Back in mid-2006, I documented my fairly dramatic weight loss in a series of blog postings. Some of you may even remember that. It was on boingboing and all that.
I went from a high of 224 pounds to a low of 164, which made for a total loss of 60 pounds (I’m about 6 feet tall). It’s interesting (and a little disturbing) to go back and re-read what I wrote back then:
- Diet Tips or How To Lose Weight with a Spreadsheet and a Web Site
- The Diet Plan and The Three Habits
- The Diet Spreadsheet
- Diet Tips: How To Eat Less
- Diet Plans and Goal Setting: How Many Calories?
Fast forward to January of 2011, and I had gained back about half the weight. I was hovering just below 200 pounds and had needed to purchase larger jeans a few times during the five years in between. Considering the success rate of most diets, that’s not bad but it’s also hardly ideal. Other issues had crept up along the way too.
The story of how I re-lost most of that weight and generally got a lot healthier is the subject of Learning to Eat Well and Stay Healthy, a blog post I just wrote on a new site called HowToEatAndLive that my wife Kathleen and I have started for 2012. It’s going to document a lot of what we’ve learned about health, nutrition, and living in the last year (and interesting things we continue to discover in the new year). We’ve both learned a lot and have tons to write.
If you’re curious to learn about how I lost the weight I gained back and have kept it off, that’s the place to go. It’s a little rough around the edges yet, but we’re working to add some finishing touches as well as a lot more information.
I’ve had similar struggles. I’m curious to hear more about what you’ve learned. On the surface it sounds a lot like the approach in the 4 Hour Body. I think the trick is accepting hat the solution is a lifestyle change and not a diet change.
Some of the ideas in the 4-hour body do apply, but I don’t really do the “cheat day” thing that Tim talked about in the book. Ours is more in line with the Pale/Primal diet.
A few thoughts.
Your body is *what you do* with *what you eat*.
What you eat matters, but in multiple dimensions: quantity (raw calories), quality (contaminants, micronutrients, macornutrient balance), timing, and the rest. I’m a huge fan of Michael Pollan.
What you DO also has a profound impact on your body and its systems. This is something that’s underappreciated by a great many dieters / aspiring weight losers.
Diet will largely govern how much of you there is — total weight. Strength training (or lack) will determine how much muscle you have (muscle is *good* weight). Cardio, especially HIIT cardio, will effect weight, metabolism, and of course, cardiovascular help, though its role in weight/fat loss is lower than many people would suppose.
The point though is: diet *alone* isn’t a total fitness prescription.
A couple of great summaries of this:
Hierarchy of Fat Loss : http://alwyncosgrove.com/2010/01/hierarchy-of-fat-loss/
Beginners’ Health & Fitness Guide : http://liamrosen.com/fitness.html
An article that summarizes much of what I’ve learned myself over the past 5 years is:
Everything You Know About Fitness is a Lie : http://www.mensjournal.com/everything-you-know-about-fitness-is-a-lie/print/
And some great books:
TNROL : http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Maximum-Muscle/dp/1583332383
TNROL4W : http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583332944
Starting Strength : http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-2nd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp
/0976805421
One of the surprisingly good places to turn to for a community on fitness and diet is … Craigslist forums. The fitness and dieting forums in particular have a great community of regulars. Check ‘em out, Jeremy.
https://forums.craigslist.org/?batch=day&forumID=92
https://forums.craigslist.org/?batch=day&forumID=122
I totally agree that the key to losing weight and keeping it off is to approach weight loss as a lifestyle change. Many people think associate losing weight to just the tangible methods of exercising and focusing on nutrition. While those are no doubt important, it is key for the long-term to develop the correct lifestyle habits that promote healthy eating, exercise, and overall weight management.
I’m glad you talk about forming the right habits on your new blog, howtoeatandlive.com. Too often people try to lose weight by using “will-power” alone. Too many times I’ve seen people burn themselves out trying to stick to a restrictive diet or exercise program. People are creatures of habit, and the best way to change your body (whether it be lose weight or gain muscle) is to form new habits related to eating and working out.
Great stuff! Looking forward to checking in from time to time.
I love what you guys tend to be up too. This kind of clever work and reporting!
Keep up the very good works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to my personal blogroll.
Very good information. Lucky me I came across your blog by accident (stumbleupon).
I have saved it for later!