The Official 'How To Not Be Fat" Formula OR How to look like Kara Goucher in just weeks!

There is a secret to losing weight. It's been proven to work every time. It has two equal either/or halves.

Are you ready? Cause this is big... look around... make sure no one is looking over your shoulder. I'm about to share it with you.


Here it is:
"Burn More Calories Than You Take In."
OR
"Take In Less Calories Than You Burn."

Wow. Isn't that impressive? I bet you've never heard THAT before. Okay, I'll stop being facetious now.  But honestly, this is the formula. Now obviously there are more "details" to it then that, but that is the basic formula.

Here is the nuts and bolts outline of my formula to lose weight.

Step 1. Establish a baseline understanding of how many calories you're eating each day. This means counting calories for everything you take in, including liquids. There are a few great websites that make it easy, Livestrong and My Fitness Pal are two that I've used. Both make it easy to count your calories with just a few clicks.

Step 2. Remove 500 calories a day from your diet. How you do this is up to you. You can either control portion size (good practice anyway) or replace something in your diet with a lower calorie version. You just need 500 less a day. No restrictions on what you eat, but you'll find the more healthy a food is, that often it will be much lower in calories than foods that are bad for you. All green vegetables are extremely low in calories for example.

Step 3. Add 500 calories to your daily burn. This essentially means some sort of intensive exercise for roughly an hour a day. You can split the hour in pieces if you like, but you need to be putting real heart pumping effort in each time. Weight training is the best because it elevates your calorie burn for up to 36 hours after a session. Running is probably your best bang for your buck in terms of calories burned per minute of cardio exercise. Most people do fine just by walking 60 minutes a day. If you can only manage a half hour a day, you will still lose weight, just not as fast.

This should lose you two pounds a week. Probably more the first week as water weight gets sweat away.
3500 calories equal 1 pound. With a net reduction of a 1000 calories day, 7000 calories per week equals 2 pounds. I guarantee you if you follow the above steps you will lose weight. Roughly 2 pounds a week.

I think it bears mentioning also that one of the easiest places to cut calories is often in our liquid intake. Switching to water can be such a huge benefit. If you regularly drink soda or juice or coffee, you're probably adding a great many calories into your diet that don't need to be there. My rule is: EAT your calories, don't drink them! It means more FOOD on a daily basis. This is important, especially in the early stages when you might be missing those 500 calories you cut out.

For many people who need to lose a significant amount of weight, this is a rock solid plan. However, if you only need to drop 5 or 10 pounds, I would recommend cutting these numbers in half and going for 1 pound a week. Cut 250 per day, and burn 250 per day. This will get you one pound a week. When you are closer to your ideal weight, it is easier on the body, schedule, and mind to drop weight a little more slowly. Part of the advantage to losing weight in small amounts each week, is it gives you plenty of practice to keep it off. Remember, you're not just trying to reach a goal, you're making changes that should stay around permanently.

Sounds simple huh? It is! The hard part is practicing it, every day.
I'll be the first to admit, after having done this for a whole year, that when I miss a day or two, I immediately start slipping in other areas. I don't know why it is, but bad habits seem to be contagious.  A little slip here, a little slip there, and the next thing you know I'm slipping everywhere!

I usually weigh myself every morning. It keeps me focused and on point. This is one of the first things to go when I start falling out of my regimen.
One thing that has been really helpful for me is constant goal setting. I usually do this in the form of signing up for a race. Last summer I did a triathlon. In the spring my wife and I have 3 half marathons in 3 months booked. So having a race on the horizon helps me stay in the groove as I get into my race training cycle. It's good to have a goal to work towards. In the past I joined weight loss contests at work or with friends because it motivated me. Find something that works for you and use it to stay motivated.

This is the basics of my 'How To Not Be Fat' formula.

So who wants to  take me up on this challenge: Try this plan for 2 weeks. I guarantee (or your money back!) that you will lose 4 pounds in 2 weeks if you actually reduce your calorie intake by 500, and burn 500 a day. The chances are if you are just starting out, you will probably lose MORE than 4 pounds. The first week or two tend to eliminate a lot of water weight when you start an exercise regimen. It's not unusual to lose 5 pounds that first week. If anyone is willing I would love to hear about it!

I should also mention that I am starting a photography business, and I would be more than happy to take before and after pictures of you:

Ok not like those, that would just be wrong!
Maybe more like Erik Chopin, of Biggest Loser fame:

So Get Going! And Please let us know if you take the challenge how you do. We'd love to hear from you!!!

Just say NO to resolutions!!

Happy New Year!  

It’s that time of year again where tons of people with great intentions list out their resolutions for the new year.  I mostly think of it as the time of year when all the “resolutioners” make the gym parking lot too crowded to find a spot to park.  Like clockwork--almost as quickly as they appeared--they are gone again around Valentine’s Day.  While I’m glad to not have to drive around the lot five times in search of a parking spot (I’m notoriously running late for everything), I can’t help to feel a little sad that a whole lot of people with great intentions already gave up on getting healthier.

The resolution in itself is a problem.  There's a whole lot of lofty aspirations caught up in the excitement and clean slate of the new year.  I think resolutions are setting someone up for failure before the year even begins. Resolutions tend to be all or nothing.  Either you did it or you didn’t.  Pass or fail. 

Instead of resolutions, set goals. A goal is a place you are aiming for.  If you don’t make it, you didn’t fail, because you are still aiming in that direction.  Refocus and keep going. 

Here are several reasons that resolutions don’t work:

(1)    The resolution is too general.  So many people just say they want to be healthy.  Why not?  It's a good resolution.  It's something no one would say you shouldn't do.  Where everyone comes up short is that they want to be healthy, but never define what healthy means or looks like to them.  It's this great, grand, feel-good idea, but do you ever think about what you really mean?  Define it—how are you going to get healthier?  Is your goal to lose weight, eat a vegetable with every meal, run a 5K?  Just make sure it is something real and something attainable.  

(2)    The resolution is too big and overwhelming.  If your resolution is to lose 80 pounds and get back to the size you were when you graduated high school, you are going to get overwhelmed.  It will seem insurmountable and you will be discouraged A LOT.  Is the weight realistic?  Is it realistic to think you will put in the amount of work it takes to lose more than one pound a week for a year?  How about setting your first goal to lose 10 pounds, and then go on from there.  When you reach that goal, you will be fired up for the next step, instead of feeling discouraged that you still have 70 pounds left.  Won't that be great when you have to set a higher goal during the year?  Make your goals small and your lifestyle changes small as well.  You didn't develop bad habits overnight, you are not going to change them overnight either. Whatever your goal is, chunk it down in smaller bits and tackle each one separately.  This way you will get to accomplish several mini-goals.  No better way to keep your motivation up than actually accomplishing something.

(3)    The resolution is unrealistic.  Your resolution is to go to the gym five days a week, two hours each time.  Examine the amount of time that you have to put toward your health and then make it realistic, especially if you are not already going to the gym regularly.  Start small and work up to more.  Maybe your original goal could be to make it to the gym three times a week for the first month regardless of how much time you spend there.  Get through the front door!  The rest will come eventually.  Reevaluate your time and energy after the gym has become a habit, and then figure out if you can do more.  

(4)    The resolution is too strict.  To say you are going to never eat fast food or ice cream ever again is a little harsh.  How sad would the world be that you can’t ever have your favorite indulgence ever again?  Be kind to yourself, and help yourself succeed by limiting instead of eliminating.  Do you eat too much fast food?  Your new goal can be to limit fast food (or whatever your sin of choice is) to special occasions or once a month.  Anything in moderation is okay.  It just has to fit in to your overall plan.  If you indulge here, you just know that you have to make up for it somewhere else.  You have to get to the gym an extra session or eat light the next day.  Whatever you choose to do, give yourself some leeway so you don’t feel frustrated or even mourn the thing you cannot have.  Don’t do that to yourself.  Life is too short to not enjoy the good stuff—even though it might be the bad stuff.

(5)  The resolution is considered a temporary thing.  Have you ever thought, "if I just workout and eat right for a few months, I'll get where I need to be and things can go back to 'normal'"?  Unfortunately, that's not how it works.   Why do we think returning to our old ways won't lead us right back to the same place?  Do you know Einstein's definition of insanity:  doing the same thing over and over, but expecting different results.  Not going to happen.  As cliche as the phrase has become, it has to be a lifestyle change.  Make small changes that you can sustain, and then make them your new normal.  Then see if there's something else you want to change.

(6)    You have no plan.  This is a big one.  There’s a saying, “when you fail to plan, you plan to fail”.  There is no truer sentiment when it comes to resolutions.  You can’t just set up your goals with no game plan to achieve them.  You NEED a concrete plan including ways to evaluate your progress.  If you are going to workout three days a week:  When, where and with who?  If you are going to eat healthier three dinners a week:  What constitutes healthy?  What nights work best?  When will you plan dinners and shop for groceries?  If you are going to lose 10 pounds:  When will you work out?  How are you tracking calories in/out?  What changes will you make to your current routine?  Whatever your goal is, have a plan to achieve it.  Without a plan, you will not change or you will return to the same ways that got you making these goals in the first place.  You also need a "Plan B"--when things inevitably don't work out like you imagined.  If you get an injury, you will have to change the way you exercise.  All is not lost.  Your plan may have to change, but the goal is still the same.

So many well meaning people set themselves up for failure each year.  Does it sound familiar?  Is this you?  Have you given up on resolutions all together because they just make you feel like a failure?  Don't give up on yourself!

If you've targeted something that bothers you enough that you want to change it, do it!  Pick an attainable goal or two and develop a plan to get you there.  Also, make sure you have an accountability partner.  This is important.  You have to tell someone your plan and have them check in on you regularly.  If you really, truly want to succeed, you have to own up to it.  It won't be easy, but as time goes on, it will get easier. 

Remember, this doesn’t have to be a “new year” thing.  You should be setting goals for yourself year round whether they are about health or something else entirely.  You should always be aiming for something…or you just might hit someone with a stray bullet or shoot yourself in the foot. 

Good luck to all of you in the new year!  Happy 2012! 

"Somebody Bring Me Some Water!..Can't You See I'm Burnin' Alive!"

Since Shane posted a classic rock lyric, I felt I needed to follow suit.

At this time of year, unfortunately we take an all too close look at ourselves, for a week or so...and then go back to doing whatever we were doing before the holidays. I am guessing that Weight Watchers™, and exercise equipment sales go up at this time of year more than any other.

Being one who has had many New Year's Resolutions go South by mid-January, (to avoid the cold weather, presumably), I know this can be a rough time. I don't make them anymore. That way, they won't fail.

But one thing that you can do, that does not take a huge commitment in time, money, or effort...is drink water. Yup...it's that simple. Pledge to drink more water.

The biggest change I made in my life over the last year, was drinking more water. And every time I have a lapse in judgement and will power, water saved me.

When you think of your body as a machine, Food is the fuel and Water is the oil. You would never think about NOT putting oil in your car, right? Water is of paramount importance in kidney and brain function, colon and bladder health, joints and muscle function...the list goes on.

Link: Google-ing water and weight loss...

I am a big believer in Purified water as opposed to spring water. It tastes better and is filtered of chlorine and other "stuff". I buy a case and throw it in my van.

A case of the store brand purified water at Wal-Mart, is $2.48. That's 24 - 16 ounce bottles.

How many sodas can you buy for $2.48? I drink at least 4 a day, (that is the gold standard of water consumption: 8 - 8 oz glasses a day.) But I usually end up drinking more. Divide your body weight by half, and that is how many oz. you should get, some sources say. The most resistance I hear about drinking water: "I'll be in the bathroom all day!" Just consider that every time you are in the bathroom, you are dropping weight...it's a fair trade off.

Water keeps you from eating junk just because your bored. Water keeps your system chugging along, washing out toxins, and helping your joints feel better. If you like salty foods, drink even more water to help from feeling swollen and achy. I love salty foods, (my weakness), and I can really feel the difference when I don't flush my body with water after a salty meal. My joints and especially my hands, really hurt.

Click Here for some interesting info when and how to consume water.

Although I have changed my diet significantly, and my activity level has increased, I truly believe that without the water regimen, I would still be fat. I was terribly dehydrated most of my life, and only looking back now, did I realize that a lot of my health problems, were tied to that. Most notably the kidney stone I had some years back. (Ouch!)

FYI....Through the holidays, I have eaten pretty much whatever I wanted, without going overboard, of course...(well maybe a little overboard), and have maintained the same weight roughly, (185-190 lbs). My secret....I carried a liter bottle of water around like a ball and chain. For every soda, glass of wine, little smokey, summer sausage...there was some water to wash it down, and keep it moving.

I raise my glass (of water)......Happy New Year. I hope that 2012 finds you all healthier and happier.

Cause I'm Free... Free Fallin'

"She's a good girl, lovers her java, loves pizza, and cheescake too,
And I'm Free! Free Fallin!"

It's true. I am currently in the midst of what they call a 'free fall'.  Meaning, I've been eating like crazy for a couple weeks now, and not exercising much.

In fact, it's EASY for me to do this. I am a creature of habit. Translation: I get on a roll with things. That cuts both ways. When I'm on I'm on. When I'm off, I'm REALLY off!

In the normal course of things, I weigh myself every morning. It keeps me honest about where I'm at. As it stands I haven't been on the scale for about a week. I've decided that if I only gain a couple pounds during the holiday season, I can live with that. The danger is it takes about 2 weeks for a habit to form. I could easily fall back into eating way more than I should, and easing up on the exercise routine.

Luckily, I have a few things going for me.

One: I can't afford new clothes.

Two: I have accountability. Every day at noon, there are guys waiting a block away at the Y to run our customary 5 mile loop. There is no pressure to be there, but knowing they're there in itself is a great motivator.

Three: I absolutely love being in shape. It took me a long time to get here, and I'm not ready to let it go after so much effort.

Which brings me to a couple of points. There are two kinds of habits... can you guess what they are? It is within all of our power to create good habits or eliminate bad ones. Small changes done repeatedly, equals a habit. We can replace things that are bad for us with things that are good for us. I replaced smoking with running. There is obviously more to that story, but I will expand on that in another post.

Accountability is key. Having a partner you can workout with, share your successes and failures with, whine to, high five, or push you that last 1/4 mile is HUGE when it comes to maintaining the desire to go do it. Just knowing that other person is going to hold you accountable can be a great asset. If you are really trying to lose weight, by ALL MEANS, find someone to fill this role. You can do that. If you have no one willing to join you, there are many, many ways to find someone who will. Facebook and Meetup come to mind. Social networking makes it easy to find people with similar goals, interests and schedules. Find them and get started! You may make a new friend as well.

I started this post a couple days ago. As of this morning, I DID get on the scale and I've gained a couple of pounds.  I'm not worried. Things will smooth out when I get back on a regular schedule. The key is to not beat yourself up when things stop going in the right direction, but to stop, reassess, refocus and go on. Along the way to my 45 pound weight loss I hit several plateaus. Some of them lasted two or three weeks. Each time, I was able to overcome them by refocusing on my plan and moving forward. Occasionally my plan needed adjusting. But each time, my desire to keep going overrode my desire to give up.

Weight loss and even weight maintenance IS a journey. But it's also a journey that never ends. You don't get where your headed and then stop doing what you did to get there. You keep going. You keep maintaining. You keep feeling good about the positive things you've done and are doing in your life. You remember that YOU are important enough, that YOU matter enough to feel good about yourself. It doesn't matter if it's three pounds this week or just breaking even. What matters is trying.

So GO! Get up off the couch! Take your dog for a walk. Play with the kids outdoors. Go to the park. Go for a run. You can do it! And feel good when you do. Don't beat yourself up over the failures. The only failure is not trying. Celebrate the successes!

As for me, I'm done. The free fall ends today. I've popped the parachute and I'm going to try for a graceful landing and get back on the plane. Until next time!

I Want You To Want Me

Are you losing weight? Inspired? Dieting? Hopelessly Uninspired? Want to start but don't know where or how? Scoffing at this?
Part of the reason for this blog is to share tips that have worked for me. I also wanted to enlist some people who are just beginning the process, or are somewhere in the middle. Hopefully we can all share, support, and motivate each other to work towards our goals.
If you are interested in sharing some of your own story, goals, frustrations, or just want to rant, send me a message.
We'd love to have you!!!

Timing is everything...Part II

Okay...In my last post I said that timing is everything. Part of what I mean by that is that, is picking your moments.

In regard to getting started, finding a time that is right for you is important. For me, I picked a random date that did not correspond to the holidays. I did not pick a date that made me aim for a date that made me stress. For example, I was not concerned about getting slim for summer. I didn't decide to begin as a New Year's resolution. I started on March 28th, 2011. The reason that date was good for me, was because I was in two bands this year, and I had back to back shows on the 28th and 29th. Knowing I would be playing drums for 4 hours on one night, and singing, dancing and playing hand percussion on the other, meant that I would have 8 hours of rigorous physical activity on less than 30 hours. If I drank only water during the shows, and came home and went right to bed, (no eating), then I would be sure to see immediate results. It worked. I lost 6 lbs in two days.

In the days following, I was feeling very positive about those results, and felt compelled to build on that success.

The second point about timing: When to eat.
I am a swing shifter at my job. I work late on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and early on Thursday and Friday. So I started eating at the same time everyday. I vowed to be finished with all food intake by 6pm. This meant eating at my desk Mon - Wed. So no more sleeping on a full meal. This paid huge dividends. I also became a breakfast eater. Part of my weight problem was directly related to not eating breakfast. I made a rule for myself that I would eat no later than 90 mins after waking up. Not my favorite, but now that I have it in my routine, I can really tell if I don't.

And the third point, was not setting a "goal date". I'll get there when I get there. No pressure. I did not tell anyone I was working on losing weight, because even though you have people supporting you, it made me feel uncomfortable. (Having people constantly ask, "How's the diet going?", was not something I was prepared to endure.) I kept a low profile, and waited for people to notice results, which cultivated a more positive environment for me. Before I knew it, I had lost 20lbs, and people were starting to notice. With my schedule doing shows, and my rules about "timing", It seemed like less work, and less stress.

Now the holidays are here, and I don't have to worry about making resolutions about weight. I can enjoy the holiday food without guilt, and the New Year holds more promise, than worry.

As a side note, I also quit smoking in August, after smoking for 30 years. I switched to e-cigarettes, which helped increase my energy level, and contributed to my weight loss.)

So, instead of following a regimen set up by someone who doesn't live my life, I was able to design a system that was wholly my own, and capitalized on my lifestyle and activities, to get results. Focusing on what you like to do, and using that to your advantage can be very helpful.

...and of course, timing was everything.

Flabulous Flubber

So after yesterday's lack of mental preparedness I felt like I got jipped out of my workout somehow.  Even though I completed the workout, I was frustrated for some reason.  As I got up this morning, however, I felt good.  I didn't feel lethargic or whatever, just like I was ready to take on the day.  I know it has to be because of the workout/exercise.  I just feel better, I can't explain it.  Then I went in and weighed myself.  The scale said "one person at a time please."

I know the "Couch to 5k" plan says to run it 3 times a week, but that would mean waiting until tomorrow or Saturday to run again.  So I decided that I would at least do a brisk walk for 20 minutes today.  So I got all geared up, stretched and went out . . . and did the week 1 workout anyway.  I just got inspired to run it.  So I did.  I pushed myself but I didn't push myself too hard.  I just ran it.  To be honest I only did 16:30 today because my legs were in pain, but it was a good workout.



I still plan on doing the actual "workout 3 " of week 1 on Saturday, but I think I need to be doing some sort of Cardio thing everyday at least...Seriously I am sick of the fatness people,  you should be too.  If you are a Flabulous Fatty, get off the SS Fat Guy get moving.