The Accumulation Factor

For the most part, it has worked against us our whole lives. But I believe the same principle can help you lose weight and change the shape of your body.

The Accumulation Factor is simple, but very powerful. Ever opened your credit card statement and wondered how you could owe $500 when you don’t remember making any “major” purchases? Upon closer examination of your statement, you find no major purchases but a ton of smaller charges throughout the month. Four dollars here, ten there, another seven there. Insignificant at the time, but put them all together and they add up amazingly fast. That’s the Accumulation Factor.

If you own a cell phone, you might have faced a similar surprise at the end of the month. It’s amazing how fast you can eat up your allotted minutes with a few four- and five-minute phone calls. By the end of the month, you’re paying for 100 extra minutes without even realizing it. Again, that’s the Accumulation Factor at work.

Unfortunately, the Accumulation Factor is at work on our bodies as well. An extra donut here, a milk shake there and without even realizing it you’ve put on five pounds and can’t get into that favorite pair of jeans.

Consider this: If you were to gain a half-pound every month, that doesn’t sound significant. But over the course of a year that’s six extra pounds. If that still doesn’t sound like much, carry that out over a five-year period, and all of a sudden you’ve put on 30 pounds without even realizing it. All because of that seemingly insignificant half-pound per month. Now you see why so many people look “different” at the high school reunion.

The point is, little things eventually turn into big things. That may sound depressing at first, but you can just as easily use the Accumulation Factor to your advantage.

Most people discount the importance of cutting out a soft drink, passing on seconds or skipping dessert. After all, when you want to lose 35 pounds, it doesn’t seem like it will do much good. But those seemingly insignificant caloric savings can make a huge difference if you continue them over a period of time.

The point is this: Don’t discount the importance of saving a few calories here and there. Let those “savings” accrue on the positive side of your ledger, and soon you will have lost a half-pound, then a pound, and more. And before you know it, you will start trimming off pounds just like you put them on – a little at a time.

That's using the Accumulation Factor to your advantage.