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.

A Great Workout Routine

Came across this routine and thought it worth sharing. This is just a sample routine of course and may not fit your particular schedule. Feel free to modify or slightly alter parts of the following:

1. Ride the stationary bike while watching the morning news. 15 minutes into the ride, begin drinking 64 ounces of water.
2. After an hour on the bike, watch a workout DVD and do kicks, punches, and curls. After 20 minutes do stretches for 5 minutes to cool down.
3. Switch the DVD to a high-burn program such as cardio-kickboxing and do 20 minutes of an intensive workout. Start another 64 ounce bottle of water.
4. If you're watching a live workout show on TV instead of a DVD, do situps (or run in place) during the commercials to keep your heart rate up.

From start to finish, the above routine covers one hour and 50 minutes.

Working Out Also Reduces Osteoporosis

Yes...you read that headline correctly! It's been shown that working out (and doing resistance training in particular) helps maintain bone density. In fact, resistance training can even modestly increase bone density in women in many cases.

Increasing bone density therefore actually reduces the risk of osteoporosis! There are some amazing side benefits of exercise that we're still learning about. And these benefits are often inter-connected! So what are you waiting for? Dust off that BOWFLEX in your garage and get after it!

Aerobic Exercise

A few more mind vitamins for you from BodyWiseFitness.....I need to focus on these as much as anyone.

Aerobic exercise such as a half hour of rapid walking five days a week, has been shown to cut the risk of catching a cold nearly in half in postmenopausal women.

People who workout have more energy than nonexercisers, according to researchers at the University of Georgia, based on a review of 70 studies. That boost, on average, beats the effect of stimulant drugs.

Benefits of Doing Aerobics

According to Bodywisefitness, half-hour aerobic sessions three to five times a week have been shown to cut symptoms of mild to moderate depression nearly in half. One study suggests that exercise can be as effective as drugs in treating major depressive disorders.

Brisk walking for just an hour or two a week can reduce the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women by nearly 20 percent. And for those who already have the disease, walking three to five hours a week may reduce the chance of dying from it by as much as 50 percent. So......anybody ready to do some aerobics?

Some Reasons To Get Off The Couch

Here's some true facts that you may already know....but swallow these little mind vitamins anyway! They're good for you!

1. Physical activity helps you lose weight by burning calories, boosting resting metabolism, and buffering you from bone and muscle loss that can result if you diet alone.

2. High levels of physical activity can decrease your risk of colon cancer by 40 to 50 percent.

3. Exercise helps you get better sleep. In one study, people who walked more than six blocks a day had 1/3 fewer insomnia problems than their less active cohorts.

4. Walking 30 minutes five days a week can increase your life span by one and a half years. Running can add up to four years according to a 2005 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. It's never too late to increase longevity.

Starting An Exercise Club

I recently read about a great idea for not only losing weight.....but staying fit and keeping it off. A group of friends simply start (or join) a weight loss club. The idea is that 5 or 6 people agree to meet at a regularly scheduled time for an aerobic activity: swimming, ice skating, walking, etc.

The example I read about was an exercise club that called themselves the, "Vanilla Coffee Club". The six members meet every Satursday at 8:00 am at a local ice rink and take a 30-minute skating lesson together. Then they skate (aerobically) for another 35 to 45 minutes for the exercise. Afterwards, they all go to Starbucks and enjoy a "sugar-free vanilla coffee".

Could you and 6 of your friends agree to start such a club? What a great idea!!

Six Small Meals A Day

For those of you that are eating 5 or 6 small meals a day to keep your metabolism optimized to burn calories, here's some suggestions gleaned from various sources:

1. Load up on produce at the market -- especially spinach, broccoli, oranges, and grapes.
2. When purchasing meats, stick with lower-fat cuts of beef such as sirloin. Also look for organic chicken and turkey -- high in protein but low in fat.
3. When buying diary, go fat-free in your milk, yogurt, and string cheese. And don't be afraid of eggs.
4. Don't forget water-packed tuna instead of oil-packed…..and buy only fat-free salad dressings.

Sample Maintenance Routine

After dropping a lot of weight, how can you best maintain a proper weight? Here's a few good ideas pulled from various sources.

• Rise early in the morning and eat something (such as a hard-boiled egg) to kick-start your metabolism. Then ride your stationary bike for an hour or workout to Denise Austin's Fit & Lite early morning show on Lifetime.
  
• Eat fruit at lunch daily but vary the type of fruit to keep things interesting. This keeps your palate and your body intrigued.
  
• Bake or steam your dinner. Baked chicken and steamed squash (for example) is easy and can be prepared in thirty minutes or so.
  
• Purchase a food scale and place it on the kitchen counter near the stove and oven……and don't forget to use it regularly!
  

A Portion Controlled Diet

We’ve posted before about portion-control but the best way to enforce portion control is to write it into your written weight loss plan. You can join a gym (like Bally's or 24 Hour Fitness) where they'll help you with a customized plan -- but if portion sizes aren't chiseled in stone on the plan….you're likely to cheat.

Health-clubs also offer nutritional counseling which is helpful (and affordable) at only $10 per week. Also helpful is keeping a food diary (click the title of this post to redirect to a good food diary). Think of your written weight loss plan and your food diary as bookends. You can benefit tremendously from having BOTH in writing.