Once again, it’s that time of the year where I feel like a hibernating bear who suddenly wakes up in his cave surrounded by candy cane wrappers and choco-smear paw-prints and the bones from various turkey dinners. It’s that post-holiday wake-up call where your body reminds you:
“DEAREST SLUDGEBODY. IT IS WINTER AND YOU ARE NOW SWADDLED IN SLUDGE. FIX THIS, FLAPJACK. EITHER THAT OR JUST PUT ON 100 MORE POUNDS AND COMMIT TO THE SLUDGE.”
This is all pretty normal for me, though this year it seems a bit worse than in prior years (the curse of getting older? the doom of living with a toddler where it’s harder to amend my diet for the better?). I assume my routine will be the same as in former years, and the answer is of course a straightforward one — “Modify lifestyle by changing diet and increasing exercise.”
Still, I’m curious — the simple answer is a good one but I’m also curious about the more granular answers. For those of you who have tried or are trying to lose weight — what works? What didn’t? What diet? What exercise? Give a shout.
Curious to hear your experiments, expectations, and results.
If you don’t mind sharing, of course.
My hats off to those who do.
I’ll hang up and wait for your answer.
Click.
NO CARRIER
Ruth Dupre says:
I eat only half of what I’m served. Sometimes I eat only a third. I dropped 40 lbs doing that.
February 18, 2013 — 12:08 AM
David Kazzie says:
I can almost guarantee you that you need fewer calories than you think you do. Three years ago, I dropped about 18 really unneeded pounds. I was working out a lot, and the big eye-opener was that even with the increased workload on my body, I still needed only about 1400 calories a day (i’m pretty short, so this will vary for each person). Only when I adjusted the calorie intake (esp. cutting out chips and fries, my nemeses) did I start to see a real difference on the scale. You have to be ruthless in counting the calories.
February 18, 2013 — 12:09 AM
Sparky says:
Manual labor, moving boxes. It didn’t cause me to lose weight but it did get rid of any tendency to feel like a slug or an atrophied coma patient. Because really there is no way you can move shit all night long without some muscular growth. Of course the problem with this method of health is the high risk of injury (sudden or repetitive movement based), the fact that you can’t tone it down if you have an off day, and the fact that you need to secure a job doing manual labor first.
What? You didn’t necessarily ask for helpful answers. Becoming distinctly blue collar would help, it’s just massively impractical.
February 18, 2013 — 12:12 AM
deadlyeverafter says:
That chicken nugget bdub leaves on the plate? Do not eat it. The cupcake he “shares” with you by shoving in your mouth? Tell him no thank you. Then drink more water. Somebody said somewhere that when you think you’re hungry, you’re actually dehydrated. Possibly not true. And I do this maniacal thing where I write down everything I eat when it gets really bad. This will embarrass any true animal. It’s foolproof.
As for exercise, little things like drop and do 10 pushups at intervals in the day. Seriously. But it isn’t until I force my butt to the gym 2 or 3 times a week that I don’t feel like authorial sludge.
–Julie
February 18, 2013 — 12:23 AM
Brandi says:
Weight watchers and roller derby, a killer combo of reduced calorie accountability and hard core workouts thrice a week
February 18, 2013 — 12:23 AM
Sean Riley says:
Get diagnosed with insulin resistance and go on drugs to counteract it. Hey, it worked for me.
More seriously? Soft drink. If you haven’t cut it out entirely, do so. Nothing, I repeat nothing, puts on more weight than soft drink will.
February 18, 2013 — 12:33 AM
terribleminds says:
Blessedly, I’ve never enjoyed soft drinks, and drink water (er, and coffee/unsweet tea) throughout the day.
February 18, 2013 — 7:17 AM
Joe says:
When the weather’s nice, it’s podcasts and road time. When the weather’s miserable, it’s a stationary bike and DVDs of TV I’ve missed. Either way, comfortable sneakers make the miles go faster. Go get ’em.
February 18, 2013 — 12:38 AM
Katherine Owen - Novelist says:
I have collected, read, and tried every diet / lifestyle / exercise book out there. Last summer, I read Jorge Cruise’s “The Bellyfat Cure” cookbook. Basic regimen: 15 grams of sugar a day, 6 servings of 20 grams complex carbs. a day (piece of WW bread). Drink water. Eat real food – eggs, protein, cheese, veggies…
No fruit, no cookies, no cake, no crackers, no waffles, no donuts, no Pepsi or diet coke. No asparatame or chemicals like that, including high fructose corn syrup.
NO SUGAR. What do you get for this kind of sacrifice???
Well, I lost 22 pounds in a few months of dedication to the 15 gram sugar thing. Then, I felt good enough to exercise again, but I don’t kill myself over it, although I may go back to kickboxing because I feel good enough to do that again. Oh and my cholesterol numbers are great.
Just know, that 15 grams of sugar is nothing. It’s really hard to do, but it works. Drink coffee and have half-n-half with it, eat eggs, steak, chicken, and all the vegetables you can handle (with butter).
That’s all you get. The fat pounds will come off (probably even faster for a guy.) Amazing. There’s an iPhone app available where you can plug in what you eat daily that counts your sugar grams and carbs for you. That teaches you how to navigate daily. This lifestyle works wonders. Good luck.
February 18, 2013 — 12:47 AM
Louise Sorensen says:
Your metabolism slows down a little each year and you have to eat a little less and exercise a little more.
Watch what you eat, don’t finish Bdub’s dinner(as mentioned above) and get out of the house regularly and walk an hour a day. Walk on a sidewalk, or facing traffic and pay attention to people and traffic around you. We don’t want to hear you were taken out by some drunken good old boy who was fighting his dog off the cold cuts in the back seat when he plowed into you, a la Stephen King.
February 18, 2013 — 12:59 AM
edfrank01 says:
The easiest way to lose weight is to just adjust the little dial on your scales that say how much you weight.
February 18, 2013 — 1:12 AM
Rautenbach says:
Drink more water. I hate drinking water and never feel thirsty, but it’s helped a lot with getting ma’ fitness on.
Don’t think that one marathon round of exercise will be better than a few small intervals throughout the day. What I try to do is 20 minutes, 3 times a day, rather than 1 hour in one go. Some Japanese study showed that this would help to lose fat quicker – something to do with glycogen in the body being all used up and then fat being metabolised during the resting stages [HEAVILY paraphrased here…]
No refined carbs. I don’t eat bread or any serious potatoes any more and suddenly have a flat stomach. Coincidence? Uh… no.
Less red meat. This is a tough one because who doesn’t like a medium-rare fillet steak with a beautifully cooked jalapeno sauce? There’s more fat in animal meat than you assume – I’ve swapped out red meat for eggs, cheese, and sometimes tuna and these substitute proteins are great at sloughing off some of the fat.
Sugar is enemy #1. Former sweets and chocolates addict here… the benefits of dropping sugar are two-fold. 1: less fat (since unused sugar in the body turns to fat – also why softdrinks are so bad for you). 2: everything else tastes MUCH better.
And don’t forget: we want “before” and “after” pics… or it didn’t happen.
February 18, 2013 — 1:24 AM
katnbirdy says:
Hmmm. I recommend the “Eat Right for Your Blood Type” Diets. I am too cheap to find out what my blood type is, so I just did all the diets for two months, each and whichever made me feel the best I stuck to. Last year I slowly worked into raw veganism. That was fine, but it does get annoying having to answer (because, everyone asks) “So, what DO you eat?” Also, that diet begs the question “So, what the fuck am I supposed to eat?”
In the end, it is life style changes–don’t pick any weird diets or scientific experimental hormones that you can’t see yourself living with for the rest of your life.
February 18, 2013 — 1:26 AM
terribleminds says:
Isn’t the “blood type diet” a myth?
— c.
February 18, 2013 — 7:19 AM
katnbirdy says:
Is it? No one told me. I think that with anything that you do to your body to affect change, your belief system is going to kick in at some point and either help or hinder you.
Moral: Whatever you end up doing about sludge and such, you better believe it’s going to work.
February 19, 2013 — 1:33 PM
katnbirdy says:
dammit. *EFFECT CHANGE
February 19, 2013 — 1:38 PM
terribleminds says:
It is a myth, yes. Science does not support that diet. That’s not to say it’s a bad diet (though some doctors suggest it doesn’t offer the necessary nutrients), but it’s worth noting that it’s not awesome science.
And that’s really what it’s about — belief is valuable in terms of creating motivation, but it’s not particularly useful in creating reality against evidence to the contrary, I suspect.
— c.
February 19, 2013 — 1:40 PM
Wendy says:
Eating more fruits and veggies (mostly raw) and making green smoothies and juicing a part of my daily life changed everything. Yeah, weight loss is important, but, I’ve found, having a diet that is made of 80% fruits and veggies gave me more energy and a much clearer mind.
Eating every two and a half to three hours is important as well. I don’t know about you, but I had the bad habit of, when I was immersed in a project or just killing time on the Internet, I wouldn’t eat for hours and hours. Nothing brings your metabolism to a grinding halt more than not eating.
Also, making a point of not just exercising, but getting up from the chair every 60-90 minutes and just moving around for awhile is so important.
February 18, 2013 — 1:40 AM
Rautenbach says:
Ne’er a truer habit has been formed! Spot on.
February 18, 2013 — 2:43 AM
Stephanie S. Bittner says:
I, too, suffer from authorial sludgebody at this time of year. While I’ve yet to work off this year’s accumulation, I find cutting back on bacon, candy, and candied bacon can do wonders. I also keep an eye on my snacks and replace my favorite chips with carrots and fruit.
February 18, 2013 — 1:52 AM
Sean says:
Drink water, cut out as much junk and sugar as you can. Start running Three times a week for 20 minutes and when you feel comfortable increase the time. Good luck.
February 18, 2013 — 2:20 AM
terribleminds says:
THIS IS TOO SIMPLE. I need like, “And don’t forget to eat monkey brains twice daily, and cut out all orange foods.”
February 18, 2013 — 7:20 AM
HakonHåkan Norebäck says:
Stand up. Never work sitting down. We’re not designed to sit on our ass all day. Allways work standing up. Go for a 45 min walk before lunch. Then have lunch. Go back to work. Standing up.
Good luck!
February 18, 2013 — 3:08 AM
terribleminds says:
Sadly, will never work. I can’t do the “stand up and work” thing. I used to work retail and spent all day on my feet — and it KILLED my back.
The walking, though: yeah, yes, absolutely. Good stuff.
— c.
February 18, 2013 — 7:21 AM
ww.garethwiscombe.com says:
Drop sugar and processed foods as much as possible, stick to whole foods and don’t eat until you’re full. Mostly it’s just a case of consistency and sticking to a plan.
Tracking what you eat and how much you exercise is excellent. It creates accountability for you in much the same way as planning to hit 2,000 words a day will work. Weigh yourself once a week before you eat and track that too. Seeing a hard copy of what you’ve done is more reliable than a fuzzy idea that you’re generally doing a bit better than before.
There are proponents for just about any approach to eating and they all have a plethora of good arguments why theirs is the best plan, much like religious extremists though they argue not because they think they are right but because they really don’t like the idea that they could be wrong. Pretty much all diets work, not necessarily because it’s the right way to eat but because they force you to focus on what you’re eating. It’s far easier to say no to the occasional treat if you’re only allowing yourself a certain amount of carbohydrates, calories or things that have a face.
Weight loss comes mostly from what goes in your face unless you plan on training like an Olympic athlete. Exercise is really important if you want to be healthier instead of just looking it. Balance it between moving yourself, lifting things and enjoying what you do and you can’t go far wrong.
February 18, 2013 — 3:40 AM
Serena says:
The danger, as you get older, is not caring about putting on the pounds. I’m allergic to exercise, and comfort eat. Get a dog! Walking is good for you – and the dog – and, if you carry a voice recorder in your pocket, it isn’t wasted creativity time. OK, so you might get some funny looks as you walk along apparently chatting to yourself – pretend you’re directing it at the dog – but it’s surprising how much you come up with when you free yourself from the computer chains.
February 18, 2013 — 3:55 AM
terribleminds says:
I totally do this! This is part of where the pounds have started to pack on: wintertime makes it a lot harder to do this for prolonged periods of time. — c.
February 18, 2013 — 7:22 AM
Gaye Weekes says:
Je-eez – the first comment about only eating half or a third of what is served left me speechless! What utter, pointless, waste… why not just ask for half or a third to be bloody well put on your plate in the first place!! Having got that off my chest… and calmed down … I find I can’t shift the weight without giving up the booze, regardless of what other dietary restrictions or gym circuits I’m currently experimenting with. So – I make up a little elderflower cordial with fizzy mineral water in a wine glass and drink it instead. Repeat as necessary. It is NOT the same but at least gives some semblance of being a ‘special’ drink. So far it works – albeit very slowly.
February 18, 2013 — 4:06 AM
Taylor Emblen (@Taylor_Emblen) says:
5 cups (at least) of green tea a day and you can lose 1lb a week/fortnight depending on your metabolism. I like to think it’s full of little ninja molecules that target bad things; science would call them ‘anti-oxidants’ of course, but I think we all know better…
February 18, 2013 — 5:31 AM
Kate Haggard says:
Actually, it’s the tannins, which too much of would give most people severe diarrhea. Green tea is good, but please up pyour intake slowly to avoid a very unpleasant experience.
February 18, 2013 — 9:18 AM
Taylor Emblen (@Taylor_Emblen) says:
Don’t forget the extra peeing!
February 19, 2013 — 6:17 AM
Serenpidity says:
Depends what your diet is already like. Going low carb does work (in the short term) but isn’t usually easily sustainable, especially in you also want to watch your fat intake and/ or are/ lean towards being a vegetarian. Diet wise, I’d look at a low Gi diet, and also the South Beach diet (if you want a structured plan to start with) As Rautenbach mentioned above, I also would cut out sugar/refined carbs as much as you can (even if you don’t fully go the low carb route), and choose your fats wisely (almonds rather than steaks, at least some of the time).
Oh yeah, and…it’s bloody hard. 🙂
February 18, 2013 — 5:33 AM
Adam Short says:
Two words: Intermittent Fasting. Sounds like a weird fad, but it’s much, much easier than any other way of losing weight I’ve ever come across, doesn’t require you to watch what you eat most of the time, and has other health benefits to go with it. A guy called Michael Mosley did a documentary for the (highly regarded) BBC show Horizon last year called “Eat, Fast, Live Longer”, and if there’s any way you can watch it over there on the other side of the pond, you should, it’s astonishing.
The principle is extremely simple, you just eat normally 5 days a week, and on the other 2 (non-consecutive) days, you eat much, much less. For a man, this amount should be less than 600 calories, and for a woman, 500. In practice this means basically eating a small lunch *only* on those days.
The benefits are numerous, including aiding digestion by giving your gut chance to actually deal with the food you’ve put in it before you load more on top, combating the blood sugar issues that lead to diabetes, lowering your level of a compound called IGF-1, which has been linked to greater risk of cancer, and several other things which were less important to me and so I didn’t memorise them.
I’ve been doing it for 2 weeks so far. I’ve lost an indeterminate number of pounds between 3 and 7 (my scales are utterly shit, 3 readings seconds apart can vary by as much as 4 pounds), and I feel great. I haven’t had to buy anything I wouldn’t normally buy. I haven’t had to consciously count calories like some sort of nutrition-obsessed Rain Man, and I haven’t felt like I’m depriving myself of anything (at worst, I’m only a day away from anything I want to eat). I’ve also noticed my appetite has decreased on the days I’m not fasting, so I don’t actually over-compensate for what I’ve not eaten the previous day (something Dr Mosley also found).
Apologies for sounding like a true-believer, but it’s difficult not to, I’m really that impressed. I’m hoping to get down to a sensible weight (my current weight resembles sensible in no way whatsoever) this year, and start to build up some sort of exercise regime. Until recently chronic asthma has made the idea of exercise seem very much like risking my life, rather than improving it. I’m hoping without the extra pounds it will be achievable, desirable, and even fun.
February 18, 2013 — 5:36 AM
Reggie Lutz says:
Okay, I’m no expert, but there are a few tricks that I swear by. No starches in the am. Protein only, like, sausage and eggs but no toast or potatoes, or like, bacon only. Almonds. No carbonated beverages. At least one green thing a day. (Of course there’s cutting out the obvious, the cookies etc…) B vitamins at midday helps keep your nerves steady (stress=metabolism killah) and then a weird mix of yoga, kick-boxing and some other stuff. (Yeah, okay, belly-dance. Shut up. And no, no one can watch) Brisk walking. This is the combo that works for me. Oh, and cutting out either wheat or dairy for a week or two will melt weight off of anyone. (probably it has something to do with all the foraging for alternatives)
February 18, 2013 — 6:02 AM
Sara Davies says:
Cut out the white stuff – pasta, bread, sugar, white rice, potatoes. Avoid processed food. Stick with protein and veggies. The dark green & leafies and low-glycemic like cukes are best. Fruit like berries and apples are OK. No juice, no alcohol. Walk 30-40 minutes every day. Try to drink a couple liters of water every day. Starting with protein gives sustained energy for many hours, cuts down on hunger, keeps blood sugar levels even. Vitamins B, D, & omega 3s are good. When I do this, I feel way mellower and more energized in a clean way within a couple days and my clothes get bigger within a couple of weeks. Totally worth doing.
February 18, 2013 — 7:00 AM
terribleminds says:
WHOA WAIT NO ALCOHOL *burns blog to the ground*
February 18, 2013 — 7:15 AM
Hal Johnson says:
When I keep track of my calories on an iPhone app (Lose It is the one I use), I lose weight, if I try to wing it, I gain weight. It’s that simple. With exercise, I’ve found as I get older that strength training pays off better than cardio stuff as an aid to getting leaner, with that added benefit of helping you lose fat without losing muscle. I’m not talking about a bodybuilding training; the type of strength training I use is for fitness, not to look like Arnold Sweat ‘n Pecker. A number of my younger coworkers like P90X, but I think it’s too gung-ho for a beginner. Turbulence Training, available online, is a saner option with good beginner program. All you need is your body and a set of dumbells, so it lends itself to working out at home. If you’d rather work out at a gym, a good guide for getting started is “The New Rules of Lifting for Every Body,” available as a wood product or ebook.
If you’re really adverse to the strength training route, do interval training in your cardio stuff instead of long, slow workouts. Whether it’s walking, doing the treadmill, bike, or whatever, warm up for five minutes at an easy pace. Then go hard for 30 seconds, easy for 60 seconds, and repeat that interval two more times. As you get more fit, increase the number of intervals.
And no, I’m not a personal trainer, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last week. Really.
February 18, 2013 — 7:11 AM
The Antisocial Librarian says:
I’ve lost 50 lbs and counting by going Paleo (over the course of about 6 months now). All meat, vegetables and fruit and nothing processed (no bread, no pasta, no sugar, etc). It took me about 2 months to get used to it, but now it’s like second nature and I no longer hallucinate about raw cookie dough.
February 18, 2013 — 7:14 AM
terribleminds says:
By the way, holy crap, I wake up to a ton of comments. Thank you, humans of terribleminds. Thank you.
February 18, 2013 — 7:23 AM
Aerin says:
Counting calories works for me. Really, it all boils down to calories in and calories out. Cutting back too far too fast gets me into trouble, so I take a week or two to see how much I’m eating, then step it back little by little until I get to my target for being able to lose weight sustainably. The Livestrong calorie counter works really well for me, and has some excellent apps to accompany it. (Yes, I know, evil lying cheater boo IT WORKS, DAMMIT.)
February 18, 2013 — 8:03 AM
Autumn Macarthur says:
Sludgebody, gotta love the word but hate how the reality feels on my butt and thighs and belly. Here in England, we call it “lard arse”.
The secret is, there is no secret. What works best for one person won’t work necessarily work for their best friend/ worst enemy. I don’t think there’s one scrap of evidence for the Blood Type Diet, but they do have the right idea about different people responding best to different diets.
When I was thirty and needed to loose 80 pounds, I did high card low fat and lots of walking and lost the weight. When I was fifty and needed to lose weight, that diet did nothing for me at all! I had to eradicate ALL processed carbs and do high protein (I’m vegan, which added an extra layer of challenge, but it can be done!). Again, the only exercise I did was up the walking.
Hate to say it, but cutting way back on alcohol also makes a huge difference, tragic to contemplate though it is.
Like everything in life, all diet tips need the disclaimer- YMMV
February 18, 2013 — 8:13 AM
Autumn Macarthur says:
Oops, that should be high crab I did when I was thirty. Though going “high card” would work too. All that yummy cardboard. Or becoming a professional poker player.
February 18, 2013 — 8:15 AM
Autumn Macarthur says:
I am having a bad day (need more alcohol!). I don’t eat crab, I’m vegan.
Checks for typos BEFORE hitting send this time.
February 18, 2013 — 8:16 AM
Clay Ashby says:
Calorie counting works. Exercise doesn’t seem to work unless you are completely insane about it (hours every day).
The great thing about calorie counting is that you can eat anything you want, just don’t eat too much.
February 18, 2013 — 8:19 AM
Alison says:
Calorie counting doesn’t work for me. It’s about what goes out, and how, rather than what goes in. If I cut calories but don’t exercise, I lose muscle and go all squishy and bloated. If I exercise (not insanely – 30 min run 5 days a week and, very important, do heavy resistance work for 20 mins twice a week) and eat what I call “proper” food (i.e. food that feeds your body in the work that it has to do), I get lean and feel fab!
February 18, 2013 — 9:32 AM
rachelhelie says:
Walk. Wind, rain, snow, with dog without dog…I get antsy. I walk. I talk aloud to myself about stories or frustration which turns into stories (also helps keep crazy stalkers and/or would be assailents hiding in woods at bay…no one wants mess with a lady who talks to herself). I walk. If I need a reason, I walk to the grocery, to the drug store, to get a haircut, to the comic shop. My husband differs on this being a valid reason. “RESEARCH! It’s all research!” I can use that because I am a scribbler of things if we have a little cash flow. If I can’t walk I sweep or vaccum or dust. Mindless, weird organization like vaccuming fan blades and such.Cleaning out and arranging cupboards, imagining how someone with OCD would get that task done. The next morning, you will be sore and your wife will be confused but…hey, you burned something like 500 calories.
February 18, 2013 — 8:21 AM
PV Lundqvist says:
Restricting ones diet should be considered a war crime. It’s torture. Instead, up the cardio. There is no sludgebody that you can’t outrun. Besides, it clears the mind and—for me—reveals and repairs plot holes. The downside is remembering the fixes all the way home. I don’t run with a note app.
February 18, 2013 — 8:36 AM
Kate Haggard says:
There’s … A shocking amount of bunk going on up in here. *blink blink* And I’m frankly worried that all the exercise suggestions have been for steady state cardio. Good for the heart, not so much for fat or weightloss in the long run.
One – don’t think about diets. Diets suck and don’t train you for living in the real world. Plus they work on depriving you of comfort foods, which also leads to failure. Based on your recipes and when you mention food on twitter, I’d say you already eat pretty well. The key really is balance and portioning. Your body will tell you if you,go,too heavy on fats or not enough fiber. Still, it doesn’t hurt to cram a lot of fresh veggies in your meals. Otherwise, all things in moderation.
Two – walking and running are fine, but most people need strength training to help shed fat. Yes, the calories burned while lifting aren’t nearly as much as running, but the difference comes in the lasting metabolic effect. The more lean mass you have, the more efficient your metabolism (to a point). You don’t need to lift you’re training for Mr. Universe, but putting on a little bit of muscle will help. You don’t even really need to go get weights. Use your body weight or, better yet, use Bdub. When I was a toddler, my mom stayed in shape (bodybuilder shape back then) by bench pressing us kids, doing push ups with us on her back, slinging us over her shoulders and doing squats, etc. Plus chasing the squirt around the house can help stand in for your still needed cardio.
Three – motivation. I like rewards, and I like them to be time based rather than by pounds (because some weeks you just won’t lose and that’s a recipe for discouragement). So I hang a calendar on the fridge. Every day I exercise for 30 minutes or more, I get a red mark. (Rorz is silver – it helps to have active support, so get you wife involved if you can) 5 or more red marks in a week and I’ve earned myself a $5 gift of the non-food variety. A full month, a $20 prize. We also use a gold star for every day we eat from home (since we’re takeout junkies). If we get through a month without missing more than 3 days, we treat ourselves to a board game. Or something else we both want. Plus it gives us a good visual of our progress. You don’t have to follow my system, but it might be a good idea to have a visual reminder/record.
Fourth – Try to keep it up permanently. Yo-yoing weight is harder to bounce back from each time. I say this from experience.
February 18, 2013 — 9:14 AM
nelizadrew says:
Totally. Especially the weight training part. It’s also good for supporting bone structure, helps prevent osteoporosis, according to some studies.
Personally, I can’t do the reward thing. I find I have to run because when I stop, depression sinks in around me. Pretty good motivation, that. I do weights and yoga and martial arts for fun. I will never be good at any of them, but…eh.
February 18, 2013 — 9:36 AM
Kate Haggard says:
Yeah, that’s the other key – find something you love. I love picking up heavy things repeatedly and feeling the way muscles move under resistance. Which is why my cardio will always change (because I hate all cardio, as necessary as it is) but the weights will always stay. If you love it, it won’t feel much like work.
February 18, 2013 — 9:47 AM
Issy says:
Spend eighty bucks on a voice recorder, and similar on a software dictation package, and then go for a walk for one hour each day instead of fitting your ass into the pc chair. Doesn’t work for editing of course, but in composition mode, first drafts etc, works just fine. You almost certainly talk faster than you type, so productivity could go up to boot.
February 18, 2013 — 9:16 AM
Sam Kearns says:
Chuck, this is a useful article on basic nutritional choices that can make a difference: http://io9.com/5984275/the-worst-lies-that-mainstream-nutrition-has-told-you
February 18, 2013 — 9:19 AM
nelizadrew says:
Here’s what maintains me. I’m quite certain you will not want to attempt this.
I don’t eat hydrogenated oils. I read labels like they’re books and avoid all the partially-hydrogenated, too. If something’s advertised as “0 grams trans fat*” I don’t eat it either because either because the * usually means it has them, but in less than .5g per serving. This cuts out most commercially-available sweets, a lot of commercially-available breads, and almost all fast food. If I try a bite of something unlabeled and get that candle-wax sensation on my tongue, I don’t eat anymore and never touch that food brand again. I have eaten NOTHING from McDonald’s after one disgusting hash brown five years ago.
I don’t drink soda/soft drinks/pop except for the occasional ginger ale if I’m feeling sick (we’re talking once a year, maybe, or less) — and I tend to buy the cane-sugar versions of that from places like WF. I do like very cold club soda/tonic water/sparkling mineral water, but I don’t drink even that often and I don’t do the flavors.
I don’t eat meat. Not fish, not chicken, not turkey at Thanksgiving. None of it. Haven’t for years. I do eat a lot of beans, lentils, seitan, and yeah, tofu. There’s also lots of protein in nuts and veggies and grains.
I avoid dairy as much as I can. I buy almond milk that I use in everything I cook or bake that requires it. I use faux cheeses when I make something that requires cheese. I get pizzas cheese-less or with soy cheese when available (places like Pizza Fusion). I order other things without cheese. I don’t go back to places like Carrabba’s which seem to bake/infuse/infiltrate all dishes with bits of parm you didn’t ask for. I use oils like olive and grapeseed or vegan butter in cooking and baking. (I even had vegan ice cream on my homemade birthday cake (used applesauce instead of oil and the recipe didn’t require eggs).)
I hate eggs. The only twos way I eat eggs are in commercial breads that I can’t avoid (I prefer bread without, but if traveling, it’s not always possible) and when dragged to some diner-like place and there’s nothing else on the menu but dead animals. Then, I cover the nasty little things in as much hot sauce as I can find or fill up on butter-less toast. I didn’t like eggs as a kid. I still hate them. Now, I just have better options like tofu scramble and quiche. All the stuff I like — veggies and turmeric. None of the stuff I don’t — the sulfur smell, the fart taste, the…egginess. Ick.
I avoid HFCS when at all possible. There’s generally only two ways I ingest it besides the rare emergency ginger ale and that’s restaurant ketchup and commercial restaurant bread. It’s just gross and it’s too sweet and it freaks me out. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but still… Ick.
I work out, but I was born with a pretty fast metabolism. When I first went veggie, I found I had to eat almost twice as often to keep from losing so much weight my pants wouldn’t stay up. When I’m working out heavily, I’m hungry at least every two hours. I still sometimes have to stop and make sure I got enough calories in since veggie foods are considerably lower than meat foods.
I eat more than the recommended amount of pastas and rice and quinoa and couscous and wraps and hummus and corn chips with salsa. I put salsa on almost everything. I put hummus on almost everything else. It’s ridiculous how much salsa I go through.
I drink a lot of water. Usually between 5-6 liters of water a day. I used to take a medication that made me thirsty all the time. Even after I stopped taking it — and it’s been years — I’m still thirsty all the time. Of course, I pee often, too. Getting up to pee is a good excuse to do some push ups, jog in place, dance around like an imbecile to bad J-pop, plank for a minute or two, bust out some sun salutations, etc. before sitting back down again.
I drink my coffee black, my liquor neat, and my red wine dry. I don’t sugar my tea. I buy unsweetened cranberry juice to occasionally dilute in one of those liters of water (takes me about two weeks to get through 16oz of juice). I juice things like carrots and kale and beets and apples about every two weeks. I dilute that with water, too, because carrots are still oddly sweet and beets taste like dirt. Mmm… dirt.
I don’t like to take pills so at most I will pop an aspirin if I have a headache the water and yoga aren’t helping. When I pull my back out, I just do ice and heat. Floating around this place is probably expired, unfilled scripts for enough pain pills to rake in a hundred grand on the street. Everyone writes them. For everything. I’m still working my way through that big bottle of aspirin. It only expired two years ago. Maybe.
All that said, I eat a lot of good food. And it’s not all “healthy.”
February 18, 2013 — 9:20 AM
Schlessel says:
Step One: Stop blaming the child for your problems. At least until age 13, then it’ll be true. Something to look forward to.
February 18, 2013 — 9:20 AM
Michael J. Martinez says:
I know I do my best exercise before I truly become conscious in the morning. I hit the elliptical about 5 minutes after I stumble out of bed, and because of that, I can exercise longer and harder before mind and body really start to protest. Of course, if you’re a morning person or a quick riser, this won’t work. But…if you wake up slow, it could be worth a shot.
February 18, 2013 — 9:22 AM
Sigrid Ellis says:
Eat veggies. Stop eating fast food. Cook for myself. Exercise three days a week. Stop drinking anything with sugar added.
That’s my entire fitness plan.
February 18, 2013 — 9:24 AM
Susan says:
Make a pact with the Wife to feed your child healthy food. No chicken nuggets or chips or full cups of apple juice. Carrot sticks and veggie chicken nuggets and 1/4 cup juice to 3/4 cups water. Role model healthy eating habits around the child (meaning you eat carrot sticks at dinner even though you really wanted French fries). If you have to stop at McD’s, absolutely no Happy Meals–order a grilled chicken wrap, apple slices, and milk for him and get him a $1 toy next time you’re at The Dollar Store. While at McD’s, order yourself a grilled chicken sandwich, no mayo, no fries.
One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is the taste for healthy foods, moderation, and limited emtional attachments to foods. And if you role model this, the same will happen for you, too.
February 18, 2013 — 9:25 AM
Peter Hentges says:
I took yoga classes for about a year. Took my belt in to the last notch by the end of it. I’d still be doing it, but the yoga studio switched their schedule around and now the class I like isn’t at the time I can go.
What I recommend, though, is checking out Leo Babauta “Zen Habits” blog (zenhabits.net).
He has recommendations for how to build good habits so that you stick with them. That’s got me going in the right direction more than anything.
February 18, 2013 — 9:31 AM
Guido Vermeulen says:
Dear Chuck,
I lost 75 lbs since July 2012 with calorie counting and exercise. Whoever says that exercise doesn’t work is either not exercizing correctly or not enough.( moving once arm to and from the beer a few extra times is not going to cut it!)
I found that crossfit is extremely helpfull in that is hits the entire body, pushes you to challenge yourself and anybody of any age and fittnesslevel can do it.
I’ve seen toddlers squatting and grandma’s swing kettlebells. So cool! Ok, the toddler thing was a bit extreme… but at the same time so cute! (it was only the handlebar on his shoulders, to be frank, and the father explained that he really wanted to do what daddy did.. after that I wanted to do daddy, but that a different subject:DLOL)
I have a few lbs to go still, but my life has changed forever and for the better!
February 18, 2013 — 9:39 AM
nelizadrew says:
If you’re prone to back problems, cross fit is a shockingly bad idea. The motions are jerky and you often end up with poorly-supported loads overhead. Not only that, but I had much better muscle definition doing Ashtanga yoga regularly than doing the kettlebells.
Your mileage may vary.
February 18, 2013 — 10:15 AM
Graham Powell (@graham_powell) says:
I’m going to second counting calories. You really only need to do it for a month or two, then you’ll pretty much know how many you’re taking in. I went from 222 to 205 in about 2 months like that.
Plus, I worked out on the elliptical. Usually I do some walking at a 15 minute mile pace, and some intervals. Nothing too strenuous. I’m 45 and not athletic, but I am in reasonable shape.
February 18, 2013 — 9:43 AM
Kiera Docherty says:
I have a toddler. (2yrs old) I also have a total of 56 pounds of baby weight (and cake weight and sitting on my ass weight) to lose. I started making changes four months ago and I’ve dropped 21 pounds since then. Mostly my thing is grazing, eating small meals frequently. (I have 3 small meals and 2 snacks a day) and eating clean, natural unprocessed foods and lean meat. I don’t count calories or any of that, I just make a decision about everything I eat as and when I eat it and I have smaller portions. Pretty much half the size of the portions I used to eat. I don’t notice the difference. I cut down on sugar, caffeine (painful), wheat, pork products (also painful),WHITE pasta and rice and all junk foods an I increased my fruit and veg, and lean protein. On top of that I work out, not always easy with a toddler but a simple one for me is just throwing the kid in his stroller and going for a long walk. Exercise plus thinking time – works for me. Otherwise I do different stuff most days depending on my routine, and childcare options, a half hour of either jogging, swimming, exercise DVD at home etc- whatever suits my schedule. But I do something every single day for half an hour..and weights…do weights! Muscles eat fat. At least that’s how I imagine it works. :/
I almost forgot. Drink a ton of water. Drink water like it’s your JOB to drink water. If you only do one thing, do this. *nods sagely*
I haven’t stuck to this religiously, I’ve had a couple of takeaway pizzas in the last four months and three total blow out weekends, but I still lost 21 pounds – because I always got back on that horse. GOOD LUCK!
February 18, 2013 — 9:47 AM
Hughes. (@I_Am_Hughes) says:
I keep a small bowl filled with nuts, raisins and banana chips in the snack cupboard, in frontbof packaged snacks I’d be committing myself to finishing if I opened a packet. A small handful satisfies me and is healthier than chocolate covered, fried, or salty temptations.
If I find myself too snackish I’ll reach up and grab hold of my extra chin, to remind myself this is the only thing I’ll be feeding. (A picture of George Lucas on the cupboard door may be an extra visual deterrent)
My worst habit is making too much for myself and feeling obliged to eat it all (all those parental guilt trips about starving kids in Africa). I can usually eat more even when I don’t need more, so I try to remind myself that feeling hungry is how it feels to not be getting fatter.
Anyway, I think writers do better work when they’re hungry.
February 18, 2013 — 9:48 AM
jim heskett says:
I recently started using Fitbit. It works for me (I’m not a bot, I promise. Or am I? Dun-dun-DUH!) i love merging tech and health
February 18, 2013 — 9:56 AM
Todd Moody says:
Counting calories and portions sizes are the best way to go on the food side. There are a ton of apps out there to help you. Two years back I was determined to lose weight and I started running in the morning and doing some light wieght training in the afternoon. I drank nothing but water and avoided bread and sugar. The first couple of weeks no sugar at all then once you get your bodies attention you can start letting small amounts back in and a little bread. That was it and I went from not being able to run a quarter mile to running 8 miles and losing 25 pounds in two months. I was never hungry, it not about starving yourself. You can eat as much veggies and meat as you like. Eggs and bacon or sausage for breakfast, Soup and salad for lunch and usually chicken(just grilled with a little Italian dressing) and some veggies for dinner. You are good in the kitchen so you can spice the meat up and make it good without adding a lot of calories.
February 18, 2013 — 10:01 AM
Doug Beyer says:
You wanna get disgustingly specific? You want DATA and GRAPHS? Well, I did. Nutrimirror. Google it. (It’s one of many free food logs out there.) For two years I have recorded everything I eat every day. EVERYTHING. Even if you only do it for a while, it’s incredibly eye-opening to find out what you’re getting too much of (saturated fat, sodium, overall calories) and what you’re not getting enough of (fiber, fiber, fiber, at least in my case). You find out what foods are accidentally ruining your progress (soda obviously, but also, like, that innocuous-looking plate of spaghetti), what foods are incredi-bargains (surprise surprise, you should be eating more vegetables), and what foods are totally fine in moderation (for me it’s ice cream, for some it’s scotch, YMMV). What I lacked wasn’t motivation — it was information. I’m an over 6-foot-tall dude in my late 30s and I’ve lost, and kept off, over 30 sludgepounds. Good luck, Chuck (and others)!
February 18, 2013 — 10:06 AM