We’ve added a few tweaks to the site this weekend. We have a Tools page which will feature online calculators and other stuff to help you in your weight loss. On the sidebars, we’ve added a few RSS feeds which should be of interest to both men and women in our readership. In coming weeks, we’ll be adding a few new features to the site including interviews.

And for anyone who may have been wondering if I will get into my boxers and pose for some photos for the site, the answer is mercifully no. Maybe for an “after” shot. But not now. No way. Not everyone can look as sexy as David Fowler in such poses. Hell, he’s already got fans in the comments section!

Anyway, on with my post for this week.

It took me two weeks, but I’ve finally decided to lay out my weight loss plan. For those that didn’t catch my first post, my goal is to lose 100 pounds within a year. To do so, I need a plan in place like my BlogToFit cohorts, Tara and David.

Truth is, I’ve been winging it the past two weeks, but I should know better. Winging it is what led to weight loss failure in the past. While it might work for others, I’m the sort that works better with discipline and rules in place.

My plan isn’t all that fancy. However, I’m of the belief that keeping it simple will work so long as I stick to some sort of decent plan.

So here’s how I’m starting off:

Exercise

I’m going to walk twice a day for at least 45 minutes each time. This should keep my metabolism up and burn calories. Once I get out there and build up some stamina, I’m going to incorporate some weight training into my plan.

Meals

I’ll eat five smaller meals throughout the day. This is contrary to my normal eating habits which include eating two meals and a snack per day. Despite my best intentions, the results have been disastrous. I eat well during the early part of the day, but come nighttime, I am craving calories. That’s when I do the most damage.

From now on, I’ll eat smaller portions during the day, just enough food to keep me going, but not enough to make me feel stuffed.

Snacks

I have a sweet tooth. I love ice cream, cookies, brownies – and if you have a dish which combines all three, I‘m there with bells on!

I’ve tried going cold turkey without sweets in the past but that doesn’t work for me. I wind up feeling deprived and the next thing I know, I’m scooping fistfuls of ice cream into my mouth, sprinkles, jimmies, and chocolate all over my face looking every bit like my 19 month old son.

I could say that I’ll simply eat smaller portions of ice cream, but you and I both know I’d be lying. There are some foods that I simply have no self control with. Ice cream is one of them.

From now on, snacks will consist of fruits and nuts, for the most part. I’m not saying I’ll never eat “good stuff”, I just won’t eat it regularly.

Chocolate fix

Sometimes, fruit won’t cut it, though.

I recently discovered a great snack to satisfy my craving for chocolate – semi-sweet chocolate chips. Yeah, the kind you use to make chocolate chip cookies.

A few weeks ago, it was late at night, and I needed something sweet. We were all out of snacks, though. Then I discovered a bag of chocolate chips hiding in the baking section of our pantry. I felt like an alcoholic drinking mouthwash, but I opened up the bag and dug in.

I was surprised that it only took a handful or two of chips to satisfy my craving without packing too heavy a calorie punch.

Tip: They‘re even better when they’re frozen.

Water

This will be the tough part. I prefer my water to be colored, carbonated, full of chemicals I can’t pronounce, much less spell, and flavored with artificial sweeteners – in other words, diet soda.

I’m not giving up diet soda just yet. I have to have one vice! But I will also start drinking water, which is not only a healthier alternative, but is far cheaper! I’ve read in a few places that drinking ice cold water helps to burn a few extra calories as your body works to warm the water up. All the better because I love my drinks on the verge of freezing.

This is my plan so far. I’m sure I’ll be modifying it as I progress.

Question for the day: What healthy snack helps sate your cravings?

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