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14 Stress-Free Ways to Kick Weight Loss in the Butt

Habit is habit and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time. - Mark Twain

Let’s be honest: Losing weight isn’t the easiest thing in the world. All our best intentions end up doing nothing.

And I’ve tried just about every diet plan out there, from the various low-carb diets to Weight Watchers (which isn’t bad, actually) to the Abs Diet to Slim Fast to low-calorie to low-fat and more. I’ve tried a bunch of exercise programs too, believe me.

My weight-loss efforts these last couple of years have been hit-and-miss, as I’ve struggled to find something that works for me. Recently, I think I’ve been hitting upon some pretty simple concepts that really work, for me at least.

You might have read the Zen Habits Meal Plan, which is actually a pretty good plan. But let me take some of those concepts and simplify them a little more, for some (almost) easy ways to beat your weight-loss struggles. These are mostly the same concepts, but I’m reporting what has been working for me as I experiment with the meal plan.

Let me be honest again: even with the concepts below, weight loss isn’t going to be easy. But at least these tools will make it a little easier, a little simpler, and they really do work.

I’ve lost 15 pounds in the last few months, which isn’t rapid weight loss but is actually a very healthy rate of loss. I recommend gradual weight loss for everyone. At the rate I’m going, you can lose 50 pounds a year. I don’t need to lose 50 pounds anymore (I did at one time, but only have about 20 pounds to go), but after I lose the rest of the unwanted bodyfat, I’m going to focus more on building a little muscle (something I’m actually doing now but it’s not my main focus).

Never eat more than you can lift. - Miss Piggy

1. Focus on gradual loss. I mentioned this above, but it’s important. Too many people focus on trying to lose weight fast — 10 pounds in 4 weeks, 20 pounds in 2 months, etc. It’s not healthy, and it doesn’t work, because even if you are able to lose that much weight that fast, you haven’t learned sustainable eating habits that will last you a lifetime. The key is to figure out an eating pattern than will work for you for the rest of your life. Again, if you focus on losing 1-2 pounds per week, you will lose between 50-100 pounds per year. You just have to be willing to wait a year, but trust me, a year goes by pretty fast these days (I think it’s inflation or something).

2. Focus on nutrition. Exercise is important. You have to do it. It has wonderful benefits. But if your focus is on weight loss, the most important factor is what you eat. Don’t ignore exercise, by any means, but if you focus on exercise and think you can eat whatever you want, you’re wrong. You have to focus on nutrition (what you eat) and use exercise as a way to supplement the calorie burn and to get your body looking how you want it to look (not to mention as a key way to get healthy and feel great).

The reason: you can change how many calories you take in to a much greater degree than you can change how many calories you burn. Thirty minutes of exercise, for example, can burn less than a medium McDonald’s fries. Lose the fries, and you’ve done in a few seconds what would take 30 minutes of exercise to accomplish.

3. Become aware of your hunger. This is one of the key things I’ve been learning. Many times we are not conscious of how hungry we are. We ignore our bodies because we’re too busy thinking about other things. As a result, we only eat when we’re famished, and that’s not a good time to eat, because you don’t make healthy eating decisions when you’re super hungry. Your blood-sugar level is too low, and your body just wants a quick sugar fix — a donut or some cookies or white bread or a Coke will be much more appealing than a salad or healthy sandwich on whole grain bread.

Learn to listen to your body, and be aware of your hunger when it’s in its early stages. This is a key skill to weight loss, something the other plans don’t tell you about. They tell you what to eat and when, but don’t teach you how to use your body’s signals to learn to eat healthier.

4. Eat when you’re hungry, not famished. When you first feel the hunger, that’s when to eat. Don’t put it off until the hunger builds into an insatiable monster. When you start to get a little hungry, eat a snack. You don’t need to eat a full-on meal … just some fruit, some crackers, maybe some low-fat dairy (cheese or yogurt or cottage cheese — although I prefer soy yogurt), oatmeal, some nuts, dried fruit, etc. Just something to tide you over until you feel hungry again, or until you can eat a bigger meal. Keep healthy snacks at your desk or in your car or wherever you go. I like to pack some in the morning.

The corollary to this is to also allow yourself to eat what you crave. I know this is contrary to most advice, but I’ve found that it’s important to listen to your body … not only when your body is hungry, but when your body is craving a specific food. I’ve also found that often your body just wants a taste of that food (see No. 13 below) and if you give your body what it wants, and really pay attention to the taste and texture of the food and how you feel after you eat it, you will probably crave that food less and less.

5. Learn to eat until satiated. Again, pay attention to your body as you eat. If you eat mindlessly, you will most likely overeat. You’ll just keep cramming food into yourself until you’ve eaten too much. We’ve all felt the pain of being overstuffed. Don’t allow that to happen — be mindful of your eating, and of your hunger.

A good habit to build is to eat slowly … and take pauses, so you can think about whether you’re really still hungry … and drink lots of water during those pauses. This style of eating will allow you to stop eating when you’re satiated (when your hunger is satisfied, not when you’re stuffed) and allow you to be satiated by eating less. It’s not easy at first, but once you’ve practiced it for a week or two, it will make a huge difference in the amount you eat.

Another thing: before you go back for seconds, stop and take a break for a few minutes. Drink some water, talk to somebody, read, go do something, clean the kitchen a little. Whatever it takes. Often you’ll find that you really didn’t need the seconds. And then you’ve saved yourself a few hundred calories.

6. Drink lots of water. I mentioned this above, but drinking water throughout the day helps you to eat less. Water takes the place of food in your stomach. You’ll still need to eat, but if you stay hydrated you’ll get hungry less. Keep a bottle of water with you at all times.

7. Keep healthy options available. A good trick is to clear your fridge and cabinets of all unhealthy snacks and foods. Just dump them. Then plan some healthy breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, and go shopping. Bring healthy foods to work and wherever you go. Always have some fruits and nuts and other healthy options by your side. If you do this, and eat when you’re hungry, you’ll eat the unhealthy stuff much, much less.

8. You gotta log. This may sound difficult to those of you who hate to log stuff or who only do it for a couple days and then stop … but it’s really not that hard once you get used to it. And if you use a very easy log (and one that’s accountable — see next item), it’s even easier. The reason you need to log is because most people underestimate the amount of calories they’re taking in. They don’t think the sweet drinks or the little snacks make any difference, but they really add up. Log everything that goes into your mouth, and you’ll really see how much you’re taking in. The act of logging makes you more aware, and that awareness, that mindfulness, is what allows you to eat less and be healthier.

9. Be accountable. Perhaps the greatest motivator of all is allowing others to see your log. That’s why I like using PeerTrainer, although other good logs (such as Fit Day, Spark People, Calorie Count, etc.) can also be used this way. PeerTrainer allows a small group of people to log easily and take a look at the other logs in the group. Whatever tool you use, get a partner or a small group that monitors each other’s logs, and you’ll be very motivated to eat well and exercise.

10. Find a workout partner. This is accountability done right. A good workout partner is someone who wants to workout at the same time as you and do a similar workout, and someone whose company you enjoy. Why it works: if you set an appointment with a workout partner, you won’t want to miss it. You’ll make sure you’re there, unlike when you work out by yourself — many people are very tempted just to cancel their workouts if they’re a little tired or busy. Also, a workout partner makes the workout a little more fun, and that’s always a good thing. If you get a workout partner, you will have a stress-free exercise plan that will compliment your healthy eating perfectly. Try for 3-5 workouts per week, giving yourself plenty of rest time after hard workouts.

11. Allow yourself to cheat. A strict diet plan is a bad one. If you are severely restricting yourself, and you feel deprived of good foods, you won’t last long. Trust me, I’ve tried it many times. Instead, relax a little bit, giving yourself a cheat meal or two each week, and allowing yourself to cheat a little on special occasions. It’s still best if you can go for the healthier foods on special occasions, but don’t be too strict.

12. Three-bite rule. A great way to allow for cheats is the Three-bite rule … basically, if you want a sweet or some other sinful food, don’t deny yourself … allow yourself a little indulgence, but just three bites. Allow yourself to enjoy the taste, eat slowly, then move on to healthier foods.

13. Forgive, and move on. If you make a mistake, or cheat more than you should, don’t just give up or beat yourself up. This kind of negative thinking is why people don’t stay on diets for long. They binge and then go back to their unhealthy habits. Instead, just forgive yourself for any indulgences, and get back on your healthy eating plan. Look forward, not backward.

14. Get inspired. Motivation is important … maybe the most important thing. Accountability (mentioned above) is the best motivator … but I’d put inspiration at a close second. Find others who are doing what you want to do, read success stories, read magazines and blogs and books, put up a motivational poster … whatever it takes to get inspired.

If you liked this article, please bookmark it on del.icio.us or vote for it on Digg. I’d appreciate it. :)

14 Stress-Free Ways to Kick Weight Loss in the Butt

Habit is habit and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time. - Mark Twain

Let’s be honest: Losing weight isn’t the easiest thing in the world. All our best intentions end up doing nothing.

Let me be honest again: even with the concepts below, weight loss isn’t going to be easy. But at least these tools will make it a little easier, a little simpler, and they really do work.

Never eat more than you can lift. - Miss Piggy

If you liked this article, please bookmark it on del.icio.us or vote for it on Digg. I’d appreciate it. :)

Posted on 16 December 2007 in Fitness, Health Tip Day |
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Comments (62)

Mark Says:

December 16th, 2007, 22:00 pm

Hi Leo ~ I might just add that weight loss, for me at least, is easiest when I maintain a positive outlook and feel well balanced within my life :)

Good luck with your weight loss efforts!!

Mark

Lori Says:

December 16th, 2007, 22:09 pm

I lost 20 pounds…how? Being accountable to total strangers on SparkPeople was oddly motivating! I logged everything I ate for about a month and by that time I was much more in tune with what I was allowing to pass my lips.

Leisureguy Says:

December 16th, 2007, 22:22 pm

I recently had a stomach flu with some vomiting—unpleasant, and not recommended as a weight loss approach. But it did reacquaint me with the feeling of nausea, and since then I’ve sort of tweaked my response to feelings of hunger by interpreting those as nausea—so that I am not inclined to eat very much: just enough to stifle the feeling. So far, so good.

David Reber Says:

December 16th, 2007, 22:41 pm

THe logging has been a huge help for me. Facebook has a great little program where you can log daily, weekly or whenever and tracks your progress. My goal is to be less of me every Friday.

Kenneth - Guy From Success Blog Says:

December 16th, 2007, 22:43 pm

Another perfect article about weight, thumbs up.

j.bentley Says:

December 16th, 2007, 22:50 pm

Over the last year or so, I’ve lost 50 pounds. Although I have a bit more to go to be my ideal weight, I have probably two pieces of advice to offer those wanting to lose. First, make a habit of only eating what you cook yourself. Nothing from a bag or a can or a box that you simply throw in the microwave. In my experience, this works because if you cook, chances are its almost always healthier and more filling than prepackaged foods and you’ll appreciate the work you put into. (that is, you’ll be too lazy to make more.)

My second piece of advice involves the deeper purpose of losing weight. Being overweight is just a symptom of an underlying attitude toward food or life. Losing weight without changing your attitude will likely only result in finding misery elsewhere in your life. So, in order to promote a healthier view of food and eating, I’d recommend a water fast one day per week. Keep a journal and reflect on your experiences. You’ll find out quickly how controlled by food you are.

j.bentley
http://www.sincerityinlowercase.com

Martina Scholtens Says:

December 16th, 2007, 22:54 pm

These are great, practical tips.

I’m a physician who routinely addresses good eating habits with patients. Two tips I regularly give are:

List your five favourite, and five least favourite foods. You can continue to eat your favourites, and permanently remove the ones you dislike from your diet.

and

If you’re hungry between meals, eat a piece of fruit. Once you’ve eaten your six servings of fruit in a day, you can snack on whatever you want. It’ll be harder to get to the Doritos than you think.

(from this post: http://www.freshmd.com/fresh_md/2007/10/ways-to-lose-we.html

Thanks for your recommendations.

Martina

Craig Harper Says:

December 16th, 2007, 23:40 pm

Great article Leo.
An additional tip that I recommend to my clients is to learn to read food labels. Just becuase something is low in fat it can still be very high in sugar and calories.

Leisureguy Says:

December 16th, 2007, 23:55 pm

I would add that it’s a good idea not only to cook your own food than buying processed food, but also to pick nutritionally rich but low-calorie foods that take time to digest. I have a section on this is the Cooking Compendium.

Keith D Says:

December 17th, 2007, 0:22 am

Amen, read the labels. Low or no sugar does not mean low fat and vice versa. I found there are relatively few healthy protein bars. Most are loaded with sugar. There are a couple that taste good and limit sugar content to under 5gms. You have to get out your reading glasses and examine the fine print.

I learned a technique called rate-the-plate from diabetic dieting. It works well for anyone. Basically, divide your plate into four quadrants. The first is 4-5 ounces of your entree (protein source); chicken, turkey, lean beef, fish, probably not pork products, soy if you are so inclined. Use hot sauce to make it more interesting (there’s actually a book called ‘The Hot Sauce Diet’). The second quarter is your carbohydrate; complex carbs, whole grains, whole corn, brown rice, yams, and such. The rest is green/yellow and leafy vegetables; broccoli, carrots, spinach, salad, peppers, squash, good stuff (not a veg, but love them). I try to lower the carb proportion to limit blood sugar swings. I usually end up with a plate full of food, but it’s all good food. Not junk. Almost all diet problems occur when the plate is 3/4 loaded with entree made up of mostly processed carbohydrates, mixed with fatty meats and drowned with cream sauces or cheese. Cut that back to 1/4 of the plate and fill in the vegetables and you will lose weight and feel better.

Weight-Loss Efforts Says:

December 17th, 2007, 0:44 am

Panic Attack Guru Says:

December 17th, 2007, 0:44 am

Excellent article with simple-to-follow practical advice.

I agree with the doc too - that between meal snacks should always be fruits - not junk. :)

Thanks!

Alex Says:

December 17th, 2007, 0:44 am

I may be wrong, but I think the amount of calories a half hour exercise would burn up would be closer to a couple of cookies than a medium McD french fry order, which is probably in the order of 600ish calories.

Leo Says:

December 17th, 2007, 0:58 am

@Alex … you’re right … I didn’t take enough care in the comparison. I mean, technically I was correct … fries have more calories than you can burn in half an hour … but it’s not really a close comparison.

Tony Wright Says:

December 17th, 2007, 1:20 am

Heya Leo! Regarding the idea of losing weight and THEN adding some muscle… I’ve read that the more muscle that you have, the higher your “ambient calorie burn” is. You can build a lot of muscle with very little time investment. Check out http://www.bodybuildingfanatic.com/coloradoexperiment.htm (via Tim Ferriss’ “Geek to Freak” blog post– google it!). Interesting stuff!

Shane Says:

December 17th, 2007, 1:21 am

This works…for 2 yrs and counting for me. Easier to follow than anything else I’ve seen.

7 habits…
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459493

1. Eat every 2-3 hours, no matter what. You should eat between 5-8 meals per day.

2. Eat complete (containing all the essential amino acids), lean protein with each meal.

3. Eat fruits and/or vegetables with each food meal.

4. Ensure that your carbohydrate intake comes from fruits and vegetables. Exception: workout and post-workout drinks and meals.

5. Ensure that 25-35% of your energy intake comes from fat, with your fat intake split equally between saturates (e.g. animal fat), monounsaturates (e.g., olive oil), and polyunsaturates (e.g. flax oil, salmon oil).

6. Drink only non-calorie containing beverages, the best choices being water and green tea.

7. Eat mostly whole foods (except workout and post-workout drinks).

About the author of that list:
http://www.johnberardi.com/about/jb.htm

He also later states that studies show there’s no difference between 100% compliance and 90% compliance to those rules. Translation - eat whatever the heck you want 10% of the time (keep a log to track what your’re eating and when so you don’t go nuts with this).

Do this and exercise too, and the fat will just fall off.

FYI - statements to correct common misconceptions:

* Eating fat doesn’t make you fat

* Carbs make you fat. Timing when to eat carbs is critical. Eat carbs before or after (preferably after) exercise. You have a very high tolerance for carbs after exercise, because that’s the energy source your body is craving to refuel itself.

* The purpose of exercise isn’t to burn calories in the gym. Forget thinking about how many minutes it takes to burn off those french fries. You’re missing the big picture. The purpose of exercise is to raise your day-long metabolism.

Mike Smith Says:

December 17th, 2007, 2:25 am

Great article. another great reason why this blog is on the top of my reader list :)

Bob Says:

December 17th, 2007, 2:53 am

Dumb question, but is drinking diet pepsi all day the same as drinking water? Zero calories after all. If I drink a dozen cans of diet pepsi a day, is that like a dozen bottles of water?

Jon Says:

December 17th, 2007, 3:38 am

Why exactly would you want to “kick weight loss in the butt?”

Eugene (Editor, Varsity Blah) Says:

December 17th, 2007, 3:45 am

I’ve had great success with the Men’s Health Abs Diet. Basically it all comes down to eating six small meals a day, drinking a bottle of water an hour before each meal (i.e. six times a day as well), and never depriving yourself for the things you want. The moment you stop obsessing about weight loss is (ironically) the moment you start to reach your goals.

P.S. Diet pepsi is not the same as water…

Jim Jones Says:

December 17th, 2007, 4:30 am

If you’re looking for a very simple workout plan, check out RunFatBoy.
http://www.runfatboy.net

It’s very easy to follow.

Plamen P. Says:

December 17th, 2007, 4:52 am

There is actually nothing mysterious in losing weight. The calories that go in (eaten) should be less than the calories that go out (burned). A very good book on the subject is the “Hacker’s diet” by John Walker:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hacker%27s_Diet

About logging, for about an year I’ve used Excel to do that (as described in the book) but it’s not very convenient. Then, as I have Palm Pilot which iis always with me, I’ve created a palm application to do that.

Dead Atforty Says:

December 17th, 2007, 5:04 am

yes, great idea….drink diet drinks. The easiest way to poison yourself ever. I am always staggered to see people drinking this shite…..go and look at the ingredients f.f.s. Asparatame is predominantly Meths! Tramps used to drink this to get pissed when I was young…..kills you faster than weedkiller!! Go ahead…lose weight.

Anne Says:

December 17th, 2007, 5:47 am

I have had to watch my diet for years because I am hypoglycemic. The complex carbohydrates plus sugar (think donuts and cake) is what gets me. If I eat too many of them, I am definately headed for a bad episode later on. I like to have a slice of some kind of bread with fruit in the morning plus yogurt. I make sure I drink plenty of water and I don’t exactly work out, but I farm. Wrestling a 150 lb goat is probably strenous exercise :)

@Jon - Drinking Diet Pepsi is absolutely not the same as drinking water. The rule of thumb I’ve heard is that if it’s not water, it only counts as half the amount of water. Also the aspartame in diet drinks has been linked to all kinds of issues, the most mild being headaches. The taste of sugar sets up a craving for more sugar, i.e. you drink more Diet Pepsi, eat a junky snack, eat too much fruit, whatever. Additionally the cola drinks tend to dry you up which affects your digestive system among other things.

Aspartame was a subject of a documentary called “Sweet Misery” There is a short clip on YouTube about it at : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n-gA0wvi84

LL Says:

December 17th, 2007, 5:58 am

Ah, the old “I’ve tried, like, a million diets”. This is usually used by the sullenly obese looking to shift blame. I’d rather hear your specific issues after obediently following these proscribed diets for, say, six months. Listing diets on your fingers is like a dozen different jobs on your resume — it says more about you than you think it does.

I stuck with the Hacker’s Diet for a year and lost 60lb. It appealed to my man-grunt-think-logical-chart-progress-measure-count-be-science-guy instinct. Also, it was just time to lose weight for me, and so I summoned the inner reserve of determination that allowed consistency of behaviour.

TravellingKnitter Says:

December 17th, 2007, 7:41 am

I appreciate the conciseness of number 2. 30 seconds instead of 30 minutes.

Thank you for another great article.

Nicole Says:

December 17th, 2007, 7:45 am

You get it!!!! It is about health.

When I was still obese, I developed an almost identical plan for myself. With two differences though,

1) I also put (I think) a larger focus on working out. Not “kill myself” working out, but a schedule that worked for me. To do it my “zen” way, is by getting some equipment in to my home, do circuit training, walk (a lot), and getting my bicycle. You’ll also be amazed at how much movement you get by walking to places more where you would ordinarily drive.

Not only does it help in weight loss efforts. It did wonders in terms of how I felt. Those endorfines rushing through my body, only made me more motivated.

In look at it as math, I need to burn more calories then I eat. Each day I do not maintain this principle, I gain weight.

2) I realized that in order to motivate yourself, prevent emotional eating, and prevent cravings etc. I needed to change my brain “coding.” In a sense let your brain go “here”, instead of “there.” How could I reprogram my brain to not want to emotionally eat? What strategies should I use to be satisfied and still pick the right meal for me in a restaurant?

This was fairly easy for me, as I am an NLP trainer. Though I had to devise a plan how to use NLP for weight loss efforts in a way that worked for me.

I lost 70 pounds in a year. Via a similar plan to yours, but combined with moving more.

So many people got excited about how I got my mind in order to achieve it, that I ended up devising a problem to teach weight loss coaches and fitness trainers the same program.

Excellent job!

Philip Says:

December 17th, 2007, 9:55 am

Another thing to keep in mind is, if you’re obsessed with the scale like I am, don’t freak out when you gain 3-4 pounds from one day to the next. You’re gonna go up and down like that, no doubt. I prefer to watch a weight range than an actual single number. If my range is going down a couple pounds a week, I’m losing weight, even if I did weigh 3 pounds less yesterday.

peace,

Philip | Brickhousebodymind.com

tracy ho Says:

December 17th, 2007, 10:42 am

Good strategy for my diet programme,

thanks for sharing,

Tracy Ho

Susan Says:

December 17th, 2007, 10:54 am

I’ve read that you shouldn’t drink while eating; it dilutes your digestive acids, making it more difficult to digest your food. Rather, drink your eight glasses of water gradually, throughout the day, at least a half hour before eating a meal; and wait to drink more water until several hours after eating, to give your stomach time to digest your meal.

deepali Says:

December 17th, 2007, 11:07 am

The single biggest factor in successful weight loss is attitude (this is one of my areas of research). If you stop thinking “weight loss” and start thinking “lifestyle change”, you’ll see measurable results over the long-term that actually stick. Ultimately, that’s what you want - not a “diet” but a behavior.

The second is accountability, either by logging, finding a buddy, or registering on a website (or blogging!).

This is a great list, and I particularly like #3. Great job.

Jack Says:

December 17th, 2007, 11:39 am

I like the rule about not feeling guilty and the 3 bite rule. And would like to add: every bite should be enjoyed and for the right amount of time. Chewing your food helps digestion and gives you more time to feel full.

Brad Hefta-Gaub Says:

December 17th, 2007, 12:32 pm

Exercise is the key to any successful diet program. And tracking your progress is one of the easiest and most powerful ways to stay focused on achieving your goals. Konamoxt.com is a platform designed for everyday people who are making exercise a regular part of their routine. The community members are eager to provide accountability and motivation for each other as well all work toward life long fitness.

spell casting Says:

December 17th, 2007, 13:30 pm

thanks for the information and happy holidays!

Jess B Says:

December 17th, 2007, 14:26 pm

For #8, I found a website called MyFoodDiary.com that makes that so much easier. It’s cheap and you can access it anywhere, so you aren’t constantly writing down the nutrition information for everything on paper stuffed in your pocket.

I was aghast when I started logging the food I ate. I was consuming way more calories per day than I thought and it made me sick to realize it. I highly recommend logging your food. I started with just an excel spreadsheet, which is when I realized how overboard I was going on calories, and then I moved to the website for longer term tracking and support. Can I caution not to always choose the ‘low-fat’ option on stuff though, it’s not always that healthy.

Beth Says:

December 17th, 2007, 14:27 pm

A good additon to the “knowing when you’re satiated” while eating that I learned the last time I was on weight watchers is to pay attention to “the sigh”. You start noticing it in other people while eating too, it’s kind of a fun thing to look for. Basically, when you’re body hit’s satisfied, most people will let out a sigh. That’s a good, noticable definite signal to stop eating until you’re hungry again.

Marlin Says:

December 17th, 2007, 14:41 pm

I quit drinking beer and lost 5 pounds.

leke Says:

December 17th, 2007, 18:54 pm

I have just started a new job in a busy kitchen and have already lost 8kg in 3 months. I am now just inside my normal weight zone. This is the lowest i’ve been in 13 years and i’m being paid for it!
I haven’t been dieting - actually eating more because i’ve been worried about the rapid weight loss. So for me its been a change in lifestyle.
Lets see what happens…

kath Says:

December 17th, 2007, 21:26 pm

Working for me—
PREPPING all my fresh food into portions using small plastic bags(100gm chicken fillets, 1 large floret of broccoli –be warned takes about 2 hours a week for a family of 4!!
KEEPING a whiteboard in the kitchen with all perishable staples written in permanent marker. AND the number of servings I have on hand (this in whiteboard marker so it can be altered) eg
PEARS 7
CHICKEN FILLETS 12
BROCCOLI 14
I update the numbers and can see what I need to use more of —and what I need to stock up on, get out of the freezer etc. Saves food going off in the fridge too.
My log is calorieking.com (.au for Aussies) — fantastic and free– I swear you will never use anything else once you try this.
Cheers!

Deborah Says:

December 17th, 2007, 23:15 pm

Great article! I especially like that you mention the need to focus on our bodies signals. The idea of eating when hungry and stopping when full is soooo simple yet so ignored. You are right on when you say most programs focus on what to eat but not when and how to get yourself to stop the stuffing habit. I think it is really important that people take a look at WHY they over eat? What does feeling stuffed full make you feel. For me it was safe. Once you understand more about why you are doing it, changing the habit is much easier. I struggled many years with my weight until like you I got realistic. Now I work as a coach with people who are loosing hope they will ever succeed at reaching their weight goals for good. It is really great to read that other people are promoting the same health and realistic ideas!
Thank you.

Crystal Says:

December 17th, 2007, 23:22 pm

I have to add to this, because I’m doing something very similar after reading “The Gabriel Method” by Jon Gabriel. It’s a brilliant read on how your body survival programs kick in to either hinder or help your weight loss efforts - usually the former but he’s got some great tips on switching it to the latter mode. (And no, drinking diet pepsi is not the same as drinking water.)

For LL - there are reasons WHY there are so many people saying “tried them all but am still struggling”. If the old calorie in minus calorie out equation worked, then why, after so many years of having it drummed into us, is obesity still a RISING epidemic??? Using that logic someone eating nothing but twinkies, so long as they had the right number of them per day, would be perfectly healthy and the right weight. Doesn’t work that way, sorry.
If the diet gurus all had it right, we’d all be skinny without the need for so many new diets coming out all the time. There’s a bigger picture of what’s wrong here, and Gabriel’s nailed it - working with your body’s natural inclinations works heaps better than fighting them!

Miss Gisele from myBeautyMatch.com Says:

December 18th, 2007, 1:17 am

Leo,

This is another great discussion topic.

One thing that I would add to your list it perhaps the advice of eating “real foods” as opposed to fast foods and preserved foods.

It’s true that not everyone likes to cook. Personally, I love it, but those who don’t it’s still possible to eat good quality food without having to spend hours in the kitchen.

It might take a little more time than ordering a pizza from one of those big chains, but as you age your body will be so thankful.

As Hippocrates once said: “let food be your medicine and let medicine be your food”.

Gisele

CK Says:

December 18th, 2007, 6:26 am

This is a nice article, but I want to add the one or other thing:

I can recommend to try out a sugar-free time, lets say 2 weeks. The first time I did this was almost completely sugarfree, I even didn’t use ketchup and stuff with “hidden” sugar. The second time I did it for almost a month, but I just passed on candy. I still used ketchup or ate some yoghurt which is often sweet and has sugar in it.

After the first time, I didn’t like Coca Cola any more. It is just too sweet (Pepsi is a little bit less sweet, but sweet enough). It totally gives you a new sense for your taste buds. You notice how artifical all that foods tastes. “Yoghurt with strawberry taste” and things like that totally taste weird. You learn to make a difference between real aromas and artificial aromas. Maybe you still like artificial aromas, but you have to take them as they are: artificial, not “real” (I don’t say natural here, because a natural aroma still is artificial, but I’m unsure if this is the right terminology in English. Here in Germany the ingredients are often “natural aromas” or “artificial aromas”).
Did you know that flavors (aromas) in yoghurt, candy, sweets, cookies, … are made of bacterial and fungi cultures? They are mixed together to achieve an almost similar flavor to the original fruit, but you will notice soon that they are far away from real fruits.

After the second time (one month) I didn’t have this effect, but it was interesting to see how easy it is after a while to avoid candy and stuff (now I still eat candy now and then, but not very regularly). Next time I will do a sugarfree time, I try to avoid all sugars to regain that experience of “regenerated taste buds”. If you tried for a week, your desire for sweets will go back. Sugar hooks you up, you get addicted to it (there are some scientific studies on that, but I don’t know a source right now). After several days, the desire for it goes back like it does in every addiction.

Two last things:
Diets can be a kind of signal for the body to break up with his adapted digestion. But every diet which lasts longer than a few days will be adapted again by the body. The body is able to switch from carb burning to fat burning and vice versa, it’s really interesting. Each diet has the problem that you can’t make a lifestyle out of it, like Leo pointed out. And futhermore, a diet creates the illusion that you can loose weight in short time in a healthy way without having any disadvantages of it. Often, you get almost the whole weight back if you keep your old lifestyle. Chaning your eating habits is the only way to lose weight and keep a low weight for the rest of your life.

My trainer said once: “Soft man - soft body, hard man - hard body”, and he is absolutely right. If you overcome some temptations you are a hard man and your body will become hard too ;)

Stacey Says:

December 18th, 2007, 7:26 am

Another amazing writing on ZenHabits…Many Thanks! This is great motivation..I have recently discovered ZH and have started sharing the links with my friends….I have this on my yahoo homepage…one request….a printable version
would be awesome! Cheers and Good luck to everyone on
this journey to become our best….it is a daily commitment and sometimes moment by moment! I have almost reached my goal after struggling for longer than I will admit to but I am finally doing it for me and that has brought much to the equation of realizing we are worth the time in a day to do for ourselves. -SM

Fitness Guy Says:

December 18th, 2007, 11:47 am

This is list is complete. Many many fitness books have been written about much less then the content of this post.

Thanks Leo

Ryan Says:

December 18th, 2007, 13:46 pm

Good tips

I would add make sure to get enough sleep to the list. It’s a lot harder to make good choices when you feel tired.

deepali Says:

December 18th, 2007, 15:59 pm

@ Crystal - you said: “Using that logic someone eating nothing but twinkies, so long as they had the right number of them per day, would be perfectly healthy and the right weight. Doesn’t work that way, sorry.”

Actually, it does, sort of. If you only ate twinkies, but ate the “right” amount, you’d be the right weight (the tricky part is figuring out what’s “right”). But you are correct, you wouldn’t be healthy at all.

Dot Says:

December 18th, 2007, 16:16 pm

A weight-loss tip I recently learned: exercise will produce endorphins, which reduce some of the cravings we have. Cravings are produced by hormones, and exercise changes the hormones.

I also want to say that, despite your modest statements that your readers have made this blog so great, I think what makes this blog so great is (a) you know what you’re writing about and have valuable information to impart and (b) you add your personal experience into the picture. Thanks for all the great articles!

Robert Morrow Says:

December 19th, 2007, 12:26 pm

I find that most diets work on reduction of fats only. There is no discussion of reducing the carbrohydrates or intake of refined foods like surgar, white flour and boxed high carbrohydrate foods. Over the last year I have reduced my waist line from 48 inches to 38 inches plus fat weight. Just cut back on high carbrohydrate and some fat. Eating mostly real unrefined foods. I still take butter over the make believe margarine and empty high carb. cereal or prepared foods. I have found that most people do not read labels or understand what they have read. Even the AMA has recommed the reduced carbs diet over low fat and here again, what kind of fat? Imitation or real? Lets get informed and weight can be reduced with out pain or suffering.

Bonnie Says:

December 20th, 2007, 10:06 am

Hi, just gategrashing your blog :D

Have you ever tried the No S diet? i.e. No sweets, snacks or seconds - except on weekends and special days (just google “No S diet” and the home page should come up). It is more about changing habits than changing what you eat, and I’ve found it to be very good for me as my problem isn’t what I eat (a healthy vegan diet) but natural tendancies to overeat at any opportunity (which I’m getting control of now that I’m doing the No S system).

This is in contrast to your point about eating when you’re first hungry however, but that isn’t something that can work for everyone (e,g, someone like me whose appetite doesn’t seem to have an off switch - never really figured out why that is, I’ve been like that pretty much since I was a baby LOL).

I guess each individual needs to find a plan that works for them and more importantly that they can stick to long term, which is where articles like yours prove helpful.

Seasons Greetings :)

Travis Says:

December 20th, 2007, 16:11 pm

Awesome advice. Personally, I don’t find success with any form of snacking, but the rest is solid. Thanks again, Leo!

The Health Blogger Says:

December 20th, 2007, 18:47 pm

Hi, Leo. Another great article, very thoughtful and packed full of really useful tips that I’ve used myself in attaining my weight loss (35 lbs since Feb. ‘07).

I agree with all your points but one: when you say that shedding weight isn’t easy.

It was easy for me! Well, after I changed a few of my limiting beliefs, figured out how the human body works and tried a few different things to find out what works best for me.

If you’re curious, I just started a health blog and have posted “10 Beliefs that Make Being Healthy Easy” and “How I Lost 25 lbs in 3 months”.

Thanks so much for your exceptional contribution!

kevin Says:

December 22nd, 2007, 17:08 pm

The easiest way by far is to follow a scientific research-based diet, which means ignoring all the fad diets and pretty much everything else you usually hear about how to eat.

A good place to start is the book The China Study, which gives an overview of the largest ongoing set of nutritional research studies in the world. Another resource is http://www.drmcdougall.com, and if you have reason to be worried about heart disease, check out the book
Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Caldwell B. Esselstyn.

By eating a whole foods, plant-based diet, I’ve lost about 14 pounds since this summer, eating as much food as I want (a lot!). Aside from losing weight and feeling much better, other objective measures like cholesterol have also improved (down to 120!).

Kinky James Says:

January 1st, 2008, 2:28 am

#14. Get inspired. Motivation is important … maybe the most important thing.

Okay… I hate to toot my own horn here but I can totally help with this one… how about getting to try new sexual activity with your partner as a motivator? Ah yeah. :-)

Check out kinkyweightloss.com

Get Six Pack Abs Says:

March 20th, 2008, 12:09 pm

I agree that shedding weight isn’t easy, but the key is not to give up and follow thru with your exercise and diet program and soon enough you will start seeing result that will motivate you even further.

Fran Golden Says:

April 6th, 2008, 19:06 pm

Great Advice! I’m trying to lose a lot of weight and I will keep these tips in mind.

Kent Says:

April 10th, 2008, 0:57 am

plateaus are not a bad thing, it’s natural and excercise to help you kick start your healthy weight loss.

marck white Says:

April 27th, 2008, 19:13 pm

Very well written. I agree with most everything. I would add that keeping protein intake high and also adding protein with every meal will help control that glycemic spike when only carbs are ingested. Your carbs should come from dark leafy vegetables and whole grains.

Flat Stomach Says:

May 30th, 2008, 9:21 am

Well written. For me one of the challenges was how to keep motivation high. What finally worked out best was that when I was thinking about running, I went running. And I did not think about whether I should go now, or later, or tomorrow and so on. Thought is coming

Flat Stomach Says:

May 30th, 2008, 9:22 am

Garen Says:

June 5th, 2008, 17:57 pm

This is some well written information. I agree these are some very helpful tips. I have to say that I fully agree that one of the best ways to lose weight is to have a workout partner. Like quitting smoking its so hard to do alone.

I would have to say the number one thing to remember is that you have to have dieting motivation if you really want to lose weight.