goal should be made concrete so you can review it.
• Track your progress: Keep your goal in sight and see what steps you are making towards attaining it.
• Celebrate success: Along the way when you reach new milestones, it is time to celebrate. And when you achieve your overall goals, don't hold back - reward yourself.

Setting Realistic and Measurable Goals

You will have to know how fit you are now and what is possible.

For weight loss, do not set a goal of losing more than 1-2 pounds a week or 5-10 pounds a month, and plan for plateaus along the way. For increasing speed and distance, plan for increasing no more than 10-15% a week in order to prevent injury and allow muscles to repair and build.

Dating Your Goals

One of the best ways to set a date in concrete is to apply it to a major walking event.

If you want to be able to walk a certain distance or have a speed goal, find an upcoming walking event and register for it.  Not only will this make the goal concrete, it will also reward you for attaining it, especially if you register for an event at a great destination you've been wanting to visit.

Writing Down Your Goals

• You can note your goal on your paper or online calendar. On a paper calendar, this can be a simple note on the date. With an online calendar, set an automatic repeating reminder so you will be prompted to record your progress towards your goal.
• Your fitness tracker may have goal setting built into its app or online dashboard, such as with Fitbit. Take advantage of this function and use it to set and track your goals.
• You may prefer to use a goal-setting app, which will guide you so you create an achievable goal.

If you really want to lose the extra flab you can get help, I write 4 blogs and I’ve written two E-books. Read some of my other blog posts.

Gettingtoahealthyweight.wordpress.com

idropped40pounds.wordpress.com

howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com

blogonweight.blogspot.com

E-books are the easiest and cheapest way to learn about any subject without groping through hundreds of websites looking for the material you want.

My first e-book is “HowBadDoYouWantToLoseWeight” and it sells for $2.99 on most online bookstores like Amazon.com, BN.com, iBook, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, and Gardner books in the U.K.

My second e-book is available in the same stores. And on smashwords.com. If you use the Smashwords promotional code You can get my second book for $1.99 (TL96R). Just type in the search line “getting to a healthy weight”.

Do You Want To Be Thin?

Some people believe "if I just lose a little weight, I can be thin too". Well, I never found it that easy. I guess I learned the hard way. I was always a little heavy. Even back in High School I was what my family called chubby. After I finished school I worked as a truck driver unloading the truck by hand at every stop I made, usually about 40 stops a day. After about 5 years I changed to a construction worker. I did heavy construction, steel and concrete for bridges and tunnels, the money was better and I had a family to think about.

Both the jobs were hard work and I lost about 10 pounds without trying. I was just burning several thousand calories a day. I was 6 foot tall and weighed about 172. After I left contruction and bought a small business, I started to gain weight. I was 32 years old and the next 5 years following I gained about 20 pounds, and before I was 40, I weighed about 220 pounds.

Everyone I knew had noticed and I started to feel self-conscious.  I knew I had to lose weight. I had settled into a lifestyle of self-indulgence. Finally I joined a Health Club. It was a complete gym with machines, running track, aerobics classes, a separate room for weight lifters, a pool, jacuzzi, steam room and expansive locker room with towels provided.

I did get a lot of exercise but I didn't lost much weight and after a few years I stopped going. Like most people I was pretty discouraged through out my 40's and then after I sold my business I finally got serious about losing weight.

So the reason I'm writing about myself is because I want you to know that my battle with my weight went on for more than 20 years. But yes I did win the battle because I never quit. I weight 165 today after more then 30 years of trying to lose weight. I reached my goal now and just work on maintaining my weight. And even maintaining is a battle, an everyday battle of watching my calories and exercising. I have no regrets, the exercise has made me a healthier person and staying thin in my senior years lets me be active. I ride a bike, swim, walk a lot, I do yoga and weight train twice a week.

Being thin can be challenging, for some people it comes easy. Their born with the right genes and they can process food without absorbing the fat. Others like me have to work at it. But if I would have taken some advice when I was younger it might have been easier.

I always thought I could do it the easy way. "I'll diet for a few weeks and I'll be thin and ready for the summer." That was a pipe dream, it never happened. Sure, it's easy to drop 5 or 10 pounds, but in a couple weeks it comes right back. I wasn't serious about my weight, oh sure I wanted to lose weight, but doing what was necessary never happened.

I didn't get serious until I started to feel sluggish, I was tired in the afternoon, my joints started to ache and walking became a chore. My whole adult life I was in denial about my weight and maybe that was because it didn't bother me to be overweight. Then you get older and you start to feel the affects of carrying around the extra pounds, but your still in denial and think the aches and pains are because your getting older but it's not, it's from carrying around the extra weight and because you aren't active enough it's getting harder to carry the extra weight and your heart is starting to strain under the extra work it has to do.

I think I wrote about this before, but being a little over-weight isn't going to keep you from living a healthy life. You can be just as healthy as a thin person if you do regular exercise. If your not exercising your heart will wear down from the extra strain. Extra weight causes extra strain on your heart and at the later years of middle age your heart can start to give you trouble. So actually, if your an overweight person, exercise is more important.

Carrying extra fat especially in the waistline is the hardest fat to lose,  and it's the most dangerous to your heart. I don't really understand why, but most of us start to put on the extra pounds in our thirties and forties. Like me though, we don't work at losing it until it starts to cause problems. By that time you can lose the ambition to lose fat and that's probably why you see so many seniors overweight.

If you truly want to be thin, you want to do something about it when your young enough to have motivation to make the hard choices and get into the exercise routine before it becomes too hard on your body. It's only recently that studies have shown us that extra inches around your waist will shorten your life. The bigger your waist, the shorter your life. Do something about your weight now, while you still have the motivation.

If you really want to lose the extra flab you can get help, I write 4 blogs and I’ve written two E-books. Read some of my other blog posts.

Gettingtoahealthyweight.wordpress.com

idropped40pounds.wordpress.com

howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com

blogonweight.blogspot.com

E-books are the easiest and cheapest way to learn about any subject without groping through hundreds of websites looking for the material you want.

My first e-book is “HowBadDoYouWantToLoseWeight” and it sells for $2.99 on most online bookstores like Amazon.com, BN.com, iBook, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, and Gardner books in the U.K.

My second e-book is available in the same stores. And on smashwords.com. If you use the Smashwords promotional code You can get my second book for $1.99 (TL96R). Just type in the search line “getting to a healthy weight”.

Diet Buddies

Yes, there is such a thing as a "diet buddy". When someone has a hard time sticking to a diet, after quitting your diet several times, you might be tempted to look for someone to give you "moral support". I know it sounds like a good idea but the success ratio is pretty bad. I know that sounds discouraging but it's the truth.

A blogger on WordPress that I try to read pretty often wrote about this very subject and at the end of her post it said, "If you're looking for that special someone to give you the encouragement to stick with it, simply look in the mirror." Wow, real words of wisdom.

I think by this time you have probably guessed that I'm not in favor of "diet buddies" or "exercise buddies". For some unknown reason we never seem to pick the right person and after a few weeks, they are finding excuses not to show up or not to continue "being there for you". Or worst of all, they are the one that ends up needing all the moral support and you're getting nothing. Your partner doesn't even know how to give support and you end up totally involved in all their problems. Like you don't have enough to think about.

I tried to go that route many years ago and gave up looking for a partner I could put up with. When it comes to moral support or finding someone you can depend on, you either have to pay someone, like a life coach, or be your own best friend. If you're the one who wants to slim down, become fit and have that body you have always dreamed about, it's only you that has to muster up the determination to change your life. You have to forget about all the foods you like and the things you like to do when you're not working. Because for a few months you'll have to concentrate on living a healthy life.

This means that you might have to do some homework. You'll have to learn about "living healthy". Fortunately, we have the internet now, and all the information you need is on the internet. Healthy eating is the most important part, exercise alone won't get you to your goal. But after you straighten out your diet, you'll have to find an exercise routine to strengthen your muscles and help you burn more body fat.

Living a healthy, active lifestyle means you'll need to change your routine. Change what you eat, how much time you spend sitting or reclining and even how much your sleeping. You'll have to pay more attention to your bodies needs. I'm sure you have seen those slim, trim people playing Tennis or Golf and wish you had the time for that. Living an active, healthy life means you have to get organized and make time for "being active". And it also means that you have to learn what it means to "eat healthy". Your body fat is robbing you of energy, the energy to live a healthy life. Lose your fat and you'll feel 10 years younger.

I write several blogs and e-books, check out some of my other sites.

gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books.
There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBook, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.
My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.

An Inspirational Story

All it take is willpower to lose weight and the story following is an example of what you can accomplish when you set your mind to it.

Have you seen the story of this 50 year old woman who was brutally fat shamed in a department store by some rude skinny lady?

For years this woman struggled to lose weight yet NOTHING worked.

P90X, Atkins, Zumba, Beach Body, Gluten Free, Cross Fit… NOTHING worked.

And the last straw was when she was brutally fat shamed in the shopping mall while hoping to find a pair of pants she could fit into.

It was in that moment she began her quest to not just LOSE the weight - but to get HOT.

And one year later…

She dropped an incredible 41 pounds!  And she didn’t just lose weight… instead she got a tight, toned body with that sleek sexy muscular looking stomach.

Get this…

She did this ALL without EVER stepping foot in a gym or without some crazy diet, or using pills or surgery.

Lose weight and keeping it off is about changing your life and becoming a new person. A person who is going to forget everything they know about eating and exercise and do it right this time.  To re-shape your body and get hot you have to start training like a pro athlete.

If you really want to lose the extra flab you can get help, I write 4 blogs and I’ve written two E-books. Read some of my other blog posts.

Gettingtoahealthyweight.wordpress.com

idropped40pounds.wordpress.com

howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com

blogonweight.blogspot.com

E-books are the easiest and cheapest way to learn about any subject without groping through hundreds of websites looking for the material you want.

My first e-book is “HowBadDoYouWantToLoseWeight” and it sells for $2.99 on most online bookstores like Amazon.com, BN.com, iBook, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, and Gardner books in the U.K.

My second e-book is available in the same stores. And on smashwords.com. If you use the Smashwords promotional code You can get my second book for $1.99 (TL96R). Just type in the search line “getting to a healthy weight”.

It's Christmas Eve in Texas

I found out today that I have readers in the Netherlands and now I can add you to the list of countries that follow my blog. I'm really surprised after 8 years of writing 4 different blogs how many readers I have amassed. I write these blogs for fun, I get nothing out of it but because I found success in my weight loss venture, I thought I should write about it. Let those know that it's not hopeless and that anyone can lose weight.

I know there will be sacrifice. You do have to change the way you live. I have to live every day like I'm in training. I decided that from now on I would be more active, and eat a proper diet that would help me burn my body fat. I know now that no one can totally avoid all the foods they love, but until you achieve that slimmer, trimmer body you want you have to sacrifice just like a pro athlete training for the Superbowl or a big title fight.

I weighed about 220 pounds several years ago and now I'm 155. I reduced my body fat to about 20% and I have all the energy of someone 20 years younger. We don't realize what extra weight can do to your body, your health, and your mind. Yes, I know I look my age but you don't have to feel as old as you look. Yes, the weather takes a toll on your skin and you can do something about that today if you want. That's an option I don't care to do. But you don't have to feel your age. You can turn back the clock and stop your body from aging just by keeping in shape.

Your diet plays a big part of staying in shape. Cancer is a real threat to all of us and medical science is spending millions of dollars every year in research trying to find a cure, but the real cure can be found in your diet. Excess body fat increases your chances for cancer, I read that in a newsletter but why is that? When you add weight as an adult you're adding body fat so your blood vessels have to grow in length to accommodate your growing body and because you're not a child any longer it's more difficult to grow these blood vessels.

Your heart has to pump blood to all these new fat cells to keep them alive. I believe when these fat cells aren't getting enough blood to stay alive they become Cancerous.

So what's the answer, Don't add weight to your body after you are fully grown, usually between 18 and 21 years of age. Naturally, there are several other way you get Cancer. Like smoking, but all of the ways involve cells in your body that are dying for one reason or another.

People ,in general, will eat food that they like, regardless of the health consequences. We forget that eating food is to fuel our bodies and give us strength, eating is not for pleasure. Eating is a necessary part of survival just like walking. It's just not enough North American do enough walking to help their bodies.

Lose your fat and stay healthy and you'll be a much happier person. 

If you really want to lose the extra flab you can get help, I write 4 blogs and I’ve written two E-books. Read some of my other blog posts.

Gettingtoahealthyweight.wordpress.com

idropped40pounds.wordpress.com

howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com

blogonweight.blogspot.com

E-books are the easiest and cheapest way to learn about any subject without groping through hundreds of websites looking for the material you want.

My first e-book is “HowBadDoYouWantToLoseWeight” and it sells for $2.99 on most online bookstores like Amazon.com, BN.com, iBook, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, and Gardner books in the U.K.

My second e-book is available in the same stores. And on smashwords.com. If you use the Smashwords promotional code You can get my second book for $1.99 (TL96R). Just type in the search line “getting to a healthy weight”.

Eat Breakfast Twice

Have you ever heard that before? Eat breakfast twice. It turns out that if you want to lose weight you should eat most of your daily calories in the morning and before 1:00 p.m. After that eat light. If you eat your big meals first they have more time to work through your digestive system and you stay full through the afternoon and snack less.

I didn't believe it at first so I had to try it.  I'm always up early so I eat breakfast around 7:00. I work out next so my first breakfast is mostly liquid. I make a big protein shake with a banana, yogurt, protein powder, and almond milk. Than I'm on my laptop for a couple hours and about 10:00 I'm ready to eat again. I sometimes eat a bowl of oatmeal and wheat toast or sometimes an omelette with ham and spinach. Than back to work for a couple more hours and by that time it's after 12 and time for lunch. I try to have my hot meal for lunch.

For me it's pretty easy because I work from home, but I found an alternative. I was in the supermarket one day and while passing through the deli section I noticed these small meals that were healthy and fresh and make in the store every day. For $4 or $5 I could buy a healthy meal that wasn't frozen and I could warm it up in the microwave in a couple minutes.

After trying these meals, I discovered that I could buy these dinners made fresh on the internet and have them sent to my house. If your single and eat out often, this is a better option. Restaurant it's that healthy, and if you find a restaurant with a healthy menu it's usually expensive. A healthy low-calorie meal that come ready to eatand cost less than $10 is better than eating out in my opinion.

In the afternoon I have an apple and for dinner about 6 p.m. I usually eat a small sandwich on wheat bread and maybe another piece of fruit. Cutting calories is about eating healthy and stop drinking calories. We drink hundreds of calories every day and we don't even realize it.

Try it, stick to healthy food and try to walk more every day and you will burn more body fat after your body adjusts to this new way of eating.

If you really want to lose the extra flab you can get help, I write 4 blogs and I’ve written two E-books. Read some of my other blog posts.

Gettingtoahealthyweight.wordpress.com

idropped40pounds.wordpress.com

howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com

blogonweight.blogspot.com

E-books are the easiest and cheapest way to learn about any subject without groping through hundreds of websites looking for the material you want.

My first e-book is “HowBadDoYouWantToLoseWeight” and it sells for $2.99 on most online bookstores like Amazon.com, BN.com, iBook, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, and Gardner books in the U.K.

My second e-book is available in the same stores. And on smashwords.com. If you use the Smashwords promotional code You can get my second book for $1.99 (TL96R). Just type in the search line “getting to a healthy weight”.

Why Diets Fail

Most people don’t think of their weight loss journey as a math problem. But in many ways, it is. To lose weight, you need to calculate your energy balance equation, then change the numbers to create weight loss. If you can get your numbers to tilt in the right direction, you’ll slim down and keep the pounds off for good. The reason diets fail is pretty simple. I had to start by knowing what my energy output was. Most people that want to lose weight don't know how many calories their body burns and that's why they fail. The "Energy Balance Equation" is a way you can determine your calorie burn and thus determine how many calories to eat and lose weight.

Most of us make the mistake of just cutting back on food and thinking we can lose weight. Not so, you have to eat about 500 calories a day less than you burn. So you have to start with the number of calories you burn or your "energy output" then you'll know how many calories you can eat.

What is the Energy Balance Equation?

Energy balance is simply the relationship between your energy input and your energy output.

The complete energy equation looks like this:

Energy balance = energy input – energy output

It doesn't look very complicated, does it? But you may not have the numbers to do the math. So to figure out your energy balance you need to gather some important information.

How to Calculate Energy Input

We input energy when we eat. The food we consume provides calories. Calories are simply a unit of energy or heat. The food we eat and the drinks we consume provide different amounts of energy. Protein and carbohydrate each provide 4 calories per gram, and fat provides 9 calories per gram.

So how do you know your energy input number? Count the number of calories you eat each day. You can do it with a simple downloadable food diary or you can use a popular calorie counting app like CalorieCount. A typical woman may consume anywhere from 1200 to 2500 calories per day. That's a pretty big range. To get the most accurate number for you, track your calories for at least a week.

There is a new device that counts calories for you, you wear it on your wrist like a watch and it monitors your glucose and gives you a very accurate account of the total calories you eat in a 24 hour period and breaks it down to the amount of protein, carbs and fats you consumed. Look for the device on the internet, it only has one purpose, it doesn't tell time or do anything else. It has no face, it sends all the info to your smartphone. The Website is "HealBe.com", the device is a "GoBe". If you want a device that counts the calories for you and there's no input on your part this unit might be for you.

How to Calculate Energy Output

Energy output happens when your body uses energy. We often refer to this as "burning” calories. Even when you’re sleeping, your body uses energy to perform basic functions like breathing and circulating blood. The rate at which your body burns calories at rest is called your basal metabolic rate (BMR).

BMR makes up roughly 60-75% of the total number of calories you burn each day.

You also expend energy during activities of daily living, like washing dishes or shopping, and of course, through physical exercise. These activities make up about 15-30% of your total calorie burn each day. The last 5-10% of calories are burned through the thermic effect of food when you eat and digest meals and snacks.

There are different ways to calculate the number of calories you burn each day. Many people combine one or two methods to determine the most accurate number. I used a quick easy website "my-calorie-counter.com". It tells you what your BMR is and how many calorie you can eat to lose weight. It's not the only site, so use more than one site to check the number they give you.

Calculate Your Energy Balance Equation

If your energy input and your energy output are perfectly balanced, you won’t lose weight. A perfect energy balance creates a stable weight. To change your weight you need to tip the scales so that they are no longer balanced.

A positive energy balance occurs when your energy input is greater than your energy output. That is, you eat more calories than your body needs. Your body stores excess energy or calories as fat.

This results in weight gain.

Weight gain = energy input > energy output

Weight loss occurs when you create a negative energy balance. That is, you burn more calories than you consume. When this imbalance occurs, your body burns stored energy (fat) in order to function and you lose weight. A negative energy balance is sometimes called a calorie deficit.

Weight loss = energy input < energy output

When you evaluate your own energy balance, it's best to get the numbers as accurate as possible. Small differences in energy input and energy output can make a big difference in your weight.

The Energy Balance Equation for Weight Loss

So if weight loss is just a simple equation, then why is it so difficult to lose weight? Because there are many factors that affect both your energy input and your energy output. Things like your medical status, age, and mood affect your energy balance equation every day. Weight loss is a simple equation, but finding the right balance requires a little bit more work.

If you are at the beginning of your weight loss journey, or if you are questioning your current diet and exercise plan, the energy balance equation is a perfect place to start. You don't need to buy fancy tools or invest in an expensive weight loss program. Try to make some changes on your own. Evaluate the factors that affect your caloric intake and caloric output. You have control over some factors (like activity level) and no control over others (age, gender). Simply change what you can to tilt the scales of your energy balance equation and reach your weight loss goals.

If you really want to lose the extra flab you can get help, I write 4 blogs and I’ve written two E-books. Read some of my other blog posts.

Gettingtoahealthyweight.wordpress.com

idropped40pounds.wordpress.com

howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com

blogonweight.blogspot.com

E-books are the easiest and cheapest way to learn about any subject without groping through hundreds of websites looking for the material you want.

My first e-book is “HowBadDoYouWantToLoseWeight” and it sells for $2.99 on most online bookstores like Amazon.com, BN.com, iBook, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, and Gardner books in the U.K.

My second e-book is available in the same stores. And on smashwords.com. If you use the Smashwords promotional code You can get my second book for $1.99 (TL96R). Just type in the search line “getting to a healthy weight”.