I ran a very interesting experiment yesterday, and it proved to me something I had expected for a very long time – Most people already know how to lose weight properly.
This is what I wrote on this blog yesterday -
Hypothetical situation – I want to hear your ideas…
Your doctor has just told you that you need to lose 10 pounds of fat in two weeks, or you will die.
In this extreme situation, what would you do to lose ten pounds of fat?
Notes:
It’s ten pounds of FAT, so you can’t just cut of a leg or something crazy like that.
In this scenario we are assuming that you don’t have any crazy underlying health condition…obviously I see the irony here, I just don’t want to limit your creativity/ideas.
You can use the two weeks worth of time in any way you like (IE: let’s assume you don’t have to work or take care of the kids etc).
Looking forward to reading your ideas
BP
In 24 hours I received over 40 comments. I kept the comments private so we wouldn’t get any in-fighting over who’s ideas were best.
The good news? ALMOST Every single answer had something to do with eating less and moving more.
(In fact, I had only one ‘spammer’ go on about ‘conservation mode’ and not losing weight if you don’t eat.)
Every one else put forward very logical courses of action.
This is just another piece of the puzzle that is making me more and more convinced that most of us are a lot smarter then we give ourselves credit, and that the seemingly impossible task of weight loss is much simpler than we think…once we remove all the weight loss advice-clutter, obsessive compulsive Eating nonsense and nutrition myth that we are attacked with every day.
Bottom line – The answers most people gave made a lot of sense given this hypothetical situation. They all revolved around some form of eating less and exercising.
Given this was an extreme example, but it is still can be used to help better our lives. All we need to do is find a way to allow ourselves to eat less while still enjoying foods (and life) and we’ve got the answer.
Granted this is the most difficult part, but also the most personal. What worked to make eating less enjoyable for one person may not work for the other.
But in the end, this is the simple answer, it’s the implementation that can be difficult.
BP
I would use a combination of alternate fasting (ESE would not be enough to lose all that weight in 14 days) with Intense Weight Training under supervision of an instructor for max results.
The best I can think of is weight training 3 times per week while fasting every other day. Keep active all day on fasting days and staying hydrated. Eat clean and keep carbs in check. I’d have thought 10lbs of pure fat in 2 weeks would be impossible though, especially if you’re already fairly lean.
The other option is the PSMF diet that Lyle Mcdonald describes. Which is intaking the bodies required about protein and EFAs every day and nothing else. A sort of scientific approach to crash dieting. I know some powerlifters have used this to lose a lot of fat fast.
Let’s face it though, if I got to near the end of 2 weeks and hadn’t managed 10lbs, but I was going to DIE otherwise. Hello lipo.
Hi there Brad, I am in my very early 20′s, actually just turned 20 this month. So I guess I still have some time for growth spurt to affect me a bit more. But I was really interested in knowing if you have any websites or know of good programs that a person my age could perform?
I would really like something that could save me time, but make a more efficient use of my time. I love the concept of ESE, but would like to know how a younger adult could best utilize his workout time. Thanks.
You know Brad, I was thinking even in the evening about your question. If we know how to do it, why don’t we do it? If, as you also say people know the theory, why do we still struggle with extra weight? I suspect it is the opposite as in the Bible: the body is ready, but the mind is weak. You wrote about crossing psychological limits before, as I remember, and I think it has a lot to do with our success in losing weight. Often I am doing so fine, and when something happens that distracts me, I simply allow myself to slip off the path, because I know: i’ll be able to start the program again. And with most people – there is always something that “happens”. I heard a girl at the gym saying that it is no use training so hard, since she always has to stop for some reason.
It may be a second know-how: how to do what you KNOW you need to do in order to lose weight successfully – not in two weeks to save your life, but in your everyday life. I’d sure be interested in some foolproof techniques!
Eat less and move more?
Who would have thought THAT was the best answer? ; )
Ya know, it’s obvsious that people want to follow the path of least resistant and want something for nothing, however, I also think people don’t want to follow the tried and true “eat less and move more” path because, well . . . . it’s not “sexy”.
I think people like talking about all these new, crazy, latest and greatest trends they are doing. It’s not sexy to say “I’m eating less and strength training.”
Oh well. : )