lose weight sitting down

A Marathon — Not a Sprint

If you have 26 odd miles to run, common sense decrees that you don’t set out at a flat-out dash. You pace yourself, that’s what marathon runners do; and the pace of a marathon-weight-loss runner is 1-2 pounds a week.

Even if your best friend sheds 5-10 pounds the first week and shares the news with an astonished world in no uncertain terms, realize that she will never sustain that pace, and that she will more than likely relapse and regain the weight she lost.

For the not so comfortable truth is that long-term, permanent weight loss is difficult to achieve, and that about 95% of repeat dieters fail, regaining lost weight.

What about the 5% who succeed?

The Magic Bullet

The sad thing, according to the Director of Nutrition for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, is that “people keep believing that the magic bullet is just around the corner . . . if they only eliminate food ‘x’ or combine foods ‘a’ and ‘b,’ or twirl around three times before each meal . . .”

Well, there is no magic bullet. There is only our—by now familiar—First Law of Thermodynamics (1LTD), however boring that news may be.

The reality is that most successful dieters lose weight without the magic bullets on which Americans spend $30 billion each year. In fact, the largest survey ever undertaken on long-term maintenance of weight loss (done by Consumer Reports) found that the vast majority of the 5% who succeed lost weight without expensive gimmicks or magic diet pills. Go, 1LTD!

Fruits and Vegetables

Not only are fruits and vegetables considered more healthy, but studies have now also found that the greatest dietary difference between those who lose weight long term and those who do not, but rather continue to gain weight, are one of fruits and vegetables vs. meat.

Worth taking to heart.

The Very Long Ditch

Long-term weight loss is not unlike digging a mile-long ditch. The first few yards are interesting and immediately gratifying as you see progress right away. But the novelty does wear off, and as the yards begin to add up to hundreds of them, well, let’s say that very little, if any, of the novelty sticks around.

The same is true with long-term weight loss. It is not for the faint of heart. Not for the “I’m really good at starting things, but not so good at keeping things going” crowd, for once you have gotten a third of the way—and still may have a year to go: you can’t make out where you started from, nor can you see the other end. You find yourself out there in the middle of ditch-digging nowhere.

But don’t lose heart.

Weight Not Regained

The long-term dieter should recognize that (even if the progress is slow and tedious) as long as that weight graph is dropping by a pound or two a week, you are also achieving something easily overlooked: You’ve kept the lost weight off!

That bears repeating: you have not regained any of the weight you have lost so far. This is an achievement, and a major one—and perhaps you’ve never managed to do before.

You’re winning—please recognize that. It will help un-dull the tedium.

Some Other Tips

Enlist Support

Whether with friends or family, a support group of some kind, or even a dietician, it is always helpful to share highs and lows with experts or others who can relate. These ears may also be a good source of ideas you might have overlooked. And, most importantly, they prove that you’re not alone.

Favorite Foods

Deprivation is the bane stalking the long-term dieter. One way to shut him up is to eat your favorite foods now and then—in moderation. Only 100-200 calories worth at a time, but even this will him at bay.

Eat Slowly

Be advised that it takes 20 minutes for your stomach-brain partnership to realize (and signal) that your stomach is full. This, of course means that if you gulp food down you will manage to overeat significantly before the brain goes: stop! So, eat slowly, chew well, and enjoy your food.

Water—And Lots of It

Fluids make the stomach feel fuller, decreasing a tendency to overeat.

But, more importantly, when the body gets insufficient liquids, your kidneys will compensate by in essence conserving water, holding on to what it has. This means water retention, means weight you don’t want.

Health, Not Appearance

Above all, keep in mind why you are out here in the middle of weight-loss nowhere, digging away: it is not for appearance. Well, perhaps a little, but the overriding reason is your health. Never lose sight of that.

Interim Rewards

To combat the sheer sameness of long-term weight loss, you may want to map out interim milestones, each of which brings a reward. Say, allow yourself a treat for every five pounds you lose. Nothing extravagant or calorie-inflated, mind you, but reward nonetheless, for a job well done.

Bottom Line

At the end of the day, the First Law of Thermodynamics is the only weight-loss formula that always, repeat always, works. It is your friend. Embrace it.

The multiTRIM Diet

All diet plans—except for the outright fraudulent ones, and be warned: they abound—have only one goal: for you to burn more calories than you consume.

Possibly the most sensible plan we have seen in recent years is the multiTRIM diet which supplies all needed nutrients to maintain health while easing hunger in a fifteen calories meal-replacement drink.

A multiTRIM Journal

A friend recently set out to shed 143 pounds over 18 months with the help of the multiTRIM diet. The blog-record of her journey can be found here.

I was shocked. I started to cry…

After the holidays, I stepped on the scale and discovered I was 30 pounds heavier than I had ever been in my life.

I’m a 56 year old grandmother (somebody please tell me how that happened) and it occurred to me that this time, I might not be able to lose those extra pounds.

Luckily, my health is good. I decided to do a little research into the problems and causes of obesity.

While searching for information on weight loss surgery, I happened on a study from Japan on apple polyphenols. It said that animals given these apple phytochemicals lost almost 30% of their organ fat after only three weeks. In addition, these lab rats also increased muscle strength.

“Wow,” I said to myself. I wondered if it might work for me too. It occurred to me that the apple chemicals might be “rejuvenating” the lab animals, since organ fat increases with age. Other studies said these polyphenols were very safe. So I went to the health food store.

“Apple polly what?” said the sales clerk. I knew I had to look elsewhere. Finally, I found a web site that had it for sale. I started taking it every morning.

Immediately, I felt a new surge of energy and clarity of thought. So far, so good!

Then, I set about changing a few of the items in my diet.

First, I cut out refined sugar, and substituted diet colas and sugar-free candy to satisfy my sweet tooth. (There really have been some great improvements in the taste of sugar-free choices in the last few years. My favorites are diet Mug root beer, and Russell Stover sugar-free candies.)

I also added 5HTP to my daily supplement regimen, to help curb my carb cravings.

I stopped cooking with unsaturated oils, and switched to virgin olive oil. I limited my carb intake to ½ cup per meal, while keeping my body satisfied with plenty of beef, turkey, chicken, fish and cheese.

I ate as much as I cared to of protein, wholesome fats and unrefined carbohydrates, and gradually felt my body align to a healthier balance. Then, I began to slowly make my portions just a little smaller, one teaspoon at a time. I hardly noticed the difference!

To ensure that I was not denying my body adequate nutrition, I take a very good multivitamin formula. To this, I added extra calcium daily, in citrate form- the most absorbable.

Since I’m getting older, I also began taking DHEA for hormone balance. And, to stabilize my blood sugar and promote weight loss, I added konjac glucomannan to my pill routine.

In just 11 weeks, I have lost 21 lbs. on this program, and I have never been hungry.

And there are added benefits that I didn’t expect. My skin is softer and smoother. My hair is growing thicker and faster, and my energy level is more like a 30 year old. My fingernails are healthier and stronger than they’ve ever been, and the “ridges” in my nails have smoothed out.

And the best part, besides losing the weight, is this: the embarrassing age spots on the backs of my hands are also going away.

Most importantly, I am not starving myself. I don’t feel deprived. I have simply substituted some healthier eating habits, in a gradual way, so as not to shock my body.

This is a way of eating that I can sustain, unlike most diets I’ve tried. I can easily do this for the rest of my life, and continue to allow my body to find its own perfect weight.

My fat and weight loss is gradual and consistent, right in line with my doctor’s recommendations for safe weight loss- about 2 pounds a week. I am well on my way to my ideal weight, just by following these few simple steps. Only 9 more pounds to go for my target!

My simple 10 point weight loss program is working perfectly for me. And the full details, including dosages of the supplements, are available at the web site link at the end of this article.

If you sensibly and gradually make small changes to the way you eat, and use some of the wonderful supplements now available, you too can be a much slimmer, healthier and more attractive person- at any age.