Category: Books

On January 10, 2011 I put myself on a diet. I have always struggled with my weight. Eating right and portion control have never been easy for me. Sometimes I blame it on having a lousy metabolism. Other times I blame it on healthy food is not convenient. The reality is I just didn’t want to do what it takes to make a huge life change that is required when you diet.

In the past all my diets have been half though out ideas that were doomed for failure right from the start. For example, at one time in my life I told myself that I would go to the GYM three times a week. Another time I told myself I would only eat dinner and if I ate less I would lose weight. Most recently I tried the Atkins diet which I did not research very well. I just knew that all I could eat was meat. The truth is all of these ideas worked. I did lose weight. On my version of the Atkins diet I went from 225 lbs (the most I have ever weighed) to 165 lbs and I held that for a year until -like all my past attempts- I fell off the wagon and put a lot of that weight right back on.

For the last six months I have desperately wanted to break this depressing cycle going from having cloths that fit to being embarrassed to walk into the office because my cloths where so tight on my body. I made a promise to myself at 2011 would be different. I would attack my weight loss with a solid game plan. One that could not fail. One that would stick with me well after I lost my excess baggage.

Toward the end of 2010 I started reading on the Internet about a book coming out. It was supposed to help you lose weight and keep it off. It would do this by teaching you want you can eat to lose weight and keep you from gaining it all back again. I figured would give it a shot.

So, in December of 2010 when the book was published I bought a copy to read on my Kindle. The book by the author Timothy Ferriss is entitled “The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid-Fat Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman”. I bought the book to learn how to lose weight the right way. The fact that it came with ideas to have incredible Sex and how to become superhuman was all just an extra bonus.

I finished reading the book just days before the new year. At the time I was in Washington State staying with family. I felt it would be rude to invoke a diet half way through a vacation that no one was expecting me to be doing. So, I decided it was best to start the diet upon my return to Juneau on January 9th.

When I got back on the 9th I went to the store and bought all the foods that the book suggested. Things like Chicken, Eggs, Grass fed Beef which I found at Jerry’s Meats. I also picked up several kinds of frozen vegetables, canned beans and salsa.

As you can tell the diet I chose in the 4 Hour Body is a high protein slow carb diet. It’s not the only diet option offered in the book, but it was the one I felt would work best for me. It also allows for one cheat day where you can eat whatever you want and as much as you want! The idea behind that is you need to spike your insulin level once a week to encourage fat loss.

At each of my normal meals I try to include something from each of the three kinds of foods suggested in the book. One protein, one vegetable and one kind of bean. On my cheat day ( I have chosen Saturdays) I can go out and eat whatever I want. For example last week I ate 3 eggs for breakfast, 2 buttermilk Pancakes (from The Sandpiper café), 2 20.oz Pepsi Throwbacks (The Throwbacks are made with real sugar), A Stake Wrap (From The Island Pub), and three slices of artichoke, garlic Pizza (also from The Island Pub).

I started this diet on January 10th. At the time I weighed 195 lbs. Since that date I have steadily lost weight and inches around my body. I have felt really confident about this diet and how it works. So confident in fact that On January 31st I decided to partake in the Juneau Empire’s Lose 2 Win contest.

With the Lose 2 Win contest I had to check in at a local GYM (Pavitt’s Health and Fitness) to get weighed and have my Photo taken. Once a week I will be going in for a weigh in so they can track my weight lost. I have tracked my weight loss since the January 10th, but doing something like this contest is just more motivation for me.

When the contest ends after 13 weeks. Prizes will be handed out to people who have lost so much weight. The biggest weight losers (a man and a women) will each win $1,000.00. I have no dreams of being the biggest weight loser. Just losing enough weight that I can look at myself in the mirror each morning and be happy with what I see.

Today is February 3rd and I weigh 180 lbs. That is a weight loss of 15 lb! I have also been tracking my measurements and have lost nearly 4 inches!

Below is a copy of my weight log.

• 1/10/2011 – 195
• 1/11/2011 – 192
• 1/12/2011 – 190
• 1/13/2011 – 190
• 1/14/2011 – 189
• 1/15/2011 – 188 (Cheat Day)
• 1/16/2011 – 189
• 1/17/2011 – 189
• 1/18/2011 – 189
• 1/19/2011 – 188
• 1/20/2011 – 188
• 1/21/2011 – 186
• 1/22/2011 – 184 (Cheat Day)
• 1/23/2011 – 190
• 1/24/2011 – 189
• 1/25/2011 – 186
• 1/26/2011 – 185
• 1/27/2011 – 185
• 1/28/2011 – 184
• 1/29/2011 – 184 (Cheat Day)
• 1/30/2011 – 184
• 1/31/2011 – 184
• 2/1/2011 – 181
• 2/2/2011 – 181
• 2/3/2011 – 180

S0, as you can see things are progressing nicely. I highly recommend reading ‘The 4-Hour Body’. Just remember, before partaking in any diet you should always consult your doctor.