I belong to the ‘fitness’ tribe. My friends will be totally not shocked about that. A woman posted today looking for the best way to lose weight. A string of replies followed. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and reading about these issues lately, which is not surprise since lately in this case means for the past 16 years. And, frankly, I am a tad angered over what I see. I am not going to go into that now, but here is how I responded to the woman’s questions-
“First, the reason why I think I know something about the struggle of losing weight. I currently tip the scale at 186, when I was 21 the scale read 396. Those are pounds, folks.
Okay, enough about me.
You already know the basic formula – eat less/move more.
The rest of your question is about how best to do that. I am going to tell you the truth here. Ready?
No one knows. Sorry. The statistical information about the increasing obesity problem in this country, and the nearly complete failure of any diet regime to produce lasting results consistently points to one fact: The best way is incredibly individual. I can tell you what worked for me, and some of it might be useful for you, but the simple truth is that my way cannot be yours.
So, here’s my advice. Move more. Try to get in enough exercise on a daily basis that you feel results. More energy and more fitness are the goals here. Buy a blank journal and a good pen. Keep a running tab of what you eat, and how you exercise every day. Make notes of how you feel emotionally and physically on a daily basis. One, or three, lines after each exercise entry to touch base on how it’s working for you. Before each meal note the time of the meal and your hunger level. This will help you determine what foods keep you satiated longer.
In short – figure out what works best for you yourself. No one else is going to be able to do that better than you, and if anyone claims to, the historical statistics point to them lying. Take inspiration where you can, steal tips that make sense, try things and take notes so you will not forget their effectiveness.
You can do it. You can win the war against poor health. But, only you can. No one can do it for you.
I salute your willingness to try.”
