So, the other week I lost a pound. I was pretty excited about it. But I would never tell anyone (except you) about it because they'd scrunch up their eyebrows and say, "Just one?"
Progress can and should be slow. Do you have any idea what it takes to lose a pound of fat? We are talking about fat here. Not water or other fluids, and certainly not muscle. Just the fat.
Let's just say for the sake of illustration that you burn 300 calories in your 45 minute cardio session. You would need to do almost 12 sessions to burn that pound. I know!
I made a tiny observation one night while I was killing time on the elliptical (which after only 10 minutes makes my feet go to sleep?)...everyone around me was carrying a lot of extra adipose tissue. Yep, fat.
All the runners on the treadmills, all the people on the ellipticals, the bikes and even those cross elliptical/stepper things. I have two theories about my observation. First, most of them were working at a very high intensity. Second, I question whether they are paying attention to the most important factor in losing that measly one pound.
Working at a high intensity brings us into an anaerobic state, one where we aren't efficiently burning fat for fuel. So while they may be burning more overall calories, they're not burning fat. There are pros and cons to this. Just an observation.
The most important factor in losing that one pound? What happens in the kitchen. You could say I'm committed to what happens in the kitchen. I have to question the average exerciser though. And I know it's hard. That's why they're not losing the one pound.
You can cut down the time it take to lose that pound by combining exercise and diet. What a concept! Maybe I'll write a book! But really, it works and most people don't do it.
Be proud of that pound you lost, I know it took a lot of work! I'm certainly proud of the one I lost, and there are many more where that one came from ;) Don't discount what it takes to lose just one pound.
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