Step 2 Weigh yourself regularly

Researchers who recently monitored more than 1,700 people for more than two years found those who weighed themselves daily were on average 14.3 lb (6.5 kg) lighter at the end than those who weighed themselves monthly. It's true and that's why I have placed it so high up the list of ten steps to take to lose weight as it works for me.

Look, weighing yourself is a personal choice. No one has to do anything, certainly not adults so if you chose to skip this step be my guest. I can only tell you that I found weighing-in daily has been extremely motivating for me. 

That's right, I weigh in every morning after my shower and breakfast and I note the weight in my pocket diary. Be the news good or bad I write it down.

If I had wine and nacho's the previous night I generally spot the effect on the weighing scales the next morning and they don't lie. Now armed with the fact that I put on weight I can make myself do something about it. I have two choices. I can up my calorie burn for the day or cut down my calorie intake. Maybe go for a longer than normal walk or jog for ten minutes or more? 

I know if I hadn't bothered with weighing myself daily and spotting the extra pound or two I would more than likely have been shocked to find at the end of the week that I was five or more pounds up. 

Alternatively, if I had a night of badness and saw no change in weight I would be thrilled with my escape and reinforce my will power to keep on the straight and narrow.  That night was a near miss. Maybe I'd eaten less earlier in the day and had room for the badness. 

I strongly recommend that you weigh daily but it's your choice. Remember weighing scales may be a crude measure of well being but it is the only piece of equipment that I believe you need. Plus you are doing this diet and weighing yourself for your reasons only and nobody else. 

Footnote - My Progress

Today I can report a very slight reduction but yesterday I fell for the classic portion size mistake. That is covered in step 6 in my plan - Use Smaller Plates. I grew up alongside three brothers and food was always a high priority for me. I loved my food and always cleared my plate and I used to hoover up any food off the other's plates. It was understandable back in the day when food was hard to come by and I was a blur of activity but now I'm a much older less active individual. I need to eat slowly and less. Lesson learned today. My failings occur because I'm like you, human and prone to weakness. No reason to give though. Off we go again!

My target is to lose 12 pounds and aiming for one pound per week.

First Practical Steps to losing weight - Step 1 of 10

Step 1 Get rid of the junk food

By that, I mean the treats, the pleasurable eats, the rewards for yourself that make life bearable. If you like them they are almost invariably bad for you. You know what they are. Eat, throw out or give away all the bad stuff. 

Leaving them in the home means there is just too much temptation for you to resist. For most of us, the most dangerous time of the day is the hours after 9:00 pm. It's about that time that I prowl around the house seeking forgotten bars of chocolate, yoghurts, cake slices or biscuits. 

It may take a day or two but just clear them out.  Remember if they are not there you can't eat them!

But life is not all about giving things up. Buy things that are good for you and eat them instead. Substitute bad stuff with good stuff. We each have very different tastes so my examples below of good food and drink substitutes that I like will differ from yours but you get the idea. 

Stop drinking wine or beer - replace with low-calorie soda water and martini

Stop eating bread and start eating crispbread - have it with low-fat cheese, tomatoes etc.

Think of examples for yourself.  

Set a Target and go for it. If this is your day one why not weigh yourself and write it down somewhere, just for yourself.  Now set a realistic target to aim for, say to lose a pound  a week. It has to be a target you are confident you can achieve. Only you know what you can do when you put your mind to it and to lose weight you definitely have to make it a priority task in your life. Up there in your Top 3. 

WARNING IMPORTANT - please check with your GP or doctor before making any changes to your diet and exercise levels. 

 Visit again tomorrow when I will introduce you to Rule 2 and thanks for reading my blog this far. 

Footnote - I have a target to lose 12 pounds and I'm starting today. I will post any changes honestly for each day until I achieve my target. I'm hoping for a pound off a week so lets see how I get along. Let me know how you are doing. You can message me if you prefer at markrice10@gmail.com

Good luck! 

You have to start somewhere and sometime - why not now?

Starting today I'm going to commit to losing weight naturally and sensibly over the coming days. If you want to do the same and need a few pointers, please join me on this journey to a healthy weight. 

I have done it before so I do know a way to a healthy weight.  It could work for you. You may want to tweak it a bit or just take some tips and ideas from here to help in your own battle of the bulge.

I will post daily a few tips because in my past I have lost three stone so I know what works and what doesn't. 

So here we are with a new year to enjoy and a single aim to lose weight.

Rather than re-invent the wheel I suggest you read this article by the best and most scientifically researched writer on weight loss Doctor Michael Mosley and over the coming days I will post more information to help us both get the weight loss we seek to reach a normal BMI or whatever weight that is correct for you. 

Click here for Dr Michael Mosley's article which he published in newspapers yesterday.

Welcome to my secret weight loss plan. I will be posting my own actual results but I won't state my weight, just my progress as I'm not really the point of this website. This blog is to help spread the good news of how you can lose weight normally by just altering your eating habits and upping your exercise level. 

Click on the FOLLOW button to be sure you get notified of my posts over the coming days 

So welcome onboard!