Today we are going to close the first two weeks with the acquisition of two very important new habits that are going to change your life. Up to now I expect you have taken the decision or embracing the Mediterranean Diet or at least another similar balance diet as Gicelle has done. She is following the South Beach Diet, which is a version of the Med Diet to weight loss, very similar to the plan I am proposing to you. Anyway, Mediterranean Diet should be adopted forever. The only thing you have to change is the type of food you have. Not everybody that follows the Med Diet is trying to lose weight. Actually, when you follow this Lifestyle, you forget that these problems ever existed. This is why the South Beach Diet is just for a limited period of time.

The two new habits I bring to you are:

1) Walk in any occasion you have and use the stairs, not the elevator. These actions, repeated day after day, week after weeks and years after years, will probably extend your life for more than a decade.

2) Start the day doing a easy abdominals activity. Every day, after waking up and going to the toilet, go back to the bed and do the legs exercises in the picture as many times as you can. In a few weeks, you will be able to reach 300-400 repetitions. You put your limits. You don’t have to do many different exercises. Just the one in the picture. And the legs do not have necessarily to be completely stretched to produce results. This is also an aerobic practice that will bring fresh air to your lungs.

This habit will keep your waist thin and will make all the muscles around stronger. Your belly will become flat. This prevents many other disorders. Everybody knows how dangerous is the abdominal fat, how it clogs the arteries, hurts the heart and leads to worse atherosclerosis. The exercises also prevents inguinal hernia. (Go to the doctor immediately if you suspect you might have this problem)

Of course, you can do a more intense o complete set of exercises. The problem is that we generally don’t find the time for them or abandon the practice after a few days. This small daily habit is easy, fast and rewarding. Once you get it, you won’t abandon it.

You will become easily addicted to both practices.

Photograph courtesy Philip Greenspun

There are many diets but all of them would be a waste of time and money if you do not follow them. Or even worse. You can lose your health or your life trying to lose weight in an inadequate way or too fast.

If you obesity is severe, go to the doctor. Period.

If you want to reduce a few pounds, change your eating habits. You don’t have to eat less. You have to eat different. It is very important that you never feel hungry.

Steps:

1) Information about the risks of obesity
2) Information about the nutrients
3) Determination. You decide firmly to get slimmer
4) Action




Have a good breakfast . Tea or coffee. Skimmed milk. No sugar, no sweeteners. Very soon you will hate the sweetness in the drink. Do you put sugar in the water? If you don’t, why do you need it in the tea?. Avoid all type of manufactured refreshments. 99,99% are full of sugar or artificial sweeteners. Drink natural orange juice. I drink the juice of two lemons just getting up in the morning. Immediately I wash my mouth in order not to harm the teeth. My stomach complained at the beginning buy two or three days later it was stronger.

Start the day with fresh fruit. Pineapple, oranges, pears, strawberries, etc.

If you like eggs, have eggs. But use a trick. Make them in specials pans with only a drop of olive oil. Eat three or four white of eggs and one yolk. Or make an omelet with them. If you like bread, two ounces will do. More? Have grilled fresh fish. I assure you that after that you will work all the morning trough without feeling hungry. Drink as much water as you can.

Take a few apples in your bag. When your stomach has been relieved from all the morning stuff, eat as many apples as you want. If you wash them in the morning, you can eat them unpeeled.

At work, avoid elevators. Walk up and down. Don’t phone you colleges. Visit them in their offices. Keep moving. If you are a bricklayer, a carpenter, a plumber or a peasant, you probably won’t have obesity problems.

After work, do some exercise. Go to the gym, jog, walk instead of taking the car, the bus or the tube.

In the afternoon, at six or seven, eat boiled vegetables, salads, more grilled fish or grilled chicken breast. The quantity… as you like..

Make love. As much as possible. Or order your things. Or look after the garden. Or go dancing… but drink water. Don’t seat to watch television and all the food rubbish that they advert. It will go to your subconscious.

Before going to bed, a glass of skimmed milk or a piece of fruit. Love again? Why not?

Be patient. Control you weight once a week, NOT EVERYDAY. Keep a log. Be prepared to be like that a few months. When you feel happy, follow the normal Mediterranean Diet but keeps the good habits that you have acquired. From time to time you will be able to enjoy a delicious dessert . It will be even more delicious with “dry”(not sweet) coffee or milk.

Cropped and resized picture of one of the most famous photographers in the world, Philip Greenspun.