HOW I LOST 100LBS WITHOUT COUNTING CALORIES

Why I almost never count calories anymore. (And what I do instead, to maintain my 100+lbs weight loss). When I first started my weight loss journey, I used to love counting calories. It gave me a sense of control. I’m a former analytical researcher, so I loved data, numbers and spreadsheets. But, over time, it started to become an obsession. It started to impede my enjoyment of real life. Food became about numbers, instead of meals with friends and family. What happened?  And what did I do differently? When I couldn’t count calories, I would become anxious. If I couldn’t…

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ARGHH!! WHY CAN’T I DO WHAT I KNOW I SHOULD?!?

How do we change our eating, such that our habits support our goals, instead of sabotage them? How do we bridge the gap between what we know (eat healthy), and what we do (eat junk)? One choice, One meal, One day at a time, your health, physique and future is built. Here’s how I approach it: Instead of imagining every meal for the rest of my life, I focus on my next meal, and the choice I will make.E.g. I’m not giving up pizza for the rest of my life, I’m just making a different choice one time. That subtle…

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THE UNHAPPINESS TRAP: HOW TO ESCAPE

When it comes to healthy habits (e.g. being active and eating well) we know what we should do. DOING is the hard part We’ve all made bold resolutions in a surge of motivation.  But then, we don’t keep them.  Why not? What stops us from taking action, is the fuzzy monster in our mind.  Fuzzy, because we don’t see it clearly, and it looks a lot bigger than it is. When we build up this “fuzzy monster” it becomes easier to rationalize and justify poor decisions.  Essentially, we build it up to the point where we tell ourselves: “it’s just too hard” Sadly, when…

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YOU CAN’T HACK THIS

“Growth Hacking” … “Diet-Hacking” … “Bio-Hacking” … “Life-hacking” … “Hack-Hacking” Since the early 2000’s, the concept of “hacking” every aspect of our life has led to a whole industry from supplements, to books, touting increased productivity, wealth and everything in between. Buy this supplement, follow this guru, do this one trick What sounds like a good idea, rarely is, and I’ll explain why Hacking indicates seeking a shortcut … A way around the “work” – Let me give you a biological example.10 year old Jonny wants to “hack” his growth. So doctors start administering growth hormone, along with testosterone.Now Jonny…

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6 SIMPLE TRICKS TO BEAT MINDLESS EATING

How do you make “mindless snacking” MINDFUL? You interrupt it. Disrupt the “food trance”. When we’re not paying attention, we can graze our way through hundreds of calories of BLT’s (Bites, Licks and Tastes).  Why do we eat when we’re not hungry though? ​ (e.g. “I WANT FOOD, even though I don’t NEED food”) Why do we do this??  Here’s the 3 main reasons why: 1. “I need a ‘pick me up’” It’s mid-afternoon, and the slump just hit, but you still have work to do.  Cortisol dips between 1-3pm normally, which then creates cravings for something sweet.  If it’s…

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THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IGNORANCE AND WISDOM

The difference between wisdom and ignorance is the ability to appreciate nuance. Too many arguments (“discussions”) devolve into 2 extreme camps competing for who can shout the loudest (Unfortunately, loud shouting isn’t really regarded as a hallmark of intellect). These loud shout-y extreme camps then seek to push all opposing opinions into an opposite extreme camp to justify their abuse of people who disagree with them. Steven Covey popularized the quote (originally attributed to St. Francis of Assisi): ​ “First seek to understand, then seek to be understood”. How can we turn this into something practical? As much as possible,…

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THE BEST FAT LOSS ADVICE YOU WILL EVER HEAR

I used to weigh 328lbs. I was miserable, in pain, cranky, exhausted and frankly, hated my life. In an attempt to alleviate said pain, I desperately tried numerous methods and fixes. I know what it feels like to wake up, and obsess over your weight every day, and wish it could be GONE. In order to lose 110lbs, I had to change my MINDSET and APPROACH. I had to do something DIFFERENT than anything found in the wreckage of my many failed attempts to diet the fat away. So how did I lose 110lbs? One Day at a Time.  One…

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SHAME CULTURE HAS GONE TOO FAR

“The over use of the term “shaming” has stretched a once-useful word into near meaninglessness.” –  Mark Peters, Slate Shaming will NEVER work as a long term solution to ANY problem. What seems to be disappearing rapidly in our society, is an ability to hear legitimate constructive criticism, and the unwillingness to accept that we might be incorrect in our perception or thinking of an issue. In my arena, this typically comes up, when trying to navigate this particularly thorny topic of “fat-shaming” and it’s cousin the Health at Every Size (HAES) movement. These movements have noble aims, and are…

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GOOD VS GOOD: THE REAL WEIGHT LOSS STORY

We often think of weight loss as “Good vs Evil” As in, Celery is “good” and donuts are “evil” or some variation of this. It’s not. More often than not, it’s “Good vs Good.” “Huh?” I hear you say Weight loss isn’t about trading bad for good. This is where many people get hung up. Let me explain: Eating chocolate when you’re sad or lonely isn’t “bad”. Having a few drinks with your friends to unwind after a long week isn’t “bad” When you’re sad, bored, stressed or lonely, it’s perceived as a problem. Eating chocolate temporarily solves a problem.…

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OH C’MON, JUST LIVE A LITTLE

“80/20 rule right?” “Ya gotta live a little” Comforting words.  But most people’s 80/20 is a lot more like 50/50 at best. 80% requires significantly ABOVE average effort. You want to see average? Here’s some numbers for North America. The average North American is 20-30lbs overweight. It gets worse. Every decade after 30, that number goes up.  This trend isn’t going to be reversed with average effort Yes. It’s 100% easier to eat mindlessly. It’s easier because no effort is required, and you can just operate on autopilot. Somewhere along the way though, we confused “easier” with “better”.  If you…

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