Here is today's run.
Outdoors, I might add 😀. I loved every minute of it. Running is a gift beyond words.
Many people start running to lose weight but are unable to do so. What probably happens is that when you are running you are using more glucose than fat. Be that as it may, from everything I've read (and can confirm from my own experience), body weight will not come off without following this basic principle:
Don't drink carbohydrates or sweeteners.
This obviously applies to all soft drinks (even if the word "diet" is in the name) as well as all fruit juices. Drinking a Pepsi or some grape juice is going to make you build body fat instead of take it off. Even "natural" fruit juices are loaded with sugar. Substitute water for all calorie-laden drinks.
Of course, we should also cut out fatty foods like cookies and chips. Sugar-sweetened drinks and highly processed foods are dragons that simply must be slayed. Weight loss always begins in the kitchen. On the other hand, while exercise is important, vigorous physical activity is not associated with significant weight loss. What we eat/drink plays a much bigger role than exercise in taking weight off and keeping it off. Running and walking, as well as weight training, are in my opinion the best ways to keep off any pounds you lose through a healthy diet.
Recently I committed myself to cutting out all drinks except for water and occasionally some chocolate milk after a run. I began by acknowledging my sugar addiction. Having been off all sugar drinks for over a month now, today I decided to take a sip of some Welches grape juice I had in the refrigerator. It tasted horrible. It was way too sweet. It's been easier to cut out sodas since I wasn't drinking any sodas at home. Honestly, I don't think I'd enjoy the taste of a Pepsi any more.
By the way, if you're a male, don't expect to lose your belly fat quickly. Men tend to lose fat from the circumference inwards. In other words, you will lose excess fat in your arms, legs, and even face before you begin to see results in your belly. This will require a great deal of patience and perseverance.
Oh, and one more tip. As Americans, we tend to eat large quantities of food that have lots of calories but tend to be of poor quality. Cooking at home has been replaced by convenience and fast food. I am discovering, for the first time in my life, the art and joy preparing my own healthy meals at home. Expect to see some of my home-made concoctions in the coming months.
Now let's see if I can follow my own advice.