The Key to Losing Weight (and Keeping It Off)
For the first time in a decade, losing weight will NOT be one of my New Year's resolutions. The reason? After years of piling on the padding (and a few failed weight-loss attempts) I've lost 60 lbs. over the past four months.I've only blogged about diet once and did so hesitantly. But that two-year-old post is still getting consistent hits. Everybody is Googling for the silver bullet to shedding pounds. They think that there must be some secret diet, high-tech fitness equipment, or miracle pill that will finally give them health.
As I said back then, fat people offer the most dieting advice. So I swore that I wouldn't address the subject again until I was a much thinner man. Now that I've achieved a moderate level of scrawn, I wanted to share several counter-intuitive observations about weight loss.
- Every diet works.
South Beach, Jenny Craig, Atkins, Slim Fast, Medifast, Zone, Modified Zone, Nutrisystem, Jared's Subway Spectacular — each one of these mainstream diets works like a charm. As will any diet or exercise program that takes in less calories than it expends.
After failing at a couple of the above plans, I decided that they didn't work. It was only recently I determined that these diets didn't fail — I did. If I would have stuck with their program, the weight would have fallen off.
So read about the different options and choose the one you think will fit best with your lifestyle. Then choose a second option. -
Every backup diet works too.
Say you're driving to an important meeting and an bad accident blocks your usual route. Do you just go home? No, you use a different route to get to there. If weight loss is an important goal, you'll act accordingly.
Since failure is always dispiriting, pick your detour diet ahead of time. Creating this fallback actually helps you stick to your original plan by changing your choices. No longer are you choosing between a bland shake and a DQ Double Mint Oreo Blizzard with Xtreme Spr!nklz. Instead you're choosing a Slimfast shake or an Atkins shake. -
No one has ever cheated on a diet.
You can't cheat a diet, but you can cheat yourself. If you sneak in a greasy cheesesteak, the diet plan is going to be fine. You are the only one who will suffer since you're further from your goal. And although we all fall short sometimes, don't pretend you're getting away with something. -
Develop a healthy negative attitude.
When going through various diets' promotional literature, I read a lot of happy talk about the various diets. "The food is DELICIOUS!" "I was NEVER hungry!" "It's SO EASY!"
Lies all. I don't care which diet you choose. The food sucks. You're desperately hungry, at least early on. And it's tough as hell to stick to the plan.
Obviously, I maintained a positive attitude about achieving my ultimate goal, but I didn't lie to myself about what a breeze the diet would be. I decided that life would suck for a few months, but the result was worth it. And every time I sort-of enjoyed a pre-packaged diet soup, it was a pleasant surprise. -
And finally, The Key to Losing Weight (and Keeping It Off)
You'll lose weight when you want health more than you want that donut.
It's just that simple — and that difficult. I was overweight for years and had several failed attempts at lasting weight loss. But it wasn't the fault of the diet, my metabolism, genes, body type or anything else. There was no rare medical condition that was keeping the pounds on. I just didn't want to lose weight as much as I wanted another plate of buffalo wings.
I could list 20 more tips and tricks that helped me along with way. But ultimately I had to make the choice for myself. And once I made that decision, I had little choice but to lose weight.
So, I chose the plan best suited to me and selected a backup plan. I wrote 17 reasons why I wanted to be healthy and read them daily. I planned my meals days in advance and joined an online support group. I gave away my XL clothing like Cortez burned his ships.
And I'll keep the weight off as long as I opt for health over heartburn.
Congrats, Jon. Hard work, that.
A few years ago I did the same thing - lost 60 pounds. Keeping it off was easy for the first few years, but this last one and half has been a challenge. A much more stressful job took its toll.
Here's a pictorial post (none of me, thankfully) from when I hit 50-pounds-lost. http://blog.infinitemonkeysblog.com/?q=node/4031 The pics are real world and grocery store equivalents of the lost weight.
Reply to this
Calories in minus calories out equal calories to (or from) storage.
You do the arithmetic.
Reply to this
Man - he sheds all these pounds and then his facial hair as well - it's like a whole new ExJon! Giant congratulations to you, my friend. I've struggled over the years as well, and your story shall serve as a strong inspiration to me this year. Thanks for sharing that!
Reply to this
Congratulations, Jon!!! The Queen is so pleased that you are pleased. I lost about 20 lbs 20 years ago by exercise and NOT dieting, just eating better. Your hints are right on...it's all about calories in and calories out.
And you can't overcredit yourself for exercise; too many people go for a walk and use that as an excuse to overeat. A 150-lb man burns 100 calories running an 8-minute mile. Walking burns a lot less. So...you'd have to run 12 miles to burn off a Big Mac, fries and a shake.
Anyway, I ramble on. Once again, hats off to you. PICTURES!!! We want PICTURES!
Reply to this
15 pounds a month sounds a little steep without an amputation or a debilitating illness.
But congrats!
(I think a pound a week is less likely to alarm the medicos and insurance companies.)
Reply to this
kudoes!
Reply to this
Congrats Jon, it's been fun watching you wither away the past four months.
Seriously, kudos for sticking with it, even when it was tough (the annual he-man camping trip this year on Mount Graham being an example). I'm ready to start hitting the gym again if you are!
Reply to this
I have lost 13 inches from my belly and over 1 hundred pounds wearing my fatloss patch.
It really works and has a money back guarantee, the best thing is how affordable the patches are. They wholesale @ $1.25 per day, around the same price as a bottle of water at 7-11.
More info can be found at www.LeesPatch.com
Reply to this
Kudos on your weight loss. I'm so proud of you. And this is a great post. Well said on everything.
Reply to this
Congrats, Jon on your loss of weight and GAIN of HEALTH!! Great advice! I agree with all those tips, especially the part about wanting health more than the donut!! A few years ago I decided I didn't want to hit the big 5-0 feeling achy, flabby and depressed. When I finally admitted it was the way I ate (and didn't move) that was messing up my health, that's when I did enough of the right things to get the extra LBS off. It took me almost a year, but I lost 52 pounds with the help of a great online support group.
For me, documenting my eating and exercise was a great help - it kept me motivated too. It was like having a health evidence record! When the scale didn't move, I could always see that record of evidence that would prove I was a healthy person!
It's still a challenge keeping the weight off - I'm prone to "portion creep", especially during stressful times and holidays! But, I know what I need to do to get back on the healthy track! I'm so grateful to live in the Valley of the Sun where the weather is perfect for getting out and moving!
Again, Congrats and thanks for the inspiration and motivation!!
Reply to this
I need support losing my weight im 5 "2 and 200 pounds I need help...
Reply to this
coday,
I just wanted to write back to you and say that you CAN do it. Believe in yourself and the process and take a few steps, simple steps, but not easy ones:
(First, see your doctor to make sure you are healthy, then...)
1. Get moving. Walk, jog, bike, take the stairs, park far away from your destination, lift some weights. Make it a priority--it's for YOU.
2. Figure out what you are feeling when you overeat. Are you eating out of anxiety (that's me)? Fear? Boredom? Knowing why you eat is the first step to NOT overeating. Get some help here, if you are eating to shove down feelings.
3. Don't "diet" or restrict everything. Pick a reasonable way of eating that allows you small amounts of the stuff you really like. And remember, one bite of something doesn't mean you've "blown it" and "have" to go on a binge.
To maintain 200 lbs at 5'2", you've got to be eating quite a few calories. Cutting back just a bit while increasing your exercise will lead to more calories burned than you need to maintain your current size. A little bit of success will spur you on.
Keep in touch with people that support you--figure out if there is anyone in your life who is sabotaging you (friends who are also heavy who don't want YOU to succeed?) and stay away from them. Find things you enjoy that don't involve food and indulge yourself. (books...massage...)
Good luck. You CAN do it. All of us here will be rooting for you.
Reply to this
Very inspiring, Jon. Thanks for sharing your story. What a major accomplishment, changing your life like that. I gotta get to work on that 25 lbs that has been bugging me for the past 3 years. Thanks for the motivation.
Reply to this
I really appreciate those words I don't know if over eating is my problem I do have poor eating habits.But there are othe things my birth control shot which I stopped the fact that I have a thyroid problem but I can't say my diets failed I never really tried I don't really know where to start I don't want to crash and burn....
Reply to this
The best way to not crash and burn is to start slowly. Take some time to assess your eating habits, what you like to eat and when, that kind of thing. Maybe just keep a food diary for a few days. Then just make minor changes--cut out a sugared soda here, order a smaller portion there. Go for a walk around the block every day. Get in those habits, and little by little, it will happen.
Here, for instance, is one thing I do. I am a medium sized female, just so you know. I never, ever, finish the entire portion of what I am served at a restaurant. I know that they serve about twice as much as a woman my size needs; so I always get a doggie bag.
The other thing I do is make exercise of some kind a priority. Like I said, you don't have to make a big change. Just park at the far side of the parking lot when you go somewhere. If you need to go up one flight, always take the stairs. Walk around the block. Reward yourself for stuff like that by downloading some tunes on your iPod or podcasts and listening to them while you walk for 5 minutes. Make it enjoyable.
Like I said, start small and go slow. If you think of it as a huge task, you set yourself up to fail. Think of it as a series of minor decisions--leave one bite; order a smaller size; walk a few steps. And set reasonable goals. You don't want to look like Kate Moss, you just want to be healthy and live for a long time.
You can do it! Feel free to email me if you like: cathorus@yahoo.com
Reply to this
When weight loss program is done, you can then set about your task of losing weight in a healthy manner. And although your desire might be to lose weight now and as soon as possible you will need to curb yourself and stick to your goals of losing weight healthily - losing weight fast in an unhealthy manner is not going to do you any good whatsoever!
Reply to this
Thanks for sharing stores...
Any one tell me which product is best for weight loss Ndays?
Reply to this
Thanks for the tips
Reply to this
Awesome work. I have been a personal trainer for over 10 years. I always tell my clients there is NO magic solution or pill to loosing weight. Hard work which includes exercise and a healthy diet are imperative for success.
Reply to this
Weight loss, in the context of medicine, health or physical fitness, is a reduction of the total body weight, due to a mean loss of fluid, body fat or adipose tissue and/or lean mass, namely bone mineral deposits, muscle, tendon and other connective tissue. It can occur unintentionally due to an underlying disease or can arise from a conscious effort to improve an overweight or obese state.
Reply to this