My very good friend Aaron used to weigh almost 300 pounds when we were teenagers. One day he decided that he would no longer be fat. He has lost and kept off about 80 pounds of fat over the last 6 years.
People often ask him “how did you do it Aaron?”
His answer is simple, “Diet and exercise.”
Everyone who hears that is disappointed, as if they expected something else. As if they expected something easier than to change the way they live their lives.
Lest there be any misunderstanding, all you have to do to lose body fat or gain muscle is diet and exercise. The rest are just details. I take care of the details. I tell people how to get the most out of their diet and exercise. Yes, better information can make a BIG difference to your bottom line, BUT there is NOTHING that can help you if you are not willing to change the way you live, your “lifestyle” as much of a cliché as it is. Being a cliché doesn’t make it any less true, nor does it mean you’re actually applying it to your life.
Every year millions of Americans collectively lose millions of pounds of body fat. The bad news is that, every year, at least 98% of them get EVERYTHING back, and possibly some more. It seems that most people have a harder time keeping it on long term than taking it off in the first place (not that taking it off is easy despite what you’ve heard on late-night TV :-)).
KEEP FAT FOR LIFE
#1. Dieter’s Fatal Flaw
For some reason, even if someone finds an effective plan, they think that after they reach their ideal weight/size, they can go back to “normal”. They think that if you remove the fat once, it will stay that way for the rest of their lives. You do not believe this intellectually, but emotionally this is exactly what you think and precisely what you act on. Again, I know no one would be foolish enough to say this out loud to another person, or even think it, BUT almost everyone acts on this unconscious belief.
Your “normal” poor eating and lack of regular/smart exercise is what got you into this mess in the first place. Nothing magical has happened while you ate better and exercised that would “protect the fat” on your body for life. If you go back to your old ways, then you’ll have to go back to your old XXL t-shirts.
#2. Reality check: Find out how you’re really doing each week
Obviously, neither you nor I hit the genetic jackpot. Maybe you could eat whatever you wanted as a teenager (I’m jealous, by the way), but that’s clearly not the case anymore. Our bodies won’t keep us slim by themselves. We also need to engage our minds, but this is actually quite simple:
A.) Figure out where you’d like to maintain: is it a certain dress size, a certain weight, or a certain tummy or hip measurement? I would recommend tummy and/or hip measurement as the scale can be misleading and different manufacturers measure their stuff differently.
B.) Check in each week: Do it on the same day, at the same time, on the same scale/tape measure as much as possible. That is, if you work out every Monday night around 7:00 pm, be sure to measure just before you work out for consistency.
C.) DO NOT allow him to gain more than ½ to 1 inch or 5 pounds above where you want to maintain. NEVER let it be okay. Gravity is automatic, you must exert your will to get what you want out of life. Adjust your diet and improve or possibly extend your exercise routine to get back to where you want to stay.
Remember, in fat loss and muscle gain, you get exactly what you earn from your actions, not necessarily what you want.
#3. Learn to enjoy your new lifestyle
Exercise and high-intensity activity can be SO much fun. It is a very good stress reliever. It gives you a “rush” of endorphins. It can be a nice way to spend time with friends and family. Consistency gives you an incredible feeling of pride, self-confidence, and self-control (self-discipline = deep personal growth). It makes you look great. Create more time in your life because:
A.) It will improve energy levels: having more productive hours in the day = more time.
B.) Sharpen your mind: You learn faster and can put more into each hour of work, so you get more out of each hour.
C.) Improves your immunity: If you get sick less, then you have more time for productivity and fun.
D.) Regular exercise requires you to manage your time better: If you have to start planning your weeks in advance, you’ll find that you can get a lot more done in the same amount of time.
Fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, nuts and seeds, lean meats, and a limited amount of starchy carbohydrates can ALL be truly delicious if you prepare them correctly. Eating well can actually be more pleasurable than “regular” eating because “regular” food only provides pleasure to the tongue. But eating healthy can be delicious, and it can make you feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally (plus, you won’t feel sleepy after eating).
And, yes, of course, there’s always room for the regular dessert and other not-so-healthy foods. Just don’t kid yourself about how much or how often you can have them.
