For decades we have addressed the problem of obesity through our well-intentioned, but ultimately ineffective, attempts to change the environment (“eat less, move more”) or the food industry (trying to sell you what you want). One of the most effective ways to achieve this is by making it easier for people to lose weight.
Table of Contents
Introduction: about the problem of obesity and how to lose weight
The goal of this article is not to give advice about how to lose weight. I think that’s obvious and a given; the goal is to describe a solution that will allow anyone to lose weight without need for dietary modification or lifestyle changes.
The problem with diets is that they provide no sustainable mechanism for long-term weight loss. The only way to achieve long-term weight loss is through sustained effort, which means ensuring that people are not only eating but also exercising at a high level for most of their waking hours. This chapter will focus on the design and implementation of a system which allows people to “just eat” while still maintaining an exercise program — an approach called “least effort dieting.”
To understand how this works we need first some background information on how metabolism works and how it differs between species.
Metabolism
The word “metabolism” comes from two Greek words: metabolein (ἀμβλωλόα) = “to work out or digest” and oikos = “household or family.” What we mean when we talk about metabolism is simply the process by which cells break down food into usable parts — in other words, cellular activity.
1a Metabolic rates vary greatly among organisms and between individuals; here I will keep things simple by assuming that all organisms have identical metabolic rates: rate per kilogram body mass (Bq/kg) 1b For many organisms, such as humans and animals, this rate can be highly variable: BQ/kg varies greatly for different species 1c For humans as a whole there are relatively few differences in metabolic rates — these can be summarized in three categories: fatness , muscle mass , and body size . 2a For fat-bodied animals there are two major metabolic rates with respect to their body size: 2b Fatness increases exponentially with increasing body size 2c In contrast muscle mass increases linearly with increasing body size 2d These two rates each represent roughly half of all metabolic rate variation among individual animals 2e The third
Diet: what to eat and what not to eat
In other words, the most important thing to do is to eat. Not only that, but once you start eating more frequently and in greater quantities, you will have a great time.
I’m not saying that everyone should eat a lot of bread and pasta every day — or even that they must do so. But you should be aware of what you are eating. Whether it is a sandwich or a piece of cheesecake, if it is not fresh and has been sitting there for hours (or days) then it’s probably crap!
The most important thing to do is to eat.
Do not be afraid of food — at least not as long as you are able to enjoy it. It’s true that food can be addictive — but don’t let this stop you from eating good food!
Exercise: how to start and what type is best
One of the most common questions I hear from people is: How can I lose weight? The answer is a simple one: exercise.
But isn’t exercise always good? Yes, but there are a few caveats. First, you don’t want to be exercising if you’re too tired or if you don’t feel like it (and neither of those things happen very often). Second, your goal should be losing weight. Your body needs to lose weight. And finally, the type of exercise that will best help you do this varies by person and by person’s goals. For some people it might be walking or jogging; for others it might be lifting weights or yoga; for others yet another form of exercise might do the trick.
So, how do you know which type of exercise is best for you? What works for me might not work for someone else and vice versa — and I hope that this article will help make that easier to understand — but just because something works doesn’t mean it will work for everyone. So let me dive into some basic recommendations on how to start and what type of exercise is best for many different people.
Lifestyle changes: sleep, stress, and water intake
For most people, a healthy lifestyle is just too expensive. We’re told to eat well and exercise, to drink enough water, to not smoke and make sure we don’t have any bad habits.
In reality the time spent on these things is wasted. Even if you have never had a diet or exercise plan in your life, you can make yourself healthier by making small changes over time. In your spare time, you could learn about health and nutrition. You could try going for a run or swimming laps in the local pool. You might try taking up yoga or painting or cooking a meal from scratch.
All of these things will help you lose weight (and they will help you feel better too). They are way cheaper than buying any new clothes or gadgets and they will help you look better (and feel better too).
Weight loss supplements: do they work?
If you are an entrepreneur, I bet you have heard the term “weight loss” and you’ve likely pondered whether or not it really works. While it may be true that weight loss is possible, it’s important to remember that even with a healthy diet and exercise routine, it is extremely difficult to lose weight on your own. That’s right – losing weight on top of a healthy diet and exercise routine is impossible.
But what if we could use this knowledge to reverse-engineer a specific set of behaviors or habits that people tend to fall back on when they begin to feel hungry? Well, the good news is that there are certain things we can do to help us avoid being hungry in the first place – and some of these habits or behaviors can actually help us burn calories while sitting at home in front of our computer screens.
This infographic from The Balance Blog explains everything you need to know about how quickly we can shed pounds when we change our eating behavior:
Let’s go over some of the most popular ways people attempt to lose weight:
- Cutting Calories
- Counting Calories
- Making Fast Food
- Eliminating Carbs
- Adopting “Eat Before You Work out”
- Exercising for Weight Loss
- Reprogramming Your Body
- Fasting
- Weight Loss Programs
- Sticking To Low Carb
- Watching Yourself Eat
- Eating Out
- Indulging in Diet Coke
- Getting Some Sleep
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