While I’m not overweight, my BMI is a bit high and I would like to lose a few pounds (about 10). The primary reason is that people with lower BMIs live longer. The secondary reason is that I’d like to run faster and to be a faster joggler, you 
have to be a skinnier joggler.
Secret to weight loss
Despite what the $400 billion diet industry in the US tells you, there is a simple equation for weight.
If calories in > calories out you gain weight
If calories in < calories out you lose weight
There is no good evidence that the type of food you eat matters much when it comes to weight, it is all about calories. Of course, when it comes to health the type of food matters so don’t take it as me saying you could live your life on candy bars and soda. You can’t. You need a good balanced diet with a mix of fruits and vegetables.
Losing weight
The above equation shows us that there are two ways to control your weight.
1. Reduce the calorie in – AKA eat less
2. Increase the calories out – AKA exercise more
It’s that simple.
I’m pretty good with #2 having logged 1300 miles or more every year since 2004. It’s #1 that gets me. I’m not good at controlling what I eat.
Losing weight in 2012
Since I already run and exercise a lot, I’m not going to be able to significantly increase the amount to lose more weight. It will just make me more hungry and prone to injury. So, to lose weight I’ve got to cut down on the amount of food I eat. And also implement some of these tricks that are suggested in a recent issue of Runner’s World.
- Eat more protein. A recent study found that athletes lost more weight when they consumed a diet of 35% protein.
- Eat within 1 hour of exercise. The body will burn it off faster
- Don’t skip meals. This causes snacking and snacking is a calorie builder
- Stay hydrated. Thirst is often mistaken for hunger.
- Eat food, don’t drink it. Juice, soda, and sports drinks are more calorie dense than food
- Stay away from fast food. These pack on calories pretty quickly. Especially French fries
- Eat less.
And here is my bonus tip….
Try fasting once a month. This will help you get used to the feeling of ingesting no calories. It’s really not that bad once you get used to it. And if you can get used to operating with a slight feeling of hunger, you’ll more easily lose weight. Just don’t do this more than once a month!
Anyway, right now my weight is 194 pounds. Let’s see where it goes in the next couple of months. A less weighty joggler is a faster joggler.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Thank you for your tips and strategy. There are so many more things to keep in mind if your goal is weight loss. I can say from experience that if you don’t have the mindset to actually lose the weight, nothing will help you. I personally can’t count how many times I asked myself how I could lose my weight. I was just wasting my time talking and never acting. Actually I tried a lot of crappy diet plans and fake fat loss pills that did nothing for me but empty my wallet. I eventually came across one easy and natural method
To be fair, it didn’t shave off 70 pounds the first week like everything else guarantees. But after 3 months passed I easily lost 120 pounds. Yes, I know, 40 pounds a month may be not too much for some people, but for me the method is very effective. Now I’m looking at my body and I feel proud and happy for the first time in my life. Of course I am still using this method to keep it that way. The most important thing to remember is you must never give up! Don’t waste your time just reading and looking for a miracle to happen. Just stick with one method for 2 -3 months to see great results. Good luck.