The Mandra Method - An Overview
The Mandra Method is a simple weight control / weight management approach to losing 10-50 unwanted pounds and keeping them off. It is a general approach to diet and exercise (mostly diet) that works best for those of us who aren't terribly active or health-conscious. This website is under development but here is the short version:
There are four parts to The Mandra Method (TMM): Food, Fitness, Focus and Freedom. Food and Fitness are pretty self-explanatory (though we'll go into greater detail on them later) -- Focus and Fitness are the unique parts of TMM.
Focus is the priority that you give to your weight plan: the way in which you integrate it into your daily life without letting it dominate the day. TMM has several tools and techniques to help you tailor your plan and find/maintain the balance between weight management and the rest of your daily activities.
Freedom is the inherent flexibility that is central to TMM, you choose which parts of the plan to implement when. That means, for example, you choose which foods you will eat, which exercises you'll do, where and why you include different parts of TMM. Your choice ultimately rules the way you execute the plan. If at any point you find yourself doing something that you don't want to do, then stop - and back up, because that's not the way the Mandra Method works. Every step you take is by your choice, when you are ready, because you want it.
Each of the four areas include different steps you can take, in whatever order you prefer. In general, they are grouped into easy, medium and hard levels (though you can assign your own levels if you like).
For example, in the food category:
- Easy: Drink more water (it flushes away toxins and gets rid of minor hunger pangs)
- Medium: Make smarter choices on food to reduce your calories (or carbs or whatever your preferred diet plan tracks).
- Hard: Sticking to the plan - and getting back on track if you don't.
Or in the focus category:
- Easy: Track your food daily (it helps you be aware of what you are eating and make better choices, there are hundreds of very good (and free) websites to help (Yes, we have a list.)
- Medium: Sneak exercise into your daily routine (there's room in your schedule, really!)
- Hard: Weigh yourself and reward the losses without stressing the gains
- Hard: Be patient, it takes a while to retrain the body and healthy weight loss is gradual weight loss
From an overview perspective, TMM is a collection of healthy steps, any one of which will help you better manage or reduce your weight. Collectively, they can help you achieve the level that you want. By self-selecting when you take which steps, you guarantee that (1) you are ready, both mentally and physically, (2) that you want it, which means it will be easier to sustain over time and (3) you understand and own the process, so you can better understand the reasons why you are taking a step, changing a behavior, adjusting your daily life.
The Mandra Method is comprehensive but not complex, it will take time but it will last a long time and you will be responsible - and capable - of guaranteeing your own success.