Scott Lewis -- The Weight Loss Success Story Of A Regular Guy

Scott Lewis is a regular guy -- just like you or me. Except that he lost 126 pounds in a very simple way. Rather than give you the details, click the link below and read Scott's story in his own words.

Short, sweet, and to the point! This goes hand-in-hand with last month's post about low cost weight loss methods.

http://www.theweighwewere.com/index.php/weight_loss_success_stories/more/not_rocket_science_scott_lewis_reveals_secret_to_126_pound_weight_loss/

Has An L.A. Fitness Center Opened Near You?

They're everywhere lately! One just opened up near my house and I haven't had time to go check it out. But I'm wondering if there's a connection between LA Fitness and the LA Weight Loss program that's received so much publicity?

For example, this week's People Magazine cover story is about people that have lost at least 100 pounds. Reading the details, many of them lost their weight following the LA Weight Loss program which involves one-on-one counseling and a portion-controlled eating plan that costs $8 per week. Like Weight Watchers, there's also weekly weigh-ins. Are those weigh-ins done at the local LA Fitness location?

I'll be looking into this some more and posting soon with further details and a website link.

How Josh Peck Dropped 110 Pounds

My kids are big fans of Nickolodeon's hit show "Drake and Josh". It's a sitcom geared for kids under fourteen and is about two step-brothers and their various adventures and mis-adventures. The premise is that one of the brother is a heartthrob and ladies man while the other is overweight but lovable.

If you've watched the show lately however, you've noticed that Josh Peck (the fat lovable one) has lost a ton of weight and is really looking great! I was curious about his weight loss and found a People magazine article that explained how he lost 110 pounds during 2006. Apparently he decided that he could be a better role model for America's kids if he got into shape. He basically spent 18 months working out with a personal trainer and changing his eating habits. Simple yet effective!

Congratulations to Josh and to his improved health and appearance! Way to go!

Grab The Phone Instead of Grabbing The Ice Cream

People are prone to overeat or gorge themselves with comfort foods during times of crisis. A helpful tip for those dealing with an emotional crisis: Pick up the phone and call a friend, relative, or a diet counselor and find comfort and solutions there -- rather than picking up the chips and soda.

You'll feel better in both the short and long runs because taking care of yourself is the best way to handle emotional stress. Add something new to your exercise routine too and devote yourself to it. Maybe you've never tried an elliptical machine before (for example).

A Nutrisystem Success Story

I've been posting success stories here on the blog this week and want to share another one -- this time using Nutrisystem. Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino became a Nutrisystem pitchman after losing 22 pounds on the plan. He's now gotten his younger sister Debbie on the plan and she's gone from 165 to 130 pounds in only four months. She's limiting herself to 1,200 calories per day using Nutrisystem's pre-packaged foods, mixing in other fresh foods, and hitting the treadmill for thirty minutes a day.

She's a 39-year old married mother of two and the 130 pounds is optimal for her 5'2" frame. Big brother Dan helps keep her in check and helps with portion control and making the right food choices. Feel free to post a comment if you've had similar success with Nutrisystem.

Another Low Cost Weight Loss Example

Monday's post was about a person who lost 160 pounds for only $80. This post tells a similar tale about a 45-year old woman who lost 222 pounds and dropped from 342 lbs. to 120 pounds by paying just $120 for Michael Thurmond's "Six Week Body Makeover" program and following it religiously. That's a bit more than the guy that only spent eighty bucks…..but still not a bad investment!

The Six Week Body Makeover plan requires cutting out sugar and switching over to five small meals per day. Breakfast would typically be a two egg-white omelet with veggies followed by a midmorning snack of smoked turkey and strawberries. Lunch might be tuna with half a baked potato followed with a small piece of chicken with pineapple in the late afternoon. Dinner is typically a low-carb vegetable wrap and a salad. It took the 5'3" schoolteacher about three years to lose the 222 pounds following this low-cost diet kit.

Low Cost Weight Loss

Allow me to share a weight-loss success story that I recently came across. A 38-year old gentleman from Rochester, NY explains in a recent magazine article how he knew it was time to lose weight after ballooning up to 325 pounds over the years. His knees started hurting -- which was his sign that weight loss was in order. Rather than spend a lot of money on diet plans, he made a simple decision to cut back on calories and start walking.

After three months of this no-cost diet plan, he'd lost 20 pounds and decided to take things a bit further. To add running to his walking regimen required spending $80 on a pair of good Asics running shoes. The weight continued to drop as he increased his running from two to four days a week. After a year, he was down to 165 pounds (on a six foot medium frame) and the cost of this dramatic weight loss……was a mere eighty bucks!!

Dr. Phil's "The Ultimate Weight Loss Solution"

I hadn't checked into Dr. Phil McGraw's weight loss books or programs because he didn't appear to be a very healthy, trim kind of guy (to me at least). But despite my skepticism, I've started looking into his program. Fortunately, he doesn't claim to have lost a lot of weight with his own program….so my concerns about exaggerated claims appear to be unfounded.

There's a lot of good, common sense suggestions in his book -- such as biking, strength-training, and eating low-fat, high-fiber foods such as brown rice with chicken and green beans. His book is also written for mature people who are able to start something and stick to it. I'll continue my fact-finding and share additional thoughts on the Dr. Phil plan in the near future.

Tips for Weight Loss in Your Forties & Fifties

1. Lift Weights. It's important to maintain your muscle mass and lifting weights counters the slowing metabolism that comes with midlife. Cardio alone won't do it for those of us over forty.

2. Do sit-ups. Having firm abdominal muscles help maintain the length of your spine so you don't dip forward or get a "hunch" at the top of your back.

3. Get started now -- regardless of your age! Now's the time to workout, even if you're in your 70's or 80's.

A resource to check out is Dr. Pamela Peeke's book, "Fight Fat After Forty" which can be found on her website at http://www.drpeeke.com/?FFAF. You can also be re-directed there by clicking on the title of this blog post.

More On The Reverse Diet

A quick note about Tricia Cunningham's diet plan. Tricia consumes just 1,200 to 1,400 calories per day on this plan. The benefit of eating "meatloaf in the morning" is that you'll possibly lose more weight since people tend to be the most active after breakfast. High-protein fish and poultry give you sustained energy and help you feel better physically during the early hours of the day.

Another benefit is the reduced cravings for junk food on this plan. There's simply no desire (or place) to squeeze in things like potato chips or ice cream. If you're already accustomed to eating junk food later in the evening, you can tweak the Reverse Diet a bit by having a sensible dinner in the evening instead of the suggested oatmeal and shredded wheat.

The Reverse Diet

Came across a new diet book by Tricia Cunningham who explains how she lost 115 pounds by eating dinner for breakfast. She follows what she calls a "backwards menu" in which the day's first meal is chicken. Yes….chicken for breakfast, followed by a banana for a morning snack.

Lunch is typically a 6 ounce portion of broiled grouper with asparagus….followed later with an afternoon snack of one rice cake with a tablespoon of low-fat peanut butter. Dinner of course, is actually breakfast and consists of a half-cup of shredded wheat cereal and a half cup of oatmeal with four ounces of no-sugar-added cranberry juice.

Rather than try to explain how Tricia stumbled on this unique diet plan, visit her blog for the details at http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2005/05/25/the_reverse_diet_solution.php. Or simply click the title of this blog post to be redirected there.