What is the best way to be healthy and loose weight? Simple:
Burn more calories than you consume.
Feel free to ignore the rest of this lens.
DIETS ARE FLAWED
The more body mass you have, the more energy you need to live. Thus those that eat a lot of calories put on weight until their body eventually finds equilibrium where calories eaten = calories used.
Every diet in the world attempts to address calorie consumption by restricting the types of food you can eat.
Every one of these diets are flawed due to their temporary nature. As soon as you return to your "normal" eating habits, your weight will increase again and you'll go back to your usual weight.
SO DON'T BOTHER WITH DIETING!!!
Always eat a balanced (varied) diet instead.
Every diet in the world attempts to address calorie consumption by restricting the types of food you can eat.
Every one of these diets are flawed due to their temporary nature. As soon as you return to your "normal" eating habits, your weight will increase again and you'll go back to your usual weight.
SO DON'T BOTHER WITH DIETING!!!
Always eat a balanced (varied) diet instead.
100 Ways to Buff
5 years' worth of experience in a handy document
- 100 Ways to Buff
- "Ok, diets don't work. So what do I do?"
In order to make any difference to your health you need to accept that you are about to make a life-altering change to your life. Not a temporary fix, but a permanent change to make you better forever.
Still not convinced? Try tip Number One on my "100 Ways to Buff":-
**************
Strip naked. Jump up and down in front of a full-length mirror until you've drummed it into yourself that you need to make a permanent change to your life.
**************
When was the last time you saw you belly in full flow?!? - The BBC Agrees With Me
- And I'd trust them with just about anything.
- As Does Gillian McKeith
- I don't agree with all her theories, but she has got the basics right. Just take it all with a pinch of salt (or not).
Eat Better & Exercise More! - Guardian Sense
- The top half talks sense and they don't rate most of the diets either!
2 Sides To The Same Coin
This is the vital equation:-
Calorie Defecit = Calories Used - Calories Consumed
Even those without a Maths GCSE will work out that in order to have a Defecit you need to either increase the calories you use, or decrease those consumed.
Which gives us the 2 sides of the coin:-
1) Nutrition
2) Exercise
Calorie Defecit = Calories Used - Calories Consumed
Even those without a Maths GCSE will work out that in order to have a Defecit you need to either increase the calories you use, or decrease those consumed.
Which gives us the 2 sides of the coin:-
1) Nutrition
2) Exercise
Nutrition
There are many overly complicated theories on how to eat a balanced diet but over the years I have developed some simple rules:
>>> Cook Don't Heat
Throw way the microwave and start cooking your food. That way you won't pump yourself full of E numbers and other rubbish.
>>> Veg Volume = Protein + Carb Volume
5 (or is it 9 now?) servings a day is all very well but who can be bothered to count? Far simpler to do it meal to meal.
>>> Make Your Own Lunch
You will save money and will be making your nutrition decision the night before instead of when you're starving at lunch time.
>>> 5 On 2 Off
Midweek; eat like a Saint.
Weekends; eat anything you like.
>>> Cook Don't Heat
Throw way the microwave and start cooking your food. That way you won't pump yourself full of E numbers and other rubbish.
>>> Veg Volume = Protein + Carb Volume
5 (or is it 9 now?) servings a day is all very well but who can be bothered to count? Far simpler to do it meal to meal.
>>> Make Your Own Lunch
You will save money and will be making your nutrition decision the night before instead of when you're starving at lunch time.
>>> 5 On 2 Off
Midweek; eat like a Saint.
Weekends; eat anything you like.
Nutrition Info Online (and other bits)
- National Health Service (UK)
- If you tripled your fruit and veg intake you'd solve a lot of your problems.
- Smoothies! Woo!
- A great way for getting your fruit count up. Sadly 5 of these a day doesn't count. Innocent have become my favourite (beware of immitations stuffed with cr*p), but only because I cannot get the Californian one's over here (and I cannot remember the make to link to it).
- "Healthy" Ready Meals
- Not!
Cook; do not Heat.
Excellent Healthy Cookbooks
100% vital additions to the health nut's library.
Fast Healthy Food (Readers Digest)
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The Wagamama Cookbook (Cookery)
Amazon Price: (as of 10/10/2008)
The Olympic Cookbook
Amazon Price: (as of 10/10/2008)
Low-carb Meals in Minutes
Amazon Price: (as of 10/10/2008)
Exercise
The downfall of many well-meaning newbies
Cooking healthily takes time, but nothing like as much as burning calories. The vital aspect to remember is that there are many ways of burning energy.
I am NOT about to tell you that walking two flights of stairs on the way to work is going to make any difference, but the dreaded "Exercise" does not have to be a demoralising pain in the ass.
Some more rules:-
>>> Find something you like
Boredom is the key. Avoid it! If you are a total newcomer don't be scared of trying a few activites on a Pay-As-You-Go basis until you find something that lights your fire.
>>> Fit it into your life
Exercise will take time. You will quickly find that it does pay for itself though. Exercise fills you with energy (in the long term) and means you have reduced sleep requirements. (Don't knock it until you have tried it.)
Work out where you can fit exercise in and write the training programme. You don't have to do 6 sessions a week like I do (if you're starting do no more than 3) but if its written down you're more likely to actually do it.
>>> Get The Gear
Personally I like to feel the part. I like to have the right kit to exercise in so I don't feel like some kind of imposter.
Starting out you might struggle to justify to yourself the expense, in which case you should set yourself a fitness target with the carrot being the purchase of the mp3 player you think you need.
>>> Get Outside
Think outside the gym box. Please, please, please get your ass out there in the big bad world and enjoy what Mother Nature gave us. No air-conditioning, no annoying smelly gym-members. Just fresh air, green leaves, stunning views and good old-fashioned mud.
You can't beat it.
I am NOT about to tell you that walking two flights of stairs on the way to work is going to make any difference, but the dreaded "Exercise" does not have to be a demoralising pain in the ass.
Some more rules:-
>>> Find something you like
Boredom is the key. Avoid it! If you are a total newcomer don't be scared of trying a few activites on a Pay-As-You-Go basis until you find something that lights your fire.
>>> Fit it into your life
Exercise will take time. You will quickly find that it does pay for itself though. Exercise fills you with energy (in the long term) and means you have reduced sleep requirements. (Don't knock it until you have tried it.)
Work out where you can fit exercise in and write the training programme. You don't have to do 6 sessions a week like I do (if you're starting do no more than 3) but if its written down you're more likely to actually do it.
>>> Get The Gear
Personally I like to feel the part. I like to have the right kit to exercise in so I don't feel like some kind of imposter.
Starting out you might struggle to justify to yourself the expense, in which case you should set yourself a fitness target with the carrot being the purchase of the mp3 player you think you need.
>>> Get Outside
Think outside the gym box. Please, please, please get your ass out there in the big bad world and enjoy what Mother Nature gave us. No air-conditioning, no annoying smelly gym-members. Just fresh air, green leaves, stunning views and good old-fashioned mud.
You can't beat it.
Recommended Exercise
It will fit somewhere!
- Folding Bike Society
- Do what I do, take the train to work (to avoid sweating & showers) and then cycle home again.
Easy. - Turbo Trainers
- A bike on a turbo trainer in a garden shed makes the smallest gym in the world. (You will feel a little stupid, but only at first.)
- Hiking
- No doubt you've heard how walking is the best for loosing fat. This is probably true, I'll assume the scientists got their sums correct and that the fat burn zone is at the lower end of the scale. Walking or Hiking does also have a pretty low impact on joints.
A far better reason is that it gets you outside. REMEMBER: no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing. - Indoor Rowers
- Do not bother with the test articles in magazines. There is a reason almost every rowing club in the country uses the Concept 2.
Writing The Training Programme
Inspiration to continue (or get started)
It's Not About the Tapas: Around Spain on Two Wheels
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: (as of 10/10/2008)
Technical Training Advice
I find it best taken from magazines
- Men's Health
- Bit too focused on sex and toiletries for my personal taste, but they know their stuff.
- Men's Fitness Magazine (UK)
- Less of the sex and other cr*p, a bit more technical and focused so preferable (IMHO). Good inspirational stuff and even a section on upcoming races for you to cherry-pick to give yourself a target.
- 220 Magazine
- A recent discovery, but utterly brilliant. Bit heavy on Triathlon news, but the photography is fantastic inspiration and they've training articles too (focused on Swim Bike Run, obviously).
No pansy make-up tips whatsoever.
When You're Addicted To The Burn
Drop me a line.
Apologies for the UK-focus, but I live here.
