Lose Weight the Simple Way

I am not a doctor or a nutritionist. I know nothing about thyroid issues or gastric bypasses or cholesterol. At the end of the day, you really need to talk to your doctor about what is right for you. But, if you are already relatively healthy and would just like to shed some pounds, then read on.

Losing weight is incredibly simple in theory. The best metaphor I have ever heard is losing weight is the opposite of what you want your bank account to be doing: more going in than going out. The name of the game is Caloric Deficit. In order to lose fat you must achieve this deficit constantly.

Of course. This is likely not news to anyone. “If you want to lose weight you have got to stop eating pizza and start eating salads.” Right?

Wrong.

This is where most people don’t understand about losing weight. I cannot tell you how many times I have talked to people who feel overweight and so they begin stuffing their faces with some low calorie rabbit food. They believe Green=Good. They believe they have to suffer for their fat because they feel so guilty for the pleasure of eating which brought them to this point. But of course they do not just eat the salad. They drench it in “low fat” salad dressing and then get the same pleasure signals being sent in their brain which the sugar did in the first place. Why? Because “low fat” has always meant “added sugar”. Manufactures remove the fat from their products so they can check that coveted health box in the marketing but, knowing without the fat their food will taste like wet cardboard, they are forced to add sugar so that it tastes good for the consumer.

I used to work for Jersey Mikes when I was in college. The number 7 on the menu was the Turkey Sub. It was the number one sub ordered by women and for a good reason. In a little sticker right next to the sub on the menu were the words “low fat.” Women would buy that sub thinking they were avoiding some weight gain but by the time their sub was made all they had bought was extra sugar. This “low fat” nonsense is ubiquitous and it’s important to understand that the food manufactures (no offense to Jersey Mike’s, they are the best sub chain taste wise but also health wise depending on what you order in the US) are making money from poisoning us with their sugar filled garbage.

There is a joke that goes: going to McDonald’s for a salad is like going to a hooker for a hug. Well, considering the low fat salad dressing which is filled with sugar McDonald’s gives you, that joke is very inaccurate. That hooker is still giving you a hug, but she is covered in shit.

Alright all jokes and anecdotes aside, how do you lose weight the simple way?

Again, on paper it is very easy. I believe what most people do wrong is over think losing weight. Between a misguided diet and an overzealous guilt inspired New Years workout resolution they are always doomed to fail. If I were very overweight here is what I would do:

Walk and eat meat.

Walk? What about the gym?

It’s not necessary. If you want to build muscle or expedite the fat loss, then by all means get a gym membership or some home equipment. But at the end of the day a very sustainable and easy weight loss strategy is just to walk, everyday, ideally before breakfast for one hour. The sustainable strategy is always the best one. Do not allow yourself to burn out by becoming a CrossFit athlete tomorrow and scheduling a marathon in six months. I believe you should always aim high, but maybe for some people just walking everyday is more than enough.

Why walk before breakfast? If you get physical activity before you eat then you are in a fasted state. This places you in a fat burning zone. I have not had a non fasted workout in about three years and I have loved the results. There is a scientific reason why the fasted state is so useful, but I am not qualified to explain why. If you are really interested in fasting then perhaps you should check out my go-to fasting expert Thomas DeLaur on YouTube.

Eating meat.

Alright, I am not advocating the carnivore but only because I have not personally tested it. There are thousands of testimonies about the benefits of the carnivore from extreme fat loss to the healing of autoimmune disorders.

The diet I am advocating for is the paleo. I have lost a lot of weight over the years from the paleo diet and despite it being cheaper than the carnivore, I also believe that it is more sustainable. Going all meat is costly especially if you want quality cuts. Oftentimes when I see a person eating a salad who I know has a weight loss goal I will tell them that the more effective option would be broccoli and lean chicken. They look at me like I am insane. Chicken? Chicken is delicious and eating delicious food has brought me to this point. I must suffer by eating this salad. Hail Mary full of grace…

The paleo is simple. The story goes that your body is used to running on carbohydrates. When you eat carbs your body takes the carbs, breaks some down for energy by making the carbs into sugar, and then quite efficiently stores the rest of the sugar in your belly, hips, and thighs. And so we gain fat. When we go onto the paleo we suddenly deprive our body of this convenient energy source and so our body uses that extra energy it’s been storing. You’re body will burn your excess fat for energy and so you’ll be losing weight even while sitting on the couch watching TV.

It’s shocking the number of people I have failed to convince on the paleo. But it works. Again, this is not medical advice and you should check with your doctor. The paleo is not as simple as just throwing some bacon on the skillet and eating it everyday. In fact, I know a person who went to the hospital with a fatty liver because he had been eating half a pack of bacon everyday thinking it was safe. Had I known he was doing that I would have told him to stop but he should have done his own research.

Here is what a typical day could look like for you:

Morning- walk for 1 hour in a fasted state.

Afternoon- break your fast with a meat and some vegetables.

Evening- Continue eating paleo. Choose a different meat and a different vegetable.

You’re done. Give it three months. If you’re results are not satisfactory then check the food you are eating. There could be some secret sugar sneaking itself into your body.

Paleo is not a zero carb diet. I believe the number for most people is no more than 30g of carbs per day. I like to eat sweet potatoes while on the paleo. They are delicious and filling and really cheap.

And there you go! The easiest way to lose weight. The plan above should be easily attainable for just about anyone. If you get bored, then perhaps your should get a gym membership or just buy some home equipment. Do not allow yourself to stagnant. Most people quit out of boredom and not difficulty.