THE SPADEWORKS SYSTEM
weight loss for masochists
The Spadeworks system is free and available to
all. It works. It works best when you work at it.
The method. Lose your weight half a stone at a
time. Use the full diet to do this. Then have a settling in
period at your new weight, using the half diet. Then repeat
as necessary, until you attain your target weight.
The exercises. Are simple. You start gradually,
and work up to a 20 minute routine every day. They are
essential to realise the full benefits of the diet.
The full diet. Eat 3 slices of brown bread without
spread of any kind during the day, together with one apple
and two bananas. For your evening meal, microwave a prepared
low fat meal of less than 500 calories. These are readily
available at any large supermarket. With this you can have
any amount of cooked green vegetables or salad, with a
little low fat dressing or mayonnaise. Drink plenty of fluid
during the day, including water, but whiten your tea or
coffee with skimmed milk. No sugar, of course - use
sweetener if you must. You may have 1 or 2 glasses of dryish
white or red wine if you cannot do without it, but no
spirits and no beer.
If you feel hungry - and you will - welcome the feeling.
It means your body is going to metabolise all that fat you
don't want.
Weighing in. Weigh on the same scales every
morning just before you get dressed.
Weigh naked. Most scales flicker or bounce a bit;
take the maximum reading once they have settled down. Record
it.
Exercise in general. Take more. Walk a bit, quite
briskly. Cycle if you can. Get mildly breathless once or
twice a day. At least half an hour daily can be contrived by
anyone, however busy.
Exercises in particular. They should make you
sweat. You don't have to have expensive apparatus, but we
recommend you spend some of the money you save on food and
drink on 2 pieces of equipment to help you. The first is an
abdominal trimmer, available from catalogues, fitness shops,
and now at some supermarkets. The cheapest and entirely
satisfactory version is about £15. The second is a
resistance exerciser for your upper body - basically an
elastic band. The one we have found suitable is a Dynaband,
cost about £7. There are others.
- Start by working up to the following gradually. If
you don't know what a press-up or squat is, ask someone.
- 5 stretches up and bends to touch the floor. Don't
bounce. These are to loosen you.
- 5 full squats and recovers, arms stretched in front.
- 5 press-ups, done properly, without cheating.
- Then take your elastic band, and do 10 repetitions of
resistance exercises for pectorals, shoulders, upper
arms, and if you want to trim your bottom and thighs, do
10 repetitions for each of these. Dynaband and doubtless
others do a helpful booklet.
- Do 10 attempted sit-ups with knees bent. Better, do
10 each of the exercises recommended in your abdominal
trimmer booklet.
Precautions. Work up to your full series of 10
repetitions gradually. If bits of you hurt, stop or back off
until they stop hurting. Do some gentle stretches after your
exercises as well as before.
Essentials. Do these every day, even if you had a
late night, or whatever. Only miss if you have an infection,
such as a cold or flu. If you want to get trim, they must be
done daily.
After you have lost half a stone (7lbs). Increase
your daytime diet by 1 or 2 slices of bread or have a bowl
of porridge in the morning (skimmed milk, no sugar). Eat
what you like for your evening meal, but have plenty of
vegetables on your plate and only eat at mealtime. Maintain
your general exercise. Increase your work-out exercises
gradually as your fitness improves, to the reasonable
maximum that feels comfortable.
You will maintain your weight if you stick to this. If
you want to lose more after a time, repeat the whole process
for another 7lbs weight loss on the full diet, then maintain
your new slimmer self on the half diet.
Vitamins. You won't need them on this regime. They
are expensive. If you want to take some, then C, E, and
cod-liver oil are helpful to maintain health.
CAUTION If you have a medical condition or are
taking tablets from your doctor, ask him/her before starting
the diet and exercises. If you have a bad back, or arthritis
in your joints, or cartilage problems, again seek medical
advice before starting this regime. If your doctor is
overweight, ask them if they would do it with you (be
prepared to change doctor).
FINALLY - there's no such thing as a free lunch.
For every pound you lose, permanently, by using the
SPADEWORKS SYSTEM, we ask you to send a £1
donation payable to SPADEWORKS, Sturminster Road
Allotment Association, 6 Sturminster Road, Bristol, BS14
8AA. The Association is raising funds to regenerate its
allotment site as a community asset. If you want to know
more, access our Internet site at
http://home.clara.net/johnm/index.html/.
Accounts are audited.
That's £7 for half a stone - be honest, it's worth
it. And if you have paid after losing it, you'll be less
inclined to put it on again. Alternatively you can go to
Weight Watchers or one of the other excellent groups to help
you lose weight, and pay them. Or you can do nothing, pay
nothing, and stay fat.
Good Luck!
John Mantle
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