How to lose weight: A free, honest, and realistic advice.

   People spend a fortune on personal trainers and "expert" dietitians to lose a few pounds. I have lost more than 22 pounds in less than a year. 

A picture is worth a thousand words

Are you sick and tired of being overweight?

Here is a list of points to keep in mind.

No magic tricks. No secrets. Just the plain truth.

1. Make sure you do not have an underlying medical condition.
Diseases like hypothyroidism or Cushing's disease could manifest as obesity. 

Check with your physician if you think you might have such ailments. This particularly applies if you have a strong family history of a certain disease. 

2. Do not compare yourself to others.

Fact: Different poeple have different metabolic rates. 

That is why some people never gain weight no matter how much they eat. 
While others gain weight fast. Even if they ate one chocolate bar per day.

3. You have to reach "the critical point" when you break the "damn" cycle.

  Many of those who are overweight lead a sedentary lifestyle. They eat foods that have "empty" calories (calories that can not be burned off easily). Weight gain is an insidious and accumulative  process. 

  One day the "overweight" wake up and realize they have reached a critical point of self awareness: their clothes don't fit anymore, or they get short of breath on minimal effort (or at rest), or feel drowsy during daytime because their sleep patterns were distorted by snoring (obstructive sleep apnea). 

At such point, they realize they have a distorted self image they can't bear any longer. They decide to join a gym and usually stick to their planned workouts.

That happened to me !

4. Stay away from things that shorten your life span.

Specifically smoking and watching too much TV.

5. Do not follow a temporary quick-fix diet/exercise program. 

Worrying about losing weight would only get you frustrated. 
It must be a lifestyle change from the ground up.
In other words: enjoy your workouts. Enjoy the journey. No the destination. 
There is no magic trick. It must become a part of your daily routine.

Daily walking/jogging/running is enjoyable in its own right. It is a great way to lose weight and relieve stress. Jog for the sake of jogging, and not for the sake of weight loss.

6. Utilize simple dietary tricks.

- If you like Coca Cola for instance, replace it with Diet Coke. 

- Replace chocolate bars with carrots / cucumbers.

- Try to eat your favorite meals without bread nor rice. 

- If you can not function without coffee, drink espresso/plain black coffee. Caffeine pills also do the trick.

- Spoil yourself once a week ! (e.g. cheesecake, full-fat meals).  

7. Have a training partner / coach / instructor if possible.

Humans are social creatures. And like in any new activity, "senior help" always comes in handy. In my case, I deeply appreciate the help of my training mates at the gym (also known as "Muscle Agents"). Their outstanding approach to eating and exercising is quite an inspiration. I really appreciate their help in that regard.

Dr. Nasser Al-Hadhoud: the brawny guy in red, bench-pressing, heavy duty style!

8. Use the available technology.

In this day and age there are training tools and techniques we would have never dreamed of few decades back. Three things that come to mind: the Xbox Kinect, video workouts like the "The Insanity Workout" (or the "Tae Bo" training videos). Apps on smart phones that help you measure calorie intake and monitor your progress . They are relatively affordable, innovative, and enjoyable ways to exercise and lose weight.