Overweight 42 Year Old Loses 60 Pounds - Weight Loss Success Story

 

Greg Gregory shares his personal story about how he lost over 60 pounds. He is 42 years old and did not really begin his exercise and weight-loss journey until the age of 39. Fifteen years of gradual weight gain took him from his high school weight of 190 pounds all the way up to 262. He is self-employed, travels a lot and has a predominantly sedentary job. At 6' 4", his present weight is 202 pounds. Greg gradually lost 60 pounds over the three years of regular exercise and making eating adjustments along the way. He went from a pant size of 44 to his present size 33. His BMI or Body Mass Index when he weighed 262 pounds was 31.9, which classified him as obese. His present BMI is 24.6 puts him right in the healthy range. Greg will share with you how he took back control of his health and lifestyle in the following interview:

Colonel Bob: What lessons have you learned on your weight-loss journey?

Greg: It's all about attitude. It's about creating focus and determination. It's about making gradual adjustments along the way until it becomes a healthy lifestyle. I realized that getting older doesn't have to mean getting less active. What I have noticed is the significant impact it has had on my improved health and increased energy.

Colonel Bob: What were some of the phases of weight and eating habits you went through?

Greg: The first phase was fighting the battle of the bad habits and sticking with it. I made changes in my eating habits from unhealthy to healthier choices and I reduced the quantity of food I was eating to put it in balance with my weight-loss and exercise program. Once I lost the weight, the key was to balance eating and exercise with the weight I wanted to maintain.

Colonel Bob: What were your greatest challenges and how did you overcome them?

Greg: I first needed to recognize that I needed to get started. My present lifestyle without exercise and a healthy weight had to change since my health is of utmost importance. The best thing I did to get me on the right track was to put it in my calendar and treat it like any business meeting. I had to be there.

Colonel Bob: What keeps you on track?

Greg: My relationship with God keeps me on track. I started this relationship in 2001.

Colonel Bob: What is your weight history starting from high school?

Greg: During my high school and college years, my weight was between 185 and 210. My weight gain in college was mostly muscle. After college, my weight started to gradually increase over a period of 15 years, from the age of 25 to 40. I ended up tipping the scales with 260 pounds and that was not muscle gain. It was fat.

Colonel Bob: What changes have you made in your eating habits?

Greg: I started eating breakfast. I stopped drinking sodas. I drank my coffee without sugar and used a non-dairy soy creamer. I reduced bread in my diet. I reduced cheese. For many years my cholesterol was high and my doctor was about to prescribe medication. I experimented by eliminating cheese and dairy products from my diet for 30 days and my cholesterol dropped without medication. I am eating more fish and less red meat. I no longer eat big late-night meals. If I have to eat late, I will eat a small meal.

Colonel Bob: Did you use a support system or was someone else there to support and encourage you?

Greg: Yes. I used a support system. I sought advice on healthy eating and I continue to exercise. Accountability and encouragement have played an important role.

Colonel Bob: How do you see your health over the next five, ten and twenty years and how can you influence your health over the long-term?

Greg: Continue with the healthy lifestyle I have achieved. Set positive challenges and goals along the way to keep me on track. In high school and college, I was active. I now seek out recreational activities, such as biking, hiking and basketball. Staying active is key.

Colonel Bob: Have you or do you have setbacks and how do you or have you overcome them?

Greg: Yes. Every now and then I find myself wandering off eating a little too much of the foods I shouldn't or eating too much. I make sure that these remain temporary setbacks and do not become permanent. This is where a system of accountability is important. My family helps me to overcome any setbacks that may occur.

 

YOUR ACTION PLAN: Allow this story to make positive lifestyle changes for you or someone you know.

 

Publishing Rights: You may republish this article in your website, newsletter, or book, on the condition that you agree to leave the article, author's signature, and all links intact.

 

The author of this article is Lt. Col. Bob Weinstein, USAR-Ret., boot camp fitness instructor and personal trainer.

 

 

About the Author

Lt. Col. Weinstein, nationally known as the Health Colonel, has been featured on the History Channel and specializes in a military-style workout for all fitness levels on Fort Lauderdale Beach in South Florida. He is the author of Boot Camp Fitness for All Shapes and Sizes, Weight Loss - Twenty Pounds in Ten Weeks - Move It to Lose It, Discover Your Inner Strength (co-author), Change Made Easy and Quotes to Live By.

Colonel Bob's Books and Products on Amazon

www.beachbootcamp.net

Office 954-636-5351

Email TheHealthColonel@BeachBootCamp.net

Eat To Win - Strategies To Maximize Performance And Health

Have you ever wondered why, for so many people - especially anyone older than 30 in the U.S. - weight gain seems to be a fact of life? It is because the human body is way too efficient. It doesn't take much energy to maintain the human body at rest. In addition, when exercising, the human body is amazingly efficient when it comes to turning food into motion.  Here are some basic strategies to eat for performance and health.

THE OVERWEIGHT HEALTH CRISIS IN THE U.S.

There is a health crisis in the U.S. and here are some of the symptoms.

• 50% of Americans are overweight
• 33% are obese
• 40% of women are trying to lose weight at any given time
• 25% of men are trying to lose weight at any given time
• Being overweight is the second leading cause of preventable death in the US.

At rest - for example, while sitting and watching television - the human body burns only about 12 calories per pound of body weight per day. That is 26 calories per kilogram. That means if you weigh 150 pounds, your body uses only about 1,800 calories per day.

1,800 CALORIES TO STAY ALIVE

• Those 1,800 calories are used to do everything you need to stay alive:
• They keep your heart beating and lungs breathing.
• They keep your internal organs operating properly.
• They keep your brain running.
• They keep your body warm.

312 MILES ON A GALLON OF GAS

If you could drink gas and digest it, you would get 312 miles on a gallon of gas. At $2.90 per gallon that would be about $0.01 per mile. I don't think I need to mention this but I will anyway. Don't drink gas. It will kill you!

In motion, the human body uses energy very efficiently. For example, a person running a marathon—, which is 26 miles, or 42 km—burns only about 2,600 calories. In other words, you burn only about 100 calories per mile when you're running. Still, the body is designed to be used. If you don't exercise, your muscles will deteriorate, your arteries could clog, and your heart will have a harder time pumping enough oxygen to the body. In short, you'll age and die faster.

Did you know that if we could drink gas and the body could actually process it as food, you would get about 912 MPG while bicycling? Now, that's great gas mileage! A gallon of gas has 31,000 calories.

If you have been dieting, you may be out of touch with your body and its signals for hunger and fullness. To get back in touch, you can do several things.

EAT REGULARLY

Eat at least every three to six hours. Include breakfast, lunch and dinner. Add a snack if your body really signals the need. If you are physically hungry, do not fill up on water or coffee – eat something. Why? It's about getting back in touch with what your body says about hunger and responding to it. It takes three to six hours to digest a balanced breakfast, so you will be hungry by lunch time. If you eat these meals and stop eating when you're full, you will ultimately eat less at the evening meal and throughout the evening. Ignoring your natural hunger signals and under eating early in the day inevitably lead to overeating - even bingeing - later on. Eating regularly involves resetting your internal clock to a regular pattern of meals. Once you are in the habit of eating breakfast within an hour of getting up, you will soon start waking up hungry for the morning meal.

So what if you don't eat breakfast? About 50% of overweight people do not eat breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal, so a nutritious breakfast should not be skipped.

What about more frequent meals, say, five to six times a day? Be careful with this one. It may lead you to eating more than you should, because you could eat only to not miss one of those six frequent meals. Eat when you are hungry and develop the habit of eating a nutritious breakfast. If you normally don't eat breakfast, ease into it by having just a little, such as half of a banana, and working your way up to a regular sized breakfast. You should eat at least three meals a day.

EAT BALANCED MEALS

The basic premise of any good diet is variety, moderation, and balance. Let's make this step easy. Divide your plate into thirds: One third for protein (meat, seafood, poultry, and beans) and the other two thirds for vegetables, bread, potatoes and/or pastas.

"Well, instead of figuring out portions, I'm just going to get a really big or really small plate." If that helps you to adjust, that's great. Remember the focus. It's not about legal or illegal food. It's about getting back in touch with your body and responding to its real physical hunger and basic needs and what will satisfy you, while seeking out the most nutritious choices. A healthy lifestyle is one of both moderation and balance.

HIGH-OCTANE FOOD

So let's go back to dividing your plate into thirds and follow the 15/30/55 RULE—15% protein, 30% fat and 55% carbohydrates. If a racecar driver had to use food for his racecar, this would be the formula for ultimate performance, as long as the ingredients overwhelmingly are unprocessed, unrefined, highly nutritious food. No racecar driver is going to put low-octane fuel in his car. No human being should put low-octane food in his body. That will influence health and performance. This does not exclude once-a-week moderate amounts of sweets or desserts. More than once a week on a regular basis is too much.

PROTEIN DOES NOT JUST RUN AROUND ON TWO OR FOUR LEGS

We all have a tendency to count the protein that comes from animal sources, and that includes dairy. We tend to disregard the protein that comes from plant sources, thereby eating too much protein. That is hard work for the kidneys and could indicate that either you are eating too much or you're not getting enough of the nutrient-rich plant products, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and nuts.

Eat animal products no more than once a day while eating nutrient-rich, plant-based foods, and you will give your health a big boost. In fact, complete elimination of animal products while supplementing with calcium and Vitamin B-12 is extremely healthy.

15/30/55 RULE

How much food should you eat to follow the 15/30/55 guidelines? Now we're back to the topic of calories (and quantity), which doesn't necessarily mean more food. 200 calories of vegetables take up about the same amount of space as 1,000 calories of pasta! Your body will tell you how much to eat, if you "listen" carefully and closely. Moreover, if your body is still in the learning phase of "listening," a little old-fashioned, timeless, self-discipline will do the trick.

CHOOSE MEALS AND SNACKS THAT SATISFY

If you eat what you want, you will eat less in total. You need to eat enough to fill up—food that you like. Nevertheless, you also need to be careful to balance carbohydrates for energy—especially more complex carbs such as sweet potatoes, oatmeal or beans—with enough protein to keep you satisfied. This balance is what keeps you satisfied until it's time to eat again.

TAKE YOUR TIME

Effective eating takes time. You need to find out how good it feels to sit down to a meal pleasantly hungry and to take your time with it. You will end up satisfied and able to forget about eating between mealtimes. On the other hand, don't go telling yourself you're not going to eat a meal or healthy snack if you can't eat it slowly. That would be a fatal error. Do not skip a meal if you can avoid it. Gulp it down if you can keep it down and continue to work or do whatever you are doing.

GET ENOUGH FIBER

25 to 30 grams of fiber a day from unprocessed, close-to-nature food is a nutrient-rich diet. A fiber-rich diet helps your body deliver nutrients to its cells. If processed food and supplements are the sources of your fiber intake, you are probably not getting a sufficient amount of nutrients, which leads to an unhealthy diet. Does that mean you have to eat a can of beans a day? I think you and I know what could happen if you did that. No, eat more green and yellow-orange vegetables, citrus and yellow-orange fruits, and whole grains.

WATER

Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. Keep your body hydrated. If you are in a hot and humid climate your need for water will be much greater. With increased sweating your body will also need replenishment with electrolytes.

ACTION PLAN

Think about the changes you need to make in your eating habits and start making one or two changes today.

Please mention the author when using this article.

The author is Lt. Col. Bob Weinstein, USAR-Ret.

About the Author

Lt. Col. Weinstein, nationally known as the Health Colonel, has been featured on the History Channel and specializes in a military-style workout for all fitness levels on Fort Lauderdale Beach in South Florida. He is the author of Boot Camp Fitness for All Shapes and Sizes, Weight Loss - Twenty Pounds in Ten Weeks - Move It to Lose It, Discover Your Inner Strength (co-author), Change Made Easy and Quotes to Live By.

Colonel Bob's Books and Products on Amazon

www.beachbootcamp.net

Office 954-636-5351

Email TheHealthColonel@BeachBootCamp.net

Dr. Larry Weinstein reviews LIPOSUCTION