To become healthy and trim, there are a lot of parts that must harmoniously fit together. Behold, the beginning of a beautiful friendship: Zwift and weight loss. Zwift started as a way for cyclists to train through the winter, and the some use it for racing and high performance training. However, Zwift is also a powerful tool for weight loss.

How long have you fought that tummy without results? Sit-ups accomplished nothing? Carb-free diets fail? The high fat diet? Fad diets are insane, even dangerous. Yet, we blame ourselves when it fails. Failure is almost never caused by a lack of desire. Usually, failure happens because something is missing in the diet and exercise plan.

The main driving force of weight loss is exercise. Every diet without exercise is going to fail at some point. Or worse, it will make you ill and malnourished. Losing weight is not about starvation, eating excessive amounts of celery, obsessive calorie counting, or prepackaged foods. (My neighbor bought a prepackaged diet, and fed her supply to the squirrels. They wouldn’t eat it either.)

Zwift cycling and running can take you where you need to be, so let’s lay the foundation to a healthy you. This is article is one in a series on weight loss. This series will focus on preparation for our start, a program to begin weight loss, maintaining our weight, and tips for overall health and fitness.

Prepare for Liftoff

Set a Date

I will post another article before we start this journey in earnest. Pick a day when you can set aside enough time to have a successful start with two hours set aside in the morning. Not a two hour workout, just two hours free and clear to start the day right.

Be Reasonable

Our goals, expectations, and schedule should be what we can do, not based on an ad. Don’t schedule four hour daily workouts or half marathons with some unreachable high weekly goal. I would suggest a six day schedule with one day as an off day. Notice, I did not say inactive. If you schedule morning workouts, then try to walk ten minutes outside before dinner or a work break.

Be serious. But don’t set up a military boot camp. Be flexible. Perhaps one or two days are a tight squeeze. You can schedule 45 minutes most days, and 15 minutes on those hectic days. Overall, make your plans sensible, enjoyable, and achievable. 

The Circle of Life

Who will be your support? Friends and family can cheer you on if you set up a blog or some social media link. Group workouts, rides, and races on Zwift will be a great benefit and you can build some friends.

Forget Past Mistakes

Think of past diets like old boyfriends. Absolve yourself. Blame the diet. We are starting a healthy life. Don’t expect perfection or super-fast weight loss. Permanent weight loss is a gradual process.

Identify One of Your Eating Weaknesses

Is it a candy bar or ice cream? Maybe it’s that salted caramel vodka. Put some duct tape around it and label it with either a date or a goal. For example, you can label it: “Minus 5 pounds.” Practice self-control.

Join ZwiftOff!

I am building a group to work together on Zwift Cycling for weight loss. It will lend emotional support as well as share success. Please, come and visit the new ZwiftOff Group page. Share your story or come to read my secret to stop that snacking ritual.

What’s your starting date going to be? Let the countdown begin!


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