
Ask YC: How do you lose weight? - Flemlord
This was inspired by another Ask YC post that mentioned the Hacker's Diet (http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/www/hackdiet.html).<p>After extensive research, I tried the Hacker's Diet and lost 60 pounds over 7 months. The big problem with HD is that it doesn't emphasize increasing your protein intake. As a result, I lost some muscle mass as well as fat. I kept the weight off for two years but eventually gained most of it back. Another criticism of HD is that you lose your energy--had I been working at the time I couldn't have pulled it off.<p>I recently started a medically supervised diet called a Modified Fast which does emphasize increasing protein and virtually eliminating carbs. One of my board members recommended the clinic and they claim they can do 15-20 pounds a month with no muscle loss or decrease in energy. I'm ahead of schedule but I'm only a couple days in so it doesn't really count. (The first 10 lbs are water weight.) I also take an appetite suppressant called phentermine during both diets.<p>Here's the Wikipedia link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketogenic_diet) for something similar to my current diet. They call it the Ketogenic Diet. (The whole point is to kick your body into a state of ketosis where it rapidly burns off all your fat. The protein is to make sure it doesn't also burn off muscle.)<p>So YC, have you ever tried to lose weight? If so, how?
======
scott_s
First of all, exercise. You can't get in good shape through diet alone.
Exercise is more than just cardio; strength training increases the amount of
muscle mass you have, which allows you to burn more calories.

"Diets" don't work because the word implies a _temporary_ change in your
eating habits. In order to maintain weight loss, you need to _change your
eating habits for the rest of your life_.

Further, in order to be in good shape - not just maintain "low weight" - you
need to eat well and exercise. For the rest of your life.

~~~
ejs
From someone who exercises a good amount (usually 5-6 days a week for 1-2
hours at a time) I never really believe in exercise for weight loss.

The math just doesnt work out, go and run hardcore for about 3 miles at 250
lbs bodyweight and you are looking at burning about 500 calories. While thats
a good amount its the same as maybe 2 bottles of soda. Its a lot easier to cut
out 100 calories from 5 meals then to run 3 miles...

So I never advocate exercise for weight loss purposes as much as diet. I
greatly advocate exercise for all the other benefits plus the motivation it
helps with in dieting.

Really as someone else stated, if you are overweight you need to make a
lifestyle change. Cut out all the crap esp empty calories like soda (sugar)
pastries, and other junk.

~~~
scott_s
Your math doesn't work because it's not that simple. The effects of exercise -
strength training or cardio - do not stop once _you_ stop. Your metabolism is
raised for hours after, and your body has to start repairing itself.

Also, please note there is more to exercise than cardio.

~~~
WilliamLP
Go look at the actual research about raised metabolism after training, and
about the increase with more muscle mass. You'll find it's actually pretty
tiny.

However, excercise does have other effects, possibly including reducing
cravings and changing hormone levels and maybe (over the long term) gene
expression.

~~~
kingkongrevenge
> Go look at the actual research

I can and have lost eight pounds (not water) in three days. I could do it
right now. I call BS on whatever research.

~~~
kingnothing
I'm not going to say you haven't lost eight pounds in three days, but I will
say that most of that was water weight and the rest was probably muscle.

A pound of fat is roughly 3500 calories. In order to lose eight pounds of fat
in three days, you would have had to induce a caloric deficit of over 9000
calories per day.

A note to everyone: The most weight you can healthily lose is about two pounds
per week. More than that and you're going to start losing a measurable amount
of muscle mass. The exception is when you first start out exercising and
eating properly, but that should only last for a couple of weeks.

~~~
kingkongrevenge
When you cover huge distances all day the weight/calorie arithmetic is not
linear. Your body rapidly sheds large amounts of weight to become more
efficient.

I specifically said it was not water.

------
optimal
Move more, eat less. It really is that simple.

If you want to lose weight you need to include both exercise and proper
nutrition in your life (I don't like the word "diet").

Running, weights, PT, biking, swimming, etc. Brisk walking is great. Just do
something!

My best advice regarding exercise is to make it a habit by including it in
your daily routine. At first you'll feel worse when you do exercise than when
you don't, but if you persist you'll soon feel worse when you don't. That's
when you've succeeded.

The body's a machine, and with proper fuel and maintenance you have the best
chance for a long and productive life.

When I'm eating that salad every day during lunch I just tell myself it's
"brain food," and I notice the difference in the afternoon.

I also believe being a balanced and well-rounded person gives you the best
chance of being a successful entrepreneur. You can only sprint for so long--
think instead of "what I'm going to do for the next 40, 50, or 60 years."

~~~
kingnothing
Thinking down the road is what got me off my ass and in the gym. I realized
that I'd been 40 pounds overweight for the past seven years and that there is
no magical weight loss fairy who would wave her wand at me and make me wake up
one day without that fat.

Right now I'm still getting "newbie gains", but I can't even begin to describe
how great it feels to know that every day I'm stronger and healthier than I've
ever been in my life. I'm also happier and handle stress better than ever.
Really, exercise is that miracle drug everyone seems to be searching for.

~~~
optimal
That's so awesome.

"Fit for life" is a good mantra, because fitness--a balance of stamina and
strength--improves every aspect of life.

------
radu_floricica
The problem is more complicated then given credit to. Basically, we don't
know. We do have hundreds of diets, but if you go to a doctor and ask the
question you're not going to get a nice, uniform and consistent answer.

From what I read and experienced over time there are some conclusions to be
drawn:

1\. Most diets are short-medium term, and for long term they're inefficient or
(if at least one study is to be believed) even detrimental.

2\. Excercise does help. The single most efficient thing you can do, with long
term results and no side-effects is to build up your muscle mass. Aerob
(resistance) exercise helps too, but I'm not sure yet how much.

3\. Meta-diets are more efficient. Instead of following a certain diet, make
long-term smaller changes to the way you eat. A few things you can try:

\- Add more variety. That's btw what all the doctors say: a balanced diet is a
healthy diet.

\- Switch starting/stopping a meal from external cues to internal cues. Eat
when you're hungry, not when you are offered food or the favorite show is on.
Stop eating when you're full, not when the plate is empty. If you can, don't
do anything when eating, like watching tv or reading. Hurts the above-
mentioned internal cues.

\- Don't base your diet on willpower. Willpower is a limited commodity, and
it's best kept for other things (really, it's cognitive science).

A good way of combining all of the above is to plan what you're going to eat,
but not from a diet standpoint but from a gourmand one. Eat only delicious
food. Eat whatever you feel like at the moment. Enjoy eating. By that i don't
men stuff yourself with the same hamburgers all the time, but cook your own
food and actively search new eating places and foods.

~~~
yters
Making my own meals helps me. I try to start from scratch as much as possible
and avoid fatty meats. Plus, cooking my own food makes it more enjoyable to
eat, which means its easier to eat healthily. The inventive aspect is also
fun.

------
martythemaniak
I'm be pretty skeptical of anything that advertises more than 1lb/week of
weight loss, hence why I'm pretty skeptical of diets. About 2 years ago I went
from 235 to 185 and have mostly kept it off ( because of a more sedentary
lifestyle in the winter, my weight varies from 190-200 during the year).

It's very simple to describe: 1\. I stopped eating crap: no chips, pop,
snacks, a bit less high-fat stuff etc. 2\. I scaled back the portions: I was
amazed as how much less food I needed to be full and have energy when I
started cutting back. I am not a small person (6'4"), but I find lunch
portions in most restaurants are a bit too big and dinner portions are often
times insane. 3\. Started exercising seriously - last summer I ran about 10km
5 days a week, the year before I biked about 120km-150km/week. It may be tough
to get started, but after a while it actually gets easier.

------
Tichy
I am not overweight and not a specialist for diets. However, recently I read
one book about nutrition that made a big impression on me: The China Study by
Colin Campbell. It doesn't give you a specific diet plan, except for the
recommendation to avoid all animal proteins. But if that sounds hard, the book
provides ample motivation, because it summarizes lots and lots of studies that
show that most "civilization diseases", like heart disease, cancer, multiple
sclerosis, diabetes and more can be avoided by such a diet. But the author is
not a crank or self-announced health guru, but a scientist who has devoted his
life to studying these things. The most extensive study is the China Study
that gave the book it's name, but it is not the only one.

As for losing weight, I remember that he writes that people with a mostly
plant based diet tend to actually eat more calories than meat eaters, but stay
slimmer nevertheless - the energy is used in a different way. He also
criticizes some popular diets, for example while Atkins dieters lost weight in
studies, what is less known is that they also lost critical amounts of
calcium. Overall, Atkins is apparently very unhealthy.

Also, apparently people who switch to plants based diets also lose weight,
without calories counting.

Of course I am not a health scientist, so I can't judge the book. But it
sounded convincing to me, also because even before I read it I had a feeling I
should try to avoid dairy products. I did some google searches but found no
refutations of The China Study (it has a section on the grip of the food
industry on the dieting market).

In fact, I would be interested in hearing other people's opinions.

~~~
yters
That's interesting. Do you know how accurate the calories to weight conversion
is?

------
webwright
Joe Hruska (one of my co-founders at RescueTime, YC08) has lost 42 pounds in
the last 3.5 months with approximately zero exercise.

He pretty much did the South Beach Diet. It's kinda faddy, but it really is
approximately what humans were designed to eat. You should pick up the book,
but approximately: no white flour, no white sugar, no rice, no potatoes. First
two weeks are pure carb-free (painful) but the rest of the time, complex carbs
are okay in moderation.

~~~
JoeH
On Dec. 17th I had blood work done for my yearly physical. At that time I was
warned by the doctor that I was trending towards diabetes. My triglycerides
were 381 and cholesterol was 173.

This really kicked me in the ass to drop weight. I did a fair bit of research
into diets and really detested the idea of a fad type diet. But, for me - the
South Beach diet allowed me to eat the food I enjoy and not feel like I was
starving myself.

Fast forward to April 12th I had lost 42.6 pounds and had my blood retested.
My triglycerides were down to 76 (a drop in over 300 points) and my
cholesterol was down to 153. Granted triglycerides can range fairly broadly
from day to day, but the doctor was very impressed with my progress.

This week, I started a morning exercise routine as outlined by the Hacker Diet
(
[http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/www/chapter1_2_5.html#Exerc...](http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/www/chapter1_2_5.html#ExerciseChapter)
). My goal is to drop an additional 25-30 pounds, which will get me to
170-175, over the next year by eating right and exercise.

~~~
Flemlord
Congrats on the weight loss. Medical reasons kicked off my current diet too--I
was diagnosed with high blood pressure. South Beach sounds similar to what I'm
doing right now. The first two weeks of no-carbs should have kicked your body
into ketosis, and it will stay there as long as you keep the carbs down.

------
nonane
I've lost nearly 60 pounds in 7 months. I did that by making sure I walk for
atleast 1 hour a day and changing my diet. Yes, just regular walking - no
running because 15-20 minutes of running kicks my ass whereas I can walk for
1-1.5 hours without getting too tired.

Aside from that I've made sure I'm comfortable with my diet throughout the
initial weight loss. To maintain the loss I've realized that I need to decide
to change my lifestyle and my diet permanently. So that excludes diets that
deprive my body off essential nutrients and which I can not maintain long-
term. I've started to eat more salads for my meals - the salads always include
protein (grilled chicken or grilled steak) and sometimes carbs too (sweet
fruits). I always make sure my meal contains some form of veggies. I try to
avoid fat and greasy things totally (but not always). For desert or just
increasing my sugar level when I'm feeling lethargic I take sugar in the form
of fruits - mostly apples, oranges or anything else that is sitting in the
fridge. I've developed a new appreciation for fruits and veggies during the
last 6 months. For breakfast I've shifted to having boiled egg whites and
recently have started to include brown bread too.

I think the first comment hit the nail on the head - to maintain the loss you
need to change your habits permanently. You should pick a routine _now_ that
you are comfortable with and plan to carry it with you long term. You can keep
tweaking the routine to suit your needs as you go along but anything that you
can not carry with you long term should be avoided.

------
menloparkbum
I gained 40 pounds over the course of 3 years working at a startup. I lost
this weight in three months by hiring a personal trainer. She helped me design
a diet and exercise plan.

The exercise plan involved a lot of balance, stretching and unconventional
weight training. For instance, rather than just pumping iron, the trainer had
me do things like stand on a wobbly platform and lift "kettlebells."

Prior to getting fat, I was relatively athletic and went to the gym regularly.
I would use the treadmill and lift weights. The new training methods my
trainer introduced were much more effective than what I was doing on my own,
and I'm now much stronger and more flexible than I ever have been in the past.

I highly recommend this approach if you are serious about getting into shape.
Look for a trainer who is into balance, flexibility, "core fitness" and who
knows something about nutrition. Most hackers I know are very DIY-independent
and are skeptical about hiring someone to help them achieve goals. I am this
way, but I found that having a trainer really helped me much more than I was
able to achieve on my own.

------
jgrahamc
1\. I moved to Europe

2\. I stopped drinking soda

~~~
donw
Heh. Every time I go to Japan, coming from the United States, I _gain_ weight.
Part of this is because I probably get less exercise while in Japan (since I
don't lift while I'm there), and part of this is because I _love_ Japanese
food, and so I tend to eat a lot while I'm there.

People who move and then lose weight probably just don't like the food in the
country where they moved.

That said, when I stopped drinking soda, I dropped a surprising amount of
bodyfat, and felt better overall.

~~~
dkokelley
It's a good thing Japan is not in Europe.

Moving can have a big influence on someone's body/appetite, but moving
specifically to Europe has other advantages. There's a book called _The French
(don't) Diet_. I haven't read it, but I know people who have. The basic idea
is that French food (and presumably much of Europe's food overall) is
naturally healthy. It's not filled with preservatives or infused with high-
fructose corn syrup. Those artificial ingredients in most American foods are
hard for our bodies to digest, so they move to fat where they are almost never
digested. The French food is made of natural ingredients that our bodies can
actually use for nutrition and energy, so we don't store the food away - we
use it.

The funny thing is that in America, we don't have this artificial food because
it tastes better. We have it here because it's cheaper.

On another note, why is this on HN? I know it's tangentially related to the
hacker diet, but an _Ask YC: How do you lose weight?_ thread doesn't seem like
it would belong here.

~~~
randallsquared
Food has to be digested before it can be stored in fat cells. Also, if it's
actually more difficult to digest a given food, then you'll get less energy
from it, which means less stored as fat. So, basically, easier-to-digest means
more fattening.

------
chaostheory
To me it's really obvious that you should eat well and exercise... the problem
is getting the time to do it. Why not work/hack at the same time as
exercising?

My home work desk is configured for standing... right now I'm experimenting
with mini-steppers though I have a feeling that I either need to hack a full
blown stepper or that I need to buy a treadmill. The problem is that most
mini-steppers have bad design and will probably break in a month, though if
you want a treadmill that doesn't break after prolonged use; I've heard you
need to spend a few grand...

Ideas:

\- [http://www.engadget.com/2005/06/08/the-treadmill-
workstation...](http://www.engadget.com/2005/06/08/the-treadmill-workstation/)

\- here's one guys hack: [http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/07/31/web-workout-
make-a-work...](http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/07/31/web-workout-make-a-
workstation-out-of-a-treadmill/)

\- <http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/3634>

\- <http://www.buzzfeed.com/buzz/Treadmill_Workstation>

I also use a combination of Wii and a mini exercise cyle (not usable for most
desks and it's too loud for the office) when I play xbox 360 video games.

[http://www.amazon.com/Brookstone-Mini-Exercise-
Bike/dp/B0000...](http://www.amazon.com/Brookstone-Mini-Exercise-
Bike/dp/B0000X0XJU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1208533448&sr=8-1)

~~~
shimon
I've been using a treadmill desk for about 8 months now:
[http://rura.org/blog/2007/11/14/the-treadmill-desk-
exercise-...](http://rura.org/blog/2007/11/14/the-treadmill-desk-exercise-for-
the-sake-of-hacking/)

Once I knew I'd be using the treadmill long-term, I bought a Nordic Track
A2350 treadmill online, along with a 4-year extended warranty (added to the
year that's already included). There is little chance the treadmill will
actually last through 5 years of 5-8h daily usage, so I expect to get my value
out of the extended warranty. The whole thing cost about $950 delivered. Far
less than a treadmill that's actually built to tolerate this sort of long-term
usage.

~~~
chaostheory
nice =)

------
strlen
I've lost over 50-60 lbs since last year. Bulk of it (30-40 lbs) was within ~5
months. The way I did it was mostly through exercise: at the peak, I was doing
an hour of cardio a day, 5-7 days a week.

I began (in December of 2006/January of 2007) with 15-35 minutes of cardio,
three-four days a week (with intensive weight lifting). That got me back into
the pace of exercise; weight lifting created muscles which consume fat when I
do cardio. I also targeted the muscles closest to the biggest fat deposits
(abdominals, legs) more. After I built up more strength and created a pace
(roughly March 2007), I switched to nearly daily work outs with 30-45 minutes
of cardio, which grew to an hour of cardio. At this pace I was doing at least
3500 calories a week.

In mid-to-early May, I've reached my initial goal, a normal BMI (for my height
it's 174 lbs, down from 200+ lbs). Weight loss became even more rapid after
that. 165 lbs by mid-to-late June, 155 lbs during the fall and (stably, since
mid-December) 145 lbs. I've remained at that weight since. (The only way I
know the dates is I've kept a private diary).

It's been the second greatest improvement I've made to my life (the first
greatest improvement would be going to college): I've gained enough confidence
to resume dating, I've found myself having more time, I've found myself having
more energy to do work. I work 8-10 hour days followed - with occasional
crunch time and hackathons - while doing a masters part-time: about
equivalent, if not greater, work load than one would have as a startup founder
(This brings me to another point, yes you do have time to work out).

As for diet, the only real changes were: \- As little white flour as possible
(substituted with whole weat). There is minimal difference in taste/enjoyment,
but there are less of the "bad" carbs. \- As little refined sugar as possible,
no high fructose corn syrup at all. Splenda in it's place. In reality this
means: make your own tea, drink water (and in the worst case, diet Coke). Dump
the junk drinks (and that means dump Bawls and Jolt Cola too - diet Rockstar).
\- Moderation: don't eat when not hungry, don't starve myself (starvation only
puts your body into an energy conservation mode). Less eating at night, less
snacking. Smaller portions.

In case you want proof: <http://rn86.net/~af/badge.jpg> (April 2006, this
wasn't even at my worst! Just as I began working full-time)
<http://rn86.net/~af/photobooth.jpg> (few weeks ago)

Hmm, perhaps this deserves a full fledge blog-post.

------
makecheck
I've made just a couple of simple changes, and I'm slimming down.

One, I now walk for a long time (1-2 hours) every few days. I go around the
neighborhood, up hills and such, so it's not a huge strain but not trivial
either. I find a 2 hour walk all at once is much better than, say, 4 days of
30 minute walks, because your body only has to "ramp up" once and spends most
of the time at a higher metabolic rate.

Two, I reduced, but did _not_ eliminate, the "bad" things from my diet,
permanently. For example, I like soda; but I drink mini-bar cans (100
calories) instead of bottles. I'm slimming anyway; soda is _fine_ , as long as
you don't drink so much that there's no calories left for real food. Sure,
maybe I could slim down a week or two faster without it, but I wouldn't be
happy, so why go through that? :)

------
kingnothing
Losing weight is as simple as eating less and doing anaerobic exercise for up
to an hour a day, 3 to 4 days a week. If you're lifting hard, then the only
variable is your diet. Drop a couple hundred calories off of your intake every
day for a week - if you aren't losing 1 - 2 pounds per week, take another
couple hundred calories off. I would say, in general, no man should eat less
than 1800 calories per day, however. If you are, and not losing weight, you
should most definitely see your doctor.

Aerobic exercise is great, but you shouldn't do it to lose weight. Do it for
the benefits to the cardiovascular system. Anaerobic exercise will add muscle
mass which in turn increases your metabolism. Also, by strenuously using your
muscles every week, your body has to continuously repair them.

That is important because our bodies are designed for survival. What I mean is
that when forced to lose weight, your body will first burn whatever muscle it
doesn't need, then resort to the fat. It takes less effort for your body to
break down muscle than fat, so it does so first. Your body puts a priority on
repairing itself, so it's going to be forced to not burn the muscles it is
repairing and instead break down fat for the energy it needs because you're
eating less than you need to maintain your weight.

If you want a good weight lifting routine, check out www.wannabebig.com.
Specifically, take a look at this routine:
<http://www.wannabebig.com/article.php?articleid=25>

~~~
kingkongrevenge
That is a body building routine. Most people don't want to get a huge ass and
well muscled but still protruding gut. It's also absurdly split up and
apparently designed for someone already huge. Two different sets of squats
_AND_ deadlifts in the same day?! That is for some puffed up monster. That's
just a complete waste of time for an athlete or someone going for fitness.

> Aerobic exercise is great, but you shouldn't do it to lose weight.

WTF? Distance is THE way to lose weight. There are a ton of bloated guys
throwing around barbells. I never see a fat person making good time on the
trails.

~~~
kingnothing
>Most people don't want to get a huge ass and well muscled but still
protruding gut.

You're not going to get huge overnight. It just doesn't happen and isn't
something that anyone should even be remotely concerned with.

------
ericb
I don't believe in dieting in the sense that it is a temporary fix. I try and
change my habits as research comes out. I also don't believe in calorie
restriction in the sense that although the physics work, other factors cause
the approach to fail. To get an idea why I think this is so, try breathing
"less air" sometime and see how long you keep it up.

-Don't eat reduced-fat or "diet" foods. Most of them reduce satiety. I have found, personally, that fats make me feel full, but I can eat an unlimited amount of carbs. Unsaturated fats are ideal. I avoid trans fats everywhere possible.

-smaller plate-size hack [http://fooddemocracy.wordpress.com/2008/02/29/mindless-eatin...](http://fooddemocracy.wordpress.com/2008/02/29/mindless-eating-why-we-eat-more-than-we-think/)

-eat breakfast (oatmeal or something with fiber)

-avoid white carbs in favor of whole grains (release energy slowly) and swap out white pasta for whole grain pasta and white breads for whole grain breads. View white bread as a rare treat.

-cut out soda and high fructose corn syrup as much as possible (corn syrup is a more recent addition to our diets that may mess up insulin/satiety)

-weight training--I had great return on exercise (ROE) with the four hour work week's 30 minute regimen from his blog and I seem to need to do this and run to stay slim.

-run (3x a week at least)

-get all required sleep, with naps (some research indicates that over-eating and sleep deprivation are linked)

------
nraynaud
2 hours of surf every day, stopped eating almost everything that contains high
percentage of fat. But since my project is sport-related, I had to take
drastic action to avoid (well, at least damage-control) being a bozo.

I'm far from thin (BMI 24.2), but I don't have time to exercise more for now.

edit: my most important weight loss at once was while doing the Oslo-Trondheim
pilgrimage in 2006, 640km in 18 days, even while eating an ice-cream each day
made me loose 10kg. But you need time and money.

------
rudyfink
I think there are two issues in losing weight: 1) Dropping the fat aka
expending more energy than you absorb and working to keep muscle as you go. 2)
Changing your habits to effect a change to not go back to where you were.

Frankly, most of us are professional sitters. We essentially do nothing
physical every day. If we were, historically, designing the human system, we
would have never expected it to expend so little energy in a day. We have
systems to manage and regulate weight but our activity level is below the
expected minimum and they fail. Design-wise--we are not what was expected, so
we must consciously do more.

This is to say that medicine and science can help you tremendously with 1) but
you need to get your head in a different place if you want to succeed at 2)
and that is hard++.

In addition to your efforts at 1), I would _strongly_ recommend working on new
habits. One I continually recommend is getting the habit of doing _something_
physical for an hour a day on average. If you can't do an hour at first, do a
half-hour on average. By _something_ I mean literally that: bounce a ball
against a wall, go for a walk, go for a run, hit the weights, jump rope,
bicycle, etc. Just make sure you are fairly constantly active for the period.
I think this _something_ idea is more effective because it is much easier goal
to keep. People fail at 2) because they cannot stick to their goals for new
habits.

This is already more than I intended to write, but I have one last point.
Focus on developing a truthful awareness of what you are putting into your
body. Eating is an amazingly subtle and powerful mental process. Forcing
yourself to be aware of what goes into your body will help you engage better
habits.

------
justindz
Be vegan and don't snack or drink soda. I graduated college at 5'10" and
140lbs. ;-)

Actually, here's what I would recommend:

\- Stop drinking soda. Drink less beer and more wine and whiskey. Hoooyah. \-
Don't snack and do get in to things like organic dark chocolate instead of
Snickers for dessert. \- Set a goal to do something like 100 sit-ups and 25
push-ups a day, no matter what. \- As much as possible, eat locally-grown
foods. Fat, salt and other undesirables are used to counter the loss of flavor
in most food that's packed, shipped, frozen, etc. \- Drink a full glass of
water before every meal. \- Eat more slowly. Using chopsticks helps with this,
until you get really good with chopsticks. \- Get some exercise band/tube
things. You can loop them under your chair and do shoulder presses at about
25-35lbs. resistance while puzzling through an intellectual problem in your
code, or while staring at some stupid YouTube video.

The rest is all just about being more active. If you do that well and your
metabolism goes up, you don't even have to be as picky about dieting. On top
of it, some increase in muscle mass will cause you to shed more calories
across the board.

~~~
wanorris
> don't snack

I have often heard the exact opposite advice: eat smaller meals and have more
between meal snacks, though obviously with a focus on healthy snacks.

Why do you find this to be a more effective approach?

~~~
kingnothing
More recent research has shown that it doesn't make much if any difference as
to the number of meals you eat. I don't have the journal link right now, but
it's out there. I'm most comfortable not eating much for the first 3-4 hours
of the day so that I can eat more in the afternoon and evening to get that
nice, full feeling at dinner. If you prefer eating 5-6 meals a day, go for it.
Anything is better than eating like the masses.

------
Tichy
Being reminded about stress from another comment, I just remembered the second
health-relevant book I read in recent times: "Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers", a
book about Stress. One relevant tidbit: during a stress event (like a lion
jumping out of the bush to eat you), the body doesn't care for hunger. Rather,
it tries to use as much energy as possible (for example for running away).
After the event (IF you escape the lion), the body wants to replenish the
resources, so you get very hungry.

Why then, do some people lose weight during stressful phases of their life,
and others gain weight? The explanation put forward is that people might
experience stress in different ways. The one kind really experience a
prolonged stress experience, so they forget to eat (stress suppresses the
hunger). The other kind of people experiences lots of small stress events. For
example driving to work: first red traffic light - stress, second red traffic
light - stress, call customer - stress. So they have lots of short stress
experiences, each one followed with the natural hunger reaction after stress.
So they tend to eat a lot, and gain weight.

------
WilliamLP
The best resource I have ever found on this is Lyle MacDonald's materials. You
can go to (<http://www.bodyrecomposition.com>) for articles. He takes a geek
approach to nutrition, and talks extremely straight about it, and bases all
his conclusions on science and research.

There are many myths and pieces of information out there on dieting. Yes,
keeping protein intake up, to a point that many people would even consider
disgusting, is important. It's ultimately pure thermodynamics: eating less
than you burn. However, it is a big mistake to try and do too much in the gym.
The eating is by far the most important part of the equation.

Another big key is that certain diet patterns are much easier to follow. Low
carb works very well for me (after a week or two of adjustment where I'm
absolutely fried). Once it's locked in, all cravings for high carb and junk
foods just disappear. But I have to be careful, because any break from this
leads to extreme temptation again.

~~~
scott_s
Please explain why you think it's a mistake to "try and do too much in the
gym." My observation is that people don't work hard enough in the gym.

~~~
WilliamLP
Doing an hour of cardio every day might be too much. (I'm talking about
something which is higher intensity than fast walking... That would be great.)
Half an hour three times a week would be fine. The issue is with adherence,
and also the body's negative response to this much exercise. In many people
(including me for sure) it triggers an adaptation that makes them try to
conserve calories by making them feel sluggish and lethargic later on.

Weight training has similar effects. The body can be in an anabolic mode with
a caloric surplus, and in that case, yes it's good to work hard in the gym.
(Most people shouldn't go to failure very often if ever though.) But when you
are in a catabolic mode, working out very hard with weights is going to lead
to adherence issues again, e.g. dreading the workouts. You don't really need
to do all that much to maintain muscle mass, as opposed to building it when
you are approaching your genetic limit. Three times in the gym per week at
30-45 minutes per session would be just fine in my opinion.

In summary, picking something you can adhere to is far more important than
trying to optimize the equations in a way that someone with infinite willpower
might manage.

~~~
scott_s
Don't buy into the "genetic limit" line of thinking. The limit on the amount
of muscle mass you can pack onto your body is much higher than most people
have the will to achieve.

My issue is not length, but intensity. I understood "not doing too much in the
gym" to mean "don't work too hard." If instead you meant use your time in the
gym wisely, then that I agree with. But if you want to see continued
improvement, then you need to increase the intensity over time. Despite being
in the gym the same amount as some people, I'm in better shape because I work
harder.

I agree with your summary, but I would stress "work hard." I've found that
working hard and continually trying to improve actually makes workouts more
fun.

~~~
WilliamLP
Everyone has a genetic limit. I'm not going to bench press 700 pounds.
Therefore the set of all things I could do (naturally) in my lifetime to raise
it has a least upper bound. QED:)

There's a time for intensity. As someone starts to get diminishing returns,
the needs increase for higher intensity, probably higher volume, and higher
complexity e.g. periodization or something even more complicated than that.
The time for intensity is not when you are just starting weight training, in
which case anything will work (but someone should do exercises properly of
course.) The time for intensity is doubly not when your primarily goal is to
lose weight, in which case the body isn't going to have its full resources to
repair itself.

~~~
scott_s
Quoting myself, adding emphasis, "The limit on the amount of muscle mass you
can pack onto your body is much higher than most people have _the will to
achieve_." A 700 pound bench press is actually humanly possible, as the record
for a raw, drug tested bench is 711 pounds. If you said 2000 pounds, then I'd
agree with you; I think that's beyond human capacity. But 700 pounds is within
human capacity, and your limit is your will.

As a counter-example to what you said about intensity, check out the video for
The Captain: <http://www.gymjones.com/video.php>

I also like this essay: <http://www.gymjones.com/knowledge.php?id=36>

------
streblo
I've been participating in triathlons/5ks/10ks since I was in high school. To
keep in shape, I have a pretty simple regiment that I do 5/6 days a week. Each
one of those days, I run, bike, or swim, depending on what I feel like doing.
I go for how ever long I feel appropriate - long enough that I feel tired but
not absolutely exhausted. I also go to the gym for half an hour to an hour
each of those days. I do a lot of olympic type lifting (snatches, lifts,
presses, rows, squats) and resistance training (pushups, situps, pullups,
dips). Every now and then I throw something else in just to keep things
exciting (like rowing, rock climbing, kayaking, skiing in the winter). I don't
consider anything I do very strenuous, definitely something everyone is
capable of. It winds up only being about an hour or two every day, which isn't
much considering you're awake for about 16.

------
misterbwong
About a 1.5 months ago, I started the Men's Health BellyOff! program and I
have nothing but praise for the system. The diet is pretty strict but its
strength is its simplicity. I pretty much eat the same thing every day so I
don't even think about cheating anymore. It sounds restricting but it really
frees my mind up from having to ask "What should I eat?" at every meal.

The exercise regimen is very practical. It requires 30 mins 3 times a week.
All exercises can be done at home with the addition of an exercise ball and
chair-no need to buy expensive equip AND they can be done even when I'm away
from home. The exercieses also increase in difficulty as time progresses so
you don't feel stagnant. I've definitely seen results.

All the details on the program are here:<http://bellyoff.menshealth.com>

------
garyrichardson
I've lost about 26lbs since January 1. I've increased muscle mass and
decreased fat. I feel fantastic all the time. I average about a 1 pound a
week. I'm 5'10 and I've gone from 220 to 194. I'm still going down too. I
don't know when I'll stop, but I figure around 170 is right for my frame.

I've made several changes in my life that I feel contribute to my loss. I
don't know which changes have the most effect, but like anything I think it's
a little bit of all of them.

First up, Eat real food, not too much, mostly plants. The book "In Defense of
Food" changed my life. It's not a diet at all, but guidelines to how to eat
better for yourself and the environment. I feel this has had the most impact
on my weight loss. I eat way more fruits and vegetables now but less food
overall. I try (it's damn hard) to stop eating when I'm full.

I also go to the gym every day. I don't have a in-depth program. I just have
day 1 and day 2. Day 1 is 25-30 minutes of cardio and some simple weight
training. I typically hit each major muscle set with one set of reps. Day two
rests my weight training -- I do 40-45 minutes of cardio. I should also
clarify that I don't hit the gym every day; I don't always go if I'm doing
some other physical activity that day.

I've been working from home since mid-January. I use the gym in my building at
lunch. Again, I do it every day. Commuting and lack of showers in my office
were a huge mental barrier for me doing this in the past.

I've also been reliably and visually recording my weight. Every Monday I weigh
in when I get up. I put my weight into a google spread sheet and it draws a
graph for me. Seeing my progress has been a great reinforcement.

On top of the spreadsheet, I said in January that I want to be 190lbs by May 1
(I'm a pound off track right now). I used the spreadsheet to track where my
progress should be. I purposely set my goals for roughly a pound a week. I was
able to do a quick formula to show me where I should be every week. This
allowed my to check my progress in bite sized pieces.

Good luck!

------
mindcrime
A nice, basic, simple (but not _easy_ ) way is this:

a. cut the gratuitously bad stuff out of your diet. Drop sodas, chips, candy,
etc. If you eat fast food, get a grilled chicken sandwich and a salad instead
of a double cheeseburger and fries.

B. add some exercise. It doesn't have to be a lot, but what has worked well
for me over the years is walking on a treadmill, and gradually upping the
incline to increase the resistance as my conditioning improves; and/or
increasing my speed or adding time to my sessions.

You'd be amazed how much weight you can lose if you walk on a treadmill for an
hour at 3.5 MPH, with the incline set all the way up, 4-5 times a week. Just
be patient. Trying to lose more than 2 lbs a week is probably not a good idea,
and it takes some fairly hard work (see above) to lose even 2 lbs a week.

------
subwindow
<http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1797596>

Exercise. Establishing a lasting exercise routine is the only way to stay
healthy for life. I was about 40 pounds overweight for 5 years and tried all
sorts of diet changes, and nothing lasted for more than a month or so.

Instead of going on another diet, I started running. The above route is almost
6 miles that I ran last week. In February, I could barely run a half mile. It
didn't take that long to get into great running shape, and I feel fantastic.
I've only lost about 10 pounds, but I figure I've gained about 10 pounds of
muscle and lost about 20 pounds of fat. Instead of concentrating merely on
what's on the scale, concentrate on how you feel- the scale will come around
eventually.

------
rob
Find BMR: <http://tinyurl.com/2uc7ps>

Use BMR info to find daily calorie needs: <http://tinyurl.com/yxrujb>

Subtract the total daily calorie amount by 250-500 and eat that many calories
per day. Yes, you'll have to count calories.

Make sure to get enough protein (at least 1g per pound of bodyweight) and
healthy fats (olive oil, peanut butter, nuts, etc) and a moderate amount of
carbohydrates.

Do weight lifting 3 days a week, cardio the other 3, and take one day off to
rest.

Losing weight is very simple: just make sure you're eating below your
maintenance calories. There's no need to follow any special 'diets'.

~~~
kingnothing
You're advising too much protein: One to one and a half grams per kilogram is
enough for almost anyone except the most devout lifters (read: those who
compete). As for determining calories, most people eat a similar amount every
week, so all they need to do is track their calories for a week then subtract
from there until they're losing one to two pounds per week; not counting the
first one or two weeks where they'll lose a lot of water weight.

~~~
attack
Protein digestion causes your body to produce more heat. This thermal effect
causes greater idle calorie loss.

~~~
kingnothing
Excess protein intake puts significant stresses on the kidneys and is
unnecessary.

~~~
attack
Excess, significant -- numbers? I'll tell you what puts stress on your body,
being fat.

Huge numbers of people have being-fat related diseases. Never have I heard of
someone succumbing to this protein myth.

------
mk
I just started at the gym. I've gone every other day so far. It's only been
the first week, but I am starting out slow with about 30-60 minutes of cardio.
Along with that I try to keep in check what I am eating. Eating breakfast is a
big thing cause it gets your metabolism going in the morning. For lunch
instead of a whole sandwich I eat half a sandwich and some fruit and a yogurt.
For dinner I try to keep red meat to special occasions and eat more chicken
and fish. I also try to make smarter choices like salad with dressing on the
side instead of french fries. Thats about it.

Edit: I also don't drink soda, diet or regular.

------
holaamigos
Bet your friends $500 that you can lose more than they can.

A morning after a booze and pizza filled night, my buddy and I were feeling
particularly fat. So we placed a bet, the one who loses most will win a bet.
He invited another fat friend. So three of us each put $500 into a envelope
($1,500 all in), and we had 6 weeks to lose as much as possible. We weighed in
immediately (3 times each, taking the average, very anal about the details). 6
weeks later one had lost 8lbs, one 20lbs and I lost 23lbs (I was completely
dehydrated!), but we were skinny and I was rich. It was the easiest way of
losing weight ever.

------
pskomoroch
Here was my plan: [http://www.datawrangling.com/hidden-video-courses-in-math-
sc...](http://www.datawrangling.com/hidden-video-courses-in-math-science-and-
engineering.html)

Watched videos on the archos while doing cardio at the gym...Add regular
weightlifting where the weight increases over time (just find a program you
like from one of the usual muscle mags from the newstands)... and be sure to
do cardio with alternating sprints/jogs along with watching your diet. If you
are new to lifting, or haven't much before then take it slow and make sure you
use good form to avoid injury.

------
jward
I've dropped 60lbs over the last year and over half of that was within the
first two months. All I did was be mindful of my weight and convince myself
that losing it was important. From there I just stopped eating as much crap
and bought an exercise bike and made a simple rule. If I'm not watching tv /
movies with friends, I'm on my bike.

As a note of interest, if you do nothing but watch all the star trek episodes
and ride an exercise bike with minimal effort you will end up burning over 50
fat-lbs worth of calories. I still haven't made it through the first series I
picked yet ;)

------
Goladus
I lost maybe 7-10 lbs or so (from 185 to 175ish). I wasn't really trying to
lose weight, just get in shape. I focused on heavy cardio (elipticals turned
up to a moderate resistance) and swimming, with some running/treadmill and
lifting.

For diet, I ate mostly multigrain pasta, chicken, turkey, bread and
vegetables. I didn't worry about eating too many complex carbs. You may want
to avoid sugars, but otherwise if you like carbs, all you have to do is get
enough exercise. I would also suggest beans (though I didn't at the time).
Black beans are one of the best foods you can eat.

------
shaunxcode
veganism, go climbing/biking/hiking (take an active interest in a physical
activity as it will give you a reason to train when you are not able to do
what you love i.e. pull ups to get stronger for climbing).

kettle bells. <http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mahler56.htm> Seriously makes
so much sense compared to running. Covers both bases (cardio and strength).
Only trick is getting them, hopefully you can find them somewhere locally. I
managed to find some at sports authority at a mall of all places!

------
elai
AAAGH, the hacker diet is really really stupid, there are a lot better ways
than that torture! If you want to go nerdy with your diet, try a CRON
lifestyle (Calorie Reduced, Optimal Nutrition) and use CRON-o-Meter to track
your eating. (<http://www.optimal.org/peter/cron.htm>)

Why cant you do it the normal way of increased exercise and moderated eating,
while you avoid eating junk food and rich desserts? And if you eat desserts &
junk, you'll only eat it during weekends or something.

------
bgutierrez
I lost 10-15 pounds since I started biking five miles to work and back. I have
no patience for exercise for the sake of exercise, so it is the only thing I
can consistently do to get my heart rate up.

------
wumi
the same mental tenacity you use for hacking/ your start-up you need it for
losing weight, especially living in the US

1\. Turn off the TV (constant bombardment by food ads)

2\. Don't eat out at restaurants (huge caloric intake/ ridiculous portions)

3\. Learn to cook/ cook a majority of your foods

4\. Don't eat processed foods. (high fructose corn syrop, partially
hydrogenated oils, carbonated water especially)

5\. find a sport/exercise you ENJOY -- snowboarding, biking, etc.

6\. try to combine excercise work or excercise/entertainment. (ride a
stationary bike while you watch a movie)

7\. have fun and enjoy life and don't be worried about how you look

------
theorique
I knocked off about 25-ish pounds using the 'eat to live' approach and I still
seem to be losing although I'm not as orthodox as when I first started. It's
basically a plant-based whole foods diet focusing on low fat / low salt / high
nutrient density.

The book is worthwhile but I don't know about any of the other stuff that Dr
Joel Fuhrman sells. You don't even really need the book as you can find enough
web resources to get started if you google 'eat to live'.

<http://www.drfuhrman.com/>

------
noodle
i used, to great success, a variation of this:

[http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/04/06/how-to-
lose-...](http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/04/06/how-to-lose-20-lbs-
of-fat-in-30-days-without-doing-any-exercise/)

in addition to this type of diet and exercise, lift weights to build muscle.
more muscle = more calories burned. because of this, make sure to take in
extra protein, and during the one "break" day, eat minimal protein.

change around the food and such as you like, but keep the principles the same.

------
dirtae
I lost about 40 pounds two years ago. Here was my method for doing it:
[http://uncledirtae.com/blog/archives/2006/02/08/how_to_lose_...](http://uncledirtae.com/blog/archives/2006/02/08/how_to_lose_weight_and_get_in_shape.php)

I think a big part of losing weight (and keeping it off) is changing your
routines. Thus, if you want to lose weight, you might also try changing other
aspects of your life at the same time (e.g., moving to a new city or starting
a new job).

------
fortes
Make simple changes that add up. Exercise, of course. Take the stairs, walk
further distances.

Switch out breads and starches for veggies. Eat a meat with spinach and
tomato, instead of fries / pasta. Skip the soda, skip dressing and use more
spices for flavor.

If you're gonna go for a gimmicky diet, I recommend the caveman diet:
<http://www.earth360.com/diet_paleodiet_balzer.html>

------
divia
Seth Roberts has a theory that foods that taste exactly the same every time
(particularly those with a high glycemic index) increase appetite and that
unfamiliar or flavorless foods decrease appetite. I recommend his paper on the
subject: <http://sethroberts.net/about/whatmakesfoodfattening.pdf>.

------
icey
If you're serious about losing weight, there is a 2 step program that makes it
very easy:

Step 1: See a real nutritionist and have them develop a nutrition plan for
you.

Step 2: Exercise.

It's pretty much that easy. And the nice thing is that once you've got those 2
steps figured out, you'll find you don't have to worry about losing weight
ever again because you'll know how to maintain your weight.

------
ajmoir
How do you reduce weight? Reduce your intake or increase your metabolism.

How do you keep weight off? Understand there is no short cuts. Basically,
follow a steady diet that maintains your weight.

In short cut out manufactured foods e.g. chocolate, soda, cakes, breads,
pasta, pizza, burgers etc. Eat simple foods for the most part with water.

Most fat people do not know how to eat/exercise.

------
richcollins
Running long distance is a waste of time. You only burn calories while you
run, not afterward. The best approach is a combination of building muscle,
dieting to lose fat (many, low glycemic index meals per day) and performing
HIIT training to continue burn fat after your exercise session is over (HIIT
training only takes 15 minutes!).

------
spencerfry
I use stickk.com as an incentive to workout regularly. I play squash 3 times a
week and do cardio and weightlifting twice a week. It's all about regular
exercise as well as cutting out fatty foods (hamburgers, fries, pizza, etc.).
Also, be careful about eating fruits. Vegetables and lean meats (turkey,
chicken) are far better for you.

------
boucher
Start a startup. My cofounder and I have both lost about 10% of our weight
over the last 3 months. Its a combination of not eating out every day like we
used to (there's no more time, and it's a waste of money), the increased
stress level, and a little bit of motivation to do _something_ away from our
desks once in a while.

------
omarish
I think it's pretty simple - eat right to the point where you're not full but
not hungry and go to the gym as often as you can. I find that a balanced
schedule leads to a balanced mind.

In terms of workouts, try hard intervals for both cardio and weights. It's the
ideal way to both lose weight and keep your muscle toned.

------
ken
The biggest drop in fat/weight I noticed is when I stopped eating meat. I also
saw lesser (but noticeable) improvements when I stopped drinking cola, started
running, started martial arts, stopped eating HFCS, and started lifting
weights. But empirically, vegetarianism was the single biggest factor.

------
rms
Eat less fat and things that are converted into sugar. Don't drink anything
with calories. Exercise more. Eat as many fruits and vegetables as you can
stomach. Drink black coffee or tea. For a treat, go with chocolate that is
70%+ cocoa. Or if you want to be hardcore, raw cocoa beans.

------
huhtenberg
Welcome to Atkins, South Beach, etc diet camp, but I suspect you already know
that.

I'm curious how your diet is different from other no-carbs and _especially_
curious as to what they suggest you'd do after you are off the diet.

------
richesh
I used P90x from beachbody.com and I lost 23 pounds in 3 months but also
gained a lot of muscle and amazing definition. I highly recommend it.

------
TFrancis
Bikram Yoga is my way. It's a style of Hatha Yoga. Bikram Yoga is very intense
but, also very rewarding. I can't recommend it enough.

------
mynameishere
<http://www.straightdope.com/columns/030314.html>

------
collision
Very easy: 1) Don't eat anything that contains sugar. 2) Do some intense
exercise like jogging or martial arts regularly.

------
cameras
Yes, I have. It is pretty simple. Exercise regularly and eat a healthy
balanced diet. Repeat forever.

------
cmos
weightwatchers

It helps you figure out how much to eat, and let's you indulge occasionally so
you don't go crazy. Their new online site is fairly geeky, and there are some
great recipes as well.

No meetings or anything. Just online. It works!

~~~
megamark16
My wife and I both started Weight Watchers about 5 months ago because she
wanted to drop the baby weight she put on while pregnant with our son. To date
I have lost 40 pounds and am in better shape then I was in high school. My
wife has lost over 30 pounds and is also thinner then in high school, and
she's still losing weight (she is about 3 lbs from her target weight). I have
hit my target weight and am now maintaining by adding additional points and
continuing the exercise routine. Weight Watchers has been great for us because
we can eat whatever we want, but we only get so many points per day so we have
to make decisions about what we eat. I can have Taco Bell for lunch for 14
points, or I can have a turkey sub from Subway (hold the Mayo) for 10 points
and have an ice cream sandwich for 4 points after dinner. The biggest change
hasn't so much been what we eat, or even how much we eat (although we eat much
more appropriate portions now), instead the biggest change has been how I
think about food, how I perceive foods that are inherently unhealthy versus
more healthy options. It's been a life changing process and I'm never going
back.

Thanks Mark

------
anupamkapoor
i have the body of a god
(<http://www.huongsengrand.com/images/fat_buddha.jpg>) why would i want to
change anything ?

------
paul9290
Drink water only!

------
asillyusername
expend more calories than you eat

~~~
nsrivast
expend more calories than you absorb _

~~~
mironathetin
I don"t understand why this remark has been downvoted. This is key!

How to do it is a different question.

My way is to eat mostly fresh food, highest quality meat and fish and very
moderate amounts of all. The most important thing: no sugar, and when I say no
I mean no! No yoghurt with sugar, no drinks with sugar and also no artificial
sweeteners. They ruin the taste and you will always want sweet things. Better
have two bad weeks without any sweet things. After that sweet tasts ugly. This
is one really big step. If you don't like sweet any more, the whole diet will
become more healty.

I do understand this is very hard to achieve in the US. But for me this is
very important. Without sugar I can eat enough without high calorie intake.
Similar things are true for alcohol. Especially in the evenings its billions
of calories.

I run twice a week (10 miles) and swim twice a week (1 mile) . My weight is
145 lbs at 5ft 10. Running and swimming does not burn a lot, but the
regeneration phase does (repair, build muscles, refill energy reservoirs
etc.). Plus you 'll soon be in great shape and can take the stairs instead of
the elevator ;o). Or the bike instead of a car.

Well, and it takes a lot of time and patience. But in the end it works.

Monks life? ;o). Not at all. Fresh milk with cereals and fresh fruits
(strawberries, melons) in the morning taste absolutely great. Fresh salad with
barbecued fish and a glass of chilly white wine is fantastic in the evenings.

Good luck.

------
cbarning
run your ass off and portion control. that's it.

------
Prrometheus
Sadly, I don't.

------
Maro
Start training for an Ironman.

------
freax
First off, I wouldn't recommend a high-protein, low carb diet. It's very hard
on your internal organs. Kidney problems abound from all the protein waste
processing.

There are are some extremely effective substances you can use but they are a
bit harder to get.

Clenbuterol will shed pounds like crazy but it's not something to stay on
long-term. So plan to maintain your weight after you have help losing it.

Human Growth Hormone is a very effective fat-burner but it's also expensive
from a reputable source. Most black market HGH is fake (usually HCG is
substituted).

The diet industry doesn't want you to have these products because it would put
them out of business. So you need a prescription, and most people are unaware
of those options entirely.

Hormones are extremely influential when it comes to fat storage. If your
stress level rises, your body will automatically store fat to compensate and
burn muscle for fuel.

So getting rid of stress is critical.

If you are already tired but force yourself to work out, it may help your
mental stress, but it does add MORE physical stress so your body may break
down muscle and store fat. A lot of people have heard about overtraining but
don't realize you don't already have to work out a lot in order to overtrain
yourself. Simply being stressed/exhausted can cause overtraining with any
vigorous exercise you perform in that state.

Avoid processed food. The more fresh whole foods you eat, the harder it is to
_overeat_ , and the vitamins and minerals will make your body stop feeling
hungry in a way that doesn't happen when you eat something processed and
devoid of nutrition..

Any kind of sugary drinks are a big problem. This includes fruit juice, which
typically has all the sugar with none of the fiber. You can drink hundreds of
calories of fruit juice in seconds, whereas if you eat whole oranges it takes
a lot more work!

Exercise is key. You won't lose much weight because your appetite increases
commensurately, but all sorts of things go wrong when you don't exercise.
Exercise is a body regulation mechanism. If you don't do it you are guaranteed
to have problems.

~~~
Goladus
Best recommendations I have seen yet. There are a number of ways to reduce
stress level (exercise among them) but keeping stress low was extremely
beneficial for me. In fact I suspect if you were to track my stress levels and
body fat % over the last 10 years you'd find a pretty strong correlation.

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shiranaihito
It's simple: Exercise More.

That's pretty much the most important thing you need to lose weight.

Exercising burns calories when you do it, and then your body burns more
calories just by itself when your muscles are bigger and so on.

It's like owning a website which brings you income just by chugging along!

Also, whenever you really yearn for something delicious to stuff your face
with, try eating some kind of fruit instead of that chocolate bar.

Fruit can be delicious too, and will most likely be less fattening than, well,
anything that you can't pick up from a tree/bush/the ground.

If you really want to go hard-core, eat lots of carrots.

They're definitely not delicious, but at least they provide you with the
sensation of Eating, and keep your mouth busy, thus preventing it from
devouring sweets.

I believe most diets are just an illusion - or bullshit - pick one.

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sabat
If you can catch Paul McKenna's "I Can Make You Thin" (I'm presuming you're in
the US) in reruns on TLC -- revolutionary.

You don't "diet". Here are the rules (and they work):

1- eat anything you want (don't eat diet crap)

2- eat when you're _hungry_ (no emotional eating)

3- eat mindfully (one bite at a time, put your fork down, chew 20 times or so,
taste your food)

4- stop when you are full.

The rest is elaboration. Exercise helps, of course, and learning to enjoy
exercise will help you in a lot of ways (disease prevention etc.).

But the big thing for me has been learning how to eat. That conquered, the
rest comes naturally.

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xlnt
eat less

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zverj
There's that nice image on internets: How to lose weight in 2 easy steps. Step
1. Stop eating so much you fat fuck. Step 2. Wake up and move your ass.

Well basically that's it. I go to dancing classes. It's not hard and effect is
not instant, but I rate that better than gym.

