Five Ways to Lose Weight
I was a skinny kid.
Now, along with many other men of a certain age, I wage an ongoing battle with my waistline. I’m not fat, but as someone who played three sports in school and has finished three marathons, I have pride about my appearance and it vexes me to no end when I look at the scale. I’m not in a bad place, but I’m not where I want to be. That said, I’ve dabbled in many weight loss regimens and here is what I’ve learned. Guy’s Guys prefer being lean and in shape.
It’s the food, stupid.
Let’s face it; there is less nutrition in most of the foods we eat today. Whether you eat meat or not, (I’ve been “pescetarian” for five years now) we’re all aware of how poorly the animals are treated. Most two and four legged creatures that are “farmed” for consumption exist on a lethal combination of feed laced with antibiotics and enough steroids to make a major league ball player jealous. Gone are the days when cows ate grass instead of corn. Humans absorb the stress the animals experience from a life lived in tight quarters leading up to a ghastly slaughter. Something to consider next time you’re slicing a juicy steak or wolfing down strips of that yummy bacon. Just sayin’. The point is, whatever you eat stays with you. Whenever possible, choose organic and non-GMO and avoid snacks, sugars and fast food Try fasting or juicing now and then to detoxify. It works, you’ll feel better, and you’ll shed pounds and tummy blubber. Promise.
Cardio.
If you can’t pry yourself away from the table that easily, then at least get out and work it off. High intensity workouts are the rage now and for good reason. They keep the heart rate buzzing at full throttle and make you sweat your tail off. I prefer long runs—between six to nine miles—because the release of endorphins somehow helps me with creative problem solving, although the results of high intensity are superior for weight loss. There are other things you can do to keep moving. Take the stairs, walk home, take a spin class, or do yoga—anything besides sitting like a lump on the couch in front of the television. You’ll see the difference.
Sleep.
Stress keeps you awake. Stress creates blockages around the third chakra that causes the retention of belly fat. People who sleep more actually lose weight—fact. Plus, it’s fun to sleep, especially with someone special. Oh yeah, there are also those fun, weight-reducing activities that you can indulge in while in bed with your partner.
Visualization and meditation.
You’ve got to see it first to make it happen. If you want to lose weight, visualize how you will look after you’ve lost those unwanted pounds. Just keep a clear image of how you want to look in your mind’s eye. You, the skinny one in the thin jeans. Yeah, you. Some find success by taping photos of their desired look on the refrigerator. That’s not a bad idea.
Keep a food log.
Call me crazy, but I was in the best shape of my life the three years that I maintained a food diary. I wrote down every scrap of food or drink that I consumed and learned a lot about myself in the process. I never knew how much I loved peanut butter! By year three I was rock hard and eating smaller amounts of healthier foods, especially the bad stuff like sweets and salty snacks.
There’s lots more, but if you try a few of these weight loss tips on for size, you might find that within a month or two you’ll need to pull that belt buckle one more notch, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
This week’s Guy’s Guys of the week are Bill Clinton and Al Sharpton, two formerly-roly-poly guys who lost a pile of weight when they turned to a vegan diet.
Are you doing what it takes to keep a handle on your weight?
