

How I lost 30 pounds in 2010. A simple guide for overweight hackers like me - zippykid
http://zippykid.com/blog/2010/12/how-i-lost-30lbs-in-2010-a-weight-loss-guide-for-developers/
http://zippykid.com/blog/2010/12/how-i-lost-30lbs-in-2010-a-weight-loss-guide-for-developers/<p>Having lost this weight has helped me considerably as an entrepreneur as well. I feel more confident, I'm more energetic, and I'm more focused.
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codeslush
It's really simple to lose weight. It's really simple to be in shape. It's
really simple, but it isn't free.

2010 was a year for me that saw rapid weight gain - something I never had in
my life. My gut was getting big - almost certainly a result of too much beer.
I decided to do something about it in November.

For all the skeptics out there, please don't shoot me down on this! It works,
and it's amazing to me.

I started P90X in early November. 5'11, 183/4 lbs. Within two weeks, I was
down to 175 or so, at end of 30 days, I was sitting at 169/170. Now, over 50
days into it, I'm still at that weight, but I have substantially changed my
appearance. I'm highly confident my fat percentage has dropped substantially
and my muscle gain is impossible to ignore (for anyone who has seen pics).

P90X takes all the elements found in the article posted, but makes it very
simple to do.

You get the diet (which, fwiw, I do not follow). You get the stretching (and
yoga, which is amazing). You get the weight training (you need dumbbells and a
pull-up bar) You get it fed to you a day at a time. All you have to do is show
up.

I've taken before pictures - and taken pictures at the end of every week. I
was going to wait until I completed the program and then post something here
on HN about it - not only for the physical changes, mental changes, etc... but
mostly for the benefit of doing something, with intense focus, for an hour or
so every day, and watch the results - be it physical fitness, or more
appropriately for this audience, starting or improving a business. I think the
principles apply across the board.

I'm confident if a person went to the gym 6 or 7 days a week, cut out the bad
crap from their diet then they would see the same or better results than what
I've received with P90X. But P90X makes it stupid-simple to do. You are guided
every step of the way. You just do it and don't have to waste any time
thinking about what to do today or the next day. It's not rocket science -
it's good hard work that anyone without underlying physical issues can ease
into. To me, it is almost instant gratification; the results come quickly.

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frankc
This actually flys in the face of my recent published research, which
recommends low-glycemic impact diets that do not count calories. I largely
agree with you that aerobic exercise is overrated for weight loss, but we
should be explicit in that the goal is not to lose any kind of body mass, but
to lose fat. The best ways to maintain muscle mass while losing body weight is
to lift weights and and eat adequite protein (also backed by up by research,
though I don't have the links handy). One of the nice features of low-glycemic
diets, like the Atkins diet, is that you get a lot of protein and thus
maintain more muscle mass.

~~~
zippykid
frankc, I agree with you too. My point with the post was to show what's
possible, and more importantly, to not sweat the small stuff, like what's low
glycemic, or whatever. The simplest rule, is eat less. move more.

As I said in the post, eventually, you'll want to talk to a nutrionist, eating
less can easily be changed into "starvation".. which will get you to lose
weight, but you're not going to be healthy.

I personally don't know what's high glycemic, or low glycemic, all I know is I
feel better, I'm stronger than I used to be (thanks to training and exercise
with Steve), and i'm only eating items that have ingredients I can pronounce
:).

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adziki
I can echo a lot of this, having lost 30 pounds as well, though that was
through the Ideal Protein diet. But the info about how to maintain weight
after the initial fat burn portion is invaluable. Cut back carbs and sugars
(it's amazing how many things have sugar...), processed grains, etc. For this
diet, lots of veggies, lots of protein (un-fried).

Absolutely agree about the energeticness, focus, and confidence. Went from 215
to 180, and it's a huge difference.

Good post!

~~~
zippykid
thanks. Steve, my trainer, motivator guy, is getting me to eat more protein as
well now. Really getting into the nutritional aspect of things now.

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da5e
The Shangri-La Diet has worked wonders for me. I lost 24.5 pounds in 2010. I
used oil. It's like instant willpower.

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rick_2047
What about skinny ... umm... wannabe hackers like me? I am not underweight, my
weight is fine according to my height. But I just look too skinny. Any of you
have faced that problem? Any suggestions as to what I can do to gain some
respectable muscle.

~~~
invisible_hand
Weight training at the gym. Hire a trainer to get you started on proper
technique, bad form lead to injury. Also will have to force yourself to eat a
lot more!

