Top 10 tips to lose weight – and keep it off

[donnay]

Top 10 tips to lose weight – and keep it off

by Jon Gaunt


I hope you like the picture of Gary, one of our members, having some fun as the weight drops off!

As the New Year dawns the most popular resolution is to lose weight and get fit. But did you know only 10 percent of people succeed and stick to this resolution?

Why do you think that is?

I believe it is because they fall for the hype of a TV personality promoting their six pack or ‘bikini beach body’ and believe that by counting calories, drinking an ultra-processed shake or starving themselves they too will look the same in a matter of weeks. It’s nonsense and has always been nonsense.

I should know as I have tried every diet in the book – and have the diet books to prove it. So, here are my simple steps on how to lose weight and keep it off for good.

Don’t go on a diet! Diets do not work! The diet industry is worth $168.95 Billion (yes Billion) and the industry is only interested in making pounds not in you losing pounds. Instead of starting a diet you should embark on a lifestyle change. You need to teach yourself a new way of eating, a way that you will always eat from now on.

Be realistic. If like me you were nearly 22 stone, a type 2 diabetic with blood pressure through the roof and with the activity level of a slug you are NEVER going to have a six pack like Joe Wicks so set realistic targets and goals. My target was just to be able to shop at a normal shop like Marks and Spencer or Debenhams rather than Jacamo. I wanted my waist size to drop from 54 inches to at least 40 and I succeeded. Then I set the next target of getting into 36 inch trousers. I am still working on this.

Do not count calories. This is such a flawed way of trying to lose timber and the whole fallacy of calories in versus energy out is so discredited. It is truly amazing people are still able to push calorie restricted diets. The simple facts are, as Professor Tim Noakes says, you cannot out run a bad diet. Plus, I would add that all calories are not made equal.

Do not join a slimming club and believe that by turning up at a village hall every Thursday the weight will drop off. Recognise that slimming clubs are owned by the same Big Food companies that helped to get you fat in the first place. For example, Heinz use to own Weight Watchers and still make all their ready meals for them.

Don’t rush out to the sales and buy an exercise bike or home gym. They will just end up being a clothes horse in your bedroom. By the same token do not go and buy an expensive gym membership – you will end up paying and never going. You do not lose weight in the gym, you lose it in the kitchen. All you need to do is some gentle walking, increasing your steps each day. In essence, get off your fat ass and walk.

Ignore Government dietary advice and the so called Eatwell plate that advises you to still eat starchy carbs and grains.
Realise the fact that you can eat great food and plenty of it and still lose weight and lose weight rapidly if you know what foods to eat.
Get the support and encouragement of your friends and family. Even if it’s a bit embarrassing, it’s been proven that that people who share their intention to change with those around them, are more likely to stick to a resolution.

Be selfish and bloody minded about your lifestyle change. You will not be successful if you fall into the trap of always wanting a treat or the mindset of “a little bit of what you fancy won’t hurt”. Instead of fantasising or obsessing over being able to eat a cake or have a pint once you’ve lost the weight you should obsess about what you will look and feel like. My motivation wasn’t to go back to eating chips with my steak or having a ten-pint session, my ambition was just to live longer and be able to take my shirt off on the beach without being embarrassed.

This is the big one. You have to realise that everything you have been told about losing weight is a lie or a marketing con. Meat, fish and animal fats have been demonised by Big Food and the sugar industry since the late sixties and it is no coincidence that our obesity epidemic can be tracked from there. I have lost – and I am continuing to lose – my weight by eating Low Carbs and High (Healthy) fat (LCHF). This is the type of plan we suggest at Simple as Fat – join us and let’s crack this together.

https://www.simpleasfat.com/new-year-new-you/

https://www.simpleasfat.com

[Zippyjuan]

Don't go on a diet! Follow my diet! Nothing about exercise?

[donnay]

Don't go on a diet! Follow my diet! Nothing about exercise?

That's right, diets don't work. You have to make a lifestyle change and get the oversized carbs out of your life.

[Schifference]

Obesity is like any other addiction. The first step is recognizing that you are obese or fat. The next step is to take responsibility for that. The third step is to reserve a powered scooter at all your retail outlets so that you can ride the aisles instead of walk while simultaneously considering gastric bypass or liposuction. The fourth step is to put on more weight while consulting with your medical professional so that you qualify for weight loss surgery. A step that can go anywhere in between is to press charges against any person that looks at you stating that they disrespected/discriminated against you in a hateful way.

[Suzanimal]

Don't go on a diet! Follow my diet!

Actually, the author was saying you shouldn't go on a diet - you should make a lifestyle change. Personally, I don't like any one size fits all diet because I think everyone is different and has different dietary needs.

I agreed with most of what the author said but, as flawed as calorie counting is, I don't think it should be completely dismissed when you're trying to lose weight. I think it's a useful tool for gauging how much you're eating.

Nothing about exercise?

You do not lose weight in the gym, you lose it in the kitchen. All you need to do is some gentle walking, increasing your steps each day. In essence, get off your fat ass and walk.

You didn't read all the way down. It was mentioned but it should also be pointed out (as it was in the article) that you don't lose weight in the gym - you don't. Exercise is obviously a healthy choice and will help you look better naked but you don't need to do it to lose weight.

[DamianTV]

Bruce Lee once said the secret to weight loss is simple:

Move More, Eat Less.

Probably "Move More, Eat Better" is better.

[Cap]

I imagine that gut flora also would play a role in losing weight. I read that somewhere.

[Schifference]

Actually, the author was saying you shouldn't go on a diet - you should make a lifestyle change. Personally, I don't like any one size fits all diet because I think everyone is different and has different dietary needs.

I agreed with most of what the author said but, as flawed as calorie counting is, I don't think it should be completely dismissed when you're trying to lose weight. I think it's a useful tool for gauging how much you're eating.






You didn't read all the way down. It was mentioned but it should also be pointed out (as it was in the article) that you don't lose weight in the gym - you don't. Exercise is obviously a healthy choice and will help you look better naked but you don't need to do it to lose weight.

While I agree spending a half hour on a treadmill burning 150 calories is harder than eliminating one cookie. I do think that exercise helps to speed up a sluggish metabolism.

[specsaregood]

You didn't read all the way down. It was mentioned but it should also be pointed out (as it was in the article) that you don't lose weight in the gym - you don't. Exercise is obviously a healthy choice and will help you look better naked but you don't need to do it to lose weight.

That's BS. I've lost great sums of weight a couples times in my life and the ONLY way I've found for my body to lose weight is with relentless, hardcore exercise, bare minimum of an hour a day. Even when combined with "diet". I guess its just how my body works.

[Suzanimal]

While I agree spending a half hour on a treadmill burning 150 calories is harder than eliminating one cookie. I do think that exercise helps to speed up a sluggish metabolism.

Absolutely. Exercise is very important to overall health but you can't work off a bad diet. Just a fact.

Edited to add - I'm very pro exercise but a lot of obese people seem to think they can't lose weight because they can't exercise (some of them really can't). I think it's important for those people to hear there's hope.

[CaptUSA]

[Suzanimal]

That's BS. I've lost great sums of weight a couples times in my life and the ONLY way I've found for my body to lose weight is with relentless, hardcore exercise, bare minimum of an hour a day. Even when combined with "diet". I guess its just how my body works.

That's great. I'm glad you found something that works for you. When I'm on a workout frenzy, I find I gain weight but look better. I tend to go through phases with it. Right now, I'm trying to exercise more because a) it's almost swimsuit weather (YAY!) and b) since quitting booze, I can't sleep and am trying to physically wear myself out so I can get some rest.

[Anti Globalist]

I lost my weight by doing a job that requires a lot of hard labor. When from 165 to 125.

[Stratovarious]

I've always heard that you need to work on your arms, get good at pushing yourself away from the table.
:shrugs:

[donnay]

That's great. I'm glad you found something that works for you. When I'm on a workout frenzy, I find I gain weight but look better. I tend to go through phases with it. Right now, I'm trying to exercise more because a) it's almost swimsuit weather (YAY!) and b) since quitting booze, I can't sleep and am trying to physically wear myself out so I can get some rest.

Try some Valerian Root or drink some chamomile tea before bedtime. It may help you sleep better.

[Firestarter]

It's very stupid to work on "losing weight". One should think about "losing fat"!
I've always thought that the BMI is utterly ridiculous...

World heavy weight boxing champ Anthony Joshua for example weighs 264 pound (112 kg) at a height of "only" 6 ft 6 in (198 cm).

It's very "easy" to lose fat actually. Decrease your intake of calories. It's probably more important to cut down on sugar than fat.
It's not only what you eat but also what you drink!

If you do sports this could lead to more muscles (not for everybody though), and you could actually increase in body mass.
On the long term excerising is the only way to keep in shape.
If you actually "enjoy" the excerise, you probably won't enjoy stuffing yourself full anymore anyway...

[donnay]

That's BS. I've lost great sums of weight a couples times in my life and the ONLY way I've found for my body to lose weight is with relentless, hardcore exercise, bare minimum of an hour a day. Even when combined with "diet". I guess its just how my body works.

Suz is right, you need to figure out what works best for you. Everyone is different. One thing is the West likes supersize meals. Personally, I think portion control is a major part of losing weight.

The reason why diet gurus push exercise is because most people that are overweight/obese are sluggish and sit more than they move.

I know this is a cheesy 60's Christmas show, but it is perfect in making the point--just put one foot in front of the other...




“Don’t make a change too complicated, just begin.” ~ Anonymous

[Zippyjuan]

Actually, the author was saying you shouldn't go on a diet - you should make a lifestyle change. Personally, I don't like any one size fits all diet because I think everyone is different and has different dietary needs.

I agreed with most of what the author said but, as flawed as calorie counting is, I don't think it should be completely dismissed when you're trying to lose weight. I think it's a useful tool for gauging how much you're eating.

He says you should follow a low carb high fat diet.

I have lost – and I am continuing to lose – my weight by eating Low Carbs and High (Healthy) fat (LCHF). This is the type of plan we suggest at Simple as Fat – join us and let’s crack this together.

You didn't read all the way down. It was mentioned but it should also be pointed out (as it was in the article) that you don't lose weight in the gym - you don't. Exercise is obviously a healthy choice and will help you look better naked but you don't need to do it to lose weight.

More muscle mass and a higher metabolism help the body to burn more fat even at rest. That can be accomplished from exercise. To lose weight and keep it off you need exercise. Diet alone can slow your metabolism- causing the body to retain more fat than before. The body thinks there may be a food shortage so it moves to protect itself by storing more fat.

[donnay]

He says you should follow a low carb high fat diet.

DIET = Do I Eat Today

Low carb / high fat is the way people ate for centuries.

[after]

Why diets do not work?
I'm on a diet dropped 5 kg in three months. Diet is good nutrition. Do not stop eating, and proper nutrition. If you keep everything, you will lose excess weight.

[buck000]

fwiw, I thought this was a cool video...