Article 22: Should You Not Exercise While Losing Weight? The Author's Counterintuitive Advice

Secondly, don't deliberately exercise.

For me, it's impossible to control my diet and exercise at the same time. If you already enjoy exercising, you don't need to stop, but if you think you can burn off the extra calories you eat through exercise, I advise you to abandon that idea as soon as possible. The key is to control your diet at the next meal and the one after that if you overeat at one meal.

Furthermore, improper exercise can easily lead to hunger. It's even more unwise to think that exercising allows you to eat more. If you're using exercise as an excuse to exceed your recommended calorie intake, you might as well not exercise at all.

Many people may be told, "If you only control your diet without exercising, you'll only burn muscle, not fat. Your basal metabolic rate will decrease, so isn't that bad for your health?"

It's okay. If you can really limit your calorie intake to within the recommended range, you'll definitely lose weight. Save those worries for the next step in your weight loss journey.

This record-keeping weight loss method is designed to help you lose 10 kilograms in a short period. Such a rapid weight loss can put a significant strain on the body, and exercise should be avoided during this time.

In my experience, after significant weight loss, even people who dislike exercise will want to do some. I used to be extremely reliant on escalators, but when I reached 80 kg, I didn't hesitate to start walking up and down the stairs. My waist and legs, which used to bear 117 kg of weight, now naturally feel incredibly light. It's perfectly fine to start exercising after losing weight.

When you've lost weight and feel like getting some exercise, incorporating light activity into your weight loss plan is sufficient. My conclusion is: don't exercise while trying to lose weight!

Third, and most importantly, keep good records.

The essence of the record-keeping weight loss method lies in "keeping a record," while calorie restriction is secondary. Therefore, instead of forcing yourself to strictly adhere to calorie restriction values, you should first and foremost keep a record while restricting your calorie intake.

The weight loss journey you're creating for yourself right now-the records of "run-up," "lifting off the ground," and "ascending"-is closely linked to your future confidence. It's not just a personal record of weight and diet; it's a source of motivation and encouragement that will help you persevere.

Failure in the diet-tracking method is not due to overeating. Even if you exceed the standard of 1,500 kcal today, it is only "the result of this day" and does not mean that the diet has failed.

The real failure is not keeping a record of what you eat, rather than eating too much.

Key points for the third stage of the record-keeping weight loss program, "Upward":

① Record your weight and body fat percentage every day, and write down everything you eat and calculate the total calories.

②Determine your daily total calorie intake based on your age and gender, and then follow the recommendations.

③ You don't need to regret or reflect on eating too much; the extra calories will be returned starting the next day.

④ Drink 2 liters of water every day.

This chapter will explain "cruising".

The word "cruising" originally referred to the power generated by airplanes, ships, or rowing races, meaning a force that can be sustained without effort. For example, we often say, "The cruising speed of a car is 60 kilometers per hour."

You might become obsessed with limiting your daily calorie intake to under 1500 kcal. "What should I eat next?" "Did I exceed my calorie limit last meal?" These are the kinds of questions that keep running through your mind all day.

In particular, consistently keeping a daily record and limiting your calorie intake to within the recommended range is crucial. When you can accomplish all of this effortlessly, you've entered the cruising phase.

Soon, you'll experience the "changes on the 75th day".

Two and a half months, or 75 days, after starting to restrict calorie intake, a huge change will occur in your physical condition.

Of course, depending on differences in diet and lifestyle, such changes may not necessarily occur on day 75. However, this is precisely the period when your body is suppressing its resistance to weight loss.

Let me start with my own experience.

Two months passed after I started restricting my calorie intake.

My weight is still decreasing, but it's become a given. At first, I was so happy that I would secretly smile every time I saw myself, but then I thought: how could I not lose weight if I only eat 1500 kcal a day? However, when the weight loss slows down a little, I worry that I've hit a plateau.

During this period, I suddenly felt a strong hunger, which would occur once a day, with the feeling of emptiness and a sense of loss attacking me at the same time.

Upon reflection, this makes perfect sense. Having lost weight so easily, my visceral fat had reached its limit, forcing my body to burn subcutaneous fat. My body began to sense the crisis of survival and used every means to hinder my desire and actions to continue losing weight.

The first sensation is intense hunger, just like the symptoms experienced after forcibly quitting smoking or drinking.

Furthermore, insufficient calorie intake disrupts the body's physiological balance, including hormones, leading to restlessness, lack of energy, and low mood.

I used to excitedly check the calorie count of every item at the convenience store, but now standing in front of the snack aisle makes me want to cry. I can't eat this, I can't eat that, I'll never be able to eat anything like this in my life. I can't eat most of what's sold here. What's the point of living like this?