Anyone who has visited this site will notice that a lot of posts have been removed, because they had a total value of nothing. I now find that the New year is no longer far away in the misty future, but it has arrived, 2016 is now. I had great expectations at this time a year ago, my diet plan, the fitness program, but I have achieved nothing, actually worse than nothing, because I am less healthy and fatter, than I was twelve months ago. The eating plan, although it contained all the right foods, just did not work. I did lose some weight, but I put it back on, and as is often the way plus a bit more. Mid-year saw some serious problems, and that forced the diet and this site into second place, and also saw my weight increase, not the result I was looking for, but that is nothing more than a rather lame excuse, because truthfully I just love the wrong food when I am under pressure.

So here we are at the end of another year, with the new one upon us, and all I have achieved weight wise is to be a year older. I am still fat, well that is not entirely true, I am classed as being Super Obese, in some cases even Morbidly Obese and that puts you at the level, where you are at a really high risk of some serious health problems. My type 2 diabetes has been with me now for a long time, and has gradually been putting me into a downward spiral, for far too long. I consider myself to be of reasonable intelligence, I mean, I can count to ten without having to use my fingers, and on a good day can write my name without any prompts, but I can’t get to grips with this weight loss problem, even when I know what it is doing to me.

I think I am like many others who make out that we are not bothered about being fat, even going to the extent of saying we enjoy being fat, and following that with, “you don’t know how much work and money it takes to get like this”. Sometimes I even come out with some funny stories, like the time I was in a waiting room, and they had these tubular frame chairs with an armrest, seat and back, but the rest being open, and I got stuck, and it took a receptionist two nurses, and another patient to get me out. It always gets a laugh, but I know deep down they are thinking, how embarrassing to be that fat, you can tell by the way they look at each other, then change the subject, cutting me out of the conversation. The problem is nobody wants to be seen talking to the super obese guy, I know I would not have done when I was slim.

I used to be slim, well at least average, I have always had broad shoulders and been big boned, and at 210 lbs I still had a 34 inch waste. I didn’t become obese until much later in life, it used to be great being able to go into normal mems shops and buy regular clothes, now it’s the bell tent shops, or 10x plus R Us. You always wear black as it makes you look slimmer, but you still look like a fat blimp. What hurts sometimes when you are out shopping, and you hear a young child say to their mother “look at that man mummy isn’t he fat” and the mums telling them to be quiet or he might hear, I sometimes feel like turning round and saying “I know I’m fat but I’m not deaf” but then it would only frighten the children, as to them I must look like some sort of giant monster.

One thing I have not been able to understand until now, is why after working hard to lose weight, I would go off track and put it all back on. It’s as if I was on this self-destruct continuous loop, of losing weight, then putting more back on. There is a term known as yo-yoing, which the weight loss industry loves, where you diet and lose some weight then put more back on. I have re-written this part of this article so many times trying to explain why I became obese, but the fact that I know is all that is important, and my demons are only relevant to me. What is relevant to this article is the “now”, and the steps I have taken. In December I was given a book by my medical practice nurse, called The Hungry Years, by William Leith, that has made me look at food in a totally different way, and it is literally changing my life.

You are probably thinking how can reading a book make that much difference, because it made me ask questions that I really had not thought of until then. Once you are diagnosed as being diabetic, the old mantra comes out, lose weight and always eat low fat, and keep an eye on the carbs. Recently I have been more worried about my blood sugar levels than my weight, but the two are very much linked together. Carbs are the killer; they spike a blood sugar level, which causes the body to release more insulin, which stores the excess glucose as fat. That is a very simplified version of what happens, but unfortunately it is true. I have looked at a few diets that are protein based, and low in carbs, and they have made some very interesting reading. The first I looked at was Dr Atkins, which over the years has been heavily slated, but that would now appear to be, more politically motivated then it was scientifically. I have since read a lot of modern thinking on controlling diabetes with diet, instead of filling our bodies with drugs, but I must state right away that I am in no way suggesting that anybody not take their medication, I am just saying there could be another way. On the research I have done I have to say that Dr Marlene Merritt’s book Smart Blood Sugar, is a must read for any diabetic, as it strips away the BS, and gives you the facts.

How has all this helped me, well firstly I have dropped everything low fat, and basically anything with a list of ingredients. There are food’s I have totally cut out, which includes potatoes, sweet potatoes, bread of any kind, pasta, rice and basically anything made with flour. I also used to be a big fruit eater, but I have cut back a lot on that, but I still eat a few oranges, grapes and about three bananas a week. So what do I eat, it’s still a long list so I will start with meat: chicken, turkey, pork, beef, bacon, and sausages. Fish, nothing in batter or bread crumbs, haddock, cod, tuna, sardines, pilchards, and kippers. Dairy, eggs, cheese, butter, cream, whole milk but not a lot, full fat yogurt when I can find it. Vegetables selection will vary depending on the time of year, but for now it’s, carrots, onions, leeks, sprouts, broccoli, cabbage all types, cauliflower, and kale. Salad is pretty standard, with tomatoes, cucumber, all types of lettuce, avocado but not too many, and beetroot, and I will top it off with full fat mayonnaise.

So how do I feel eating all this protein and fat, I feel great that’s how I feel. I have more energy than I have had for a long time, I am sleeping better, I can concentrate more, and my blood sugar is starting to come under control, and I don’t get hungry between meals like I used to. The really big bonus for me is that I am losing weight, I don’t know how much yet, but my belt is up by four notches, and a shirt I like that used to pull on the buttons, now fits, still not loose but it doesn’t pull on the buttons any more. I hope this article has given you something to think about, I will finish by saying that I don’t miss any of the foods I have cut out, and enjoy my food every bit as much as I ever have. I will be posting updates so check back sometimes to see how I am doing.
Until next time, take care.

Since I posted my weight on Friday I have had several phone calls and a couple of emails, basically saying, sorry to see that your experiment has failed, and this is from people who know me. I was thinking about this last night, and all I can put this down to is, my not explaining properly what my aim is, which I will attempt to do now.

Let me say first that I am not looking for a quick fix, you see them all the time, lose 10 lbs in ten days and look great, or how I lost 28 lbs in a month and got ready for the beach. If you want to go that route that’s fine, and obviously a lot of people do, because in the US alone the diet industry in 2014 grossed over $60.5 billion, and the sad part is only a tiny proportion of the people spending that money achieved their goals. The problem is dieting is big business and they want your money, over and over again, which is good business as far as they are concerned. I have been on this merry-go-round, and the problem is like the majority of dieters at the end of the day you end up even heavier.

Having tried so may different diets over the years myself and failed, I have arrived here, and this is not a good place! You have probably heard that old saying, “Failure Is Not An Option” well in my case the way things stand its not an option, because if I fail I will probably die, and it will be sooner rather than later. The problem is I have been putting on weight fast for a long time, with a few short exceptions, and it has taken its toll. I have type 2 diabetes and some of the side effects that go with it, plus the weight is putting a strain on my heart, and to make things worse walking now is very difficult, so you use the car more, and things get even worse. So this experiment is not just about losing weight it is about changing my whole lifestyle, and surviving, because I still have a lot of things I want to do.

Now it’s not all doom and gloom, there are some positives, which I am pleased about. The most important thing so far is that I have managed to stay on my new eating plan, and that for me is a big step. Using the same program that I used to stop smoking, to get my head in the right place, has worked much better than I ever expected, and for anyone interested it is covered in my post entitled, Weight Gain and the Festivities, posted on the 11th January. The other really big positive so far is that I have STOPPED putting weight on, and started to reverse it, OK I only achieved half of what I would have liked, but even so I have lost 4 lbs, but that is a positive to build on. I knew that I would have to make adjustments and I think a lot of it will be portion size, but that will happen gradually, I also know I have got to cut back on some of the fruit, mainly oranges and grapes, and that does not mean cut them out only reduce the amount, but the really good thing thing is I have broken my old eating habits.

One of the other big changes is the way I feel, I no longer get the headaches that I was having nearly every other day, I sleep much better, and I have more energy, and now I have stopped eating the fatty crap, I no longer get diarrhea which I was suffering on a regular basis. I also generally feel much healthier, and this coming week I am determined to start walking again, it just takes that first step. I hope my explanation has now helped to understand my goal, and over the coming weeks I am going to be trying some less conventional ideas to try and accelerate my weight loss, which could be interesting, so stick around to see how it all pans out, and for now my best wishes go out to all of you…

If any of you are like me, you would have gained a few unwanted pounds over the festive period. Every year I promise myself that I will not over indulge in the rich food, but every year I still find myself not being able to refuse that tempting large slice of Dundee cake or the helping of Christmas pudding and cream, the trouble is I really enjoy it. Some people like a good drink, some still enjoy smoking, I do neither of them, but I do enjoy my food, and unfortunately a lot of it is quite rich!

Any one who has followed my blog will know that this time of year is when I normally say exercise, exercise, exercise, to burn off those extra pounds, but this year is different. I wont suggest anything that I can’t do myself, and at present I have a problem with my feet and legs, due mainly to my type 2 diabetes, and being overweight. So I am in a bit of a catch 22, I really need to exercise to lose weight, but until I lose weight I can’t exercise. That being the case I really only have one option, and that is diet.

For me even the word diet congers up all the wrong images, bland meals, dry rice cakes, and cabbage soup, not very inspiring. My main problem is I need to make this work for my health, so I am attempting this from a different perspective. When I was told I had to stop smoking, it was a real blow, but my chest was suffering, so I had no option. I was prescribed patches, but if you smoke with a patch you get an even bigger hit, so that was out. Then I met someone who said he had a fail-proof method that would work for me, and it did. I am now going to use the same method to help me with my diet.

Now you are probably thinking what the hell has smoking got to do with dieting, and that I am going to explain. To stop smoking I used a method of affirmation, I set a date to stop about two weeks away, and I wrote down the date, and stated from that date I would never smoke again. Once that was done, every day I would take out the piece of paper and read it, and write it again on the next line, and what this does is condition your brain to stop on that date, and I did, and so have quite a few other people that I have told.

Now as far as I know this method has not been used to aid dieting, now if it has then I apologize, but I have not come across it. I have set a date, and that is the 20th of January 2015 and from that date I will be running a daily diary on the blog here, with all my meals, and generally how I am feeling, and of course my starting weight, which I will up-date once a month. So for now I wish you all the best for 2015, and don’t forget to tune in from the 20th to see how it pans out…

Every year around this time I meet up with an old friend of mine, and last year just before Christmas when we met he had put on a lot more weight as was a touch over 29 stone! This year when we met last week I was really surprised as he looked so fit and had lost a ton of weight, and I really needed to know how he had done it.

We have a lot in common, we both live alone, apart from our pets, and we both love food and we can both cook quite well, and neither of us are that good at diets, so what was his secret. At first all he would say was it had nothing to do with dieting, apart from eating sensibly, plenty of vegetables, light on the red and fatty meats, and plenty of chicken without the skin, the same with turkey, and fish but never fried. Well all of that is just plain common sense when you are grossly over weight, and it didn’t answer my question.

I think I need to give you some history and everything will drop into place. When my friend Steve was young both his parents where performers, his dad a musician and his mum a dancer, so when he was young he was sent to dance class, but after initial protest he found he really enjoyed it, and as he got older he was extremely good at progressive tap, and free style dance.

In the sixties and seventies neither of us where into pop music or disco, but we both loved jazz, and there where some good jazz clubs in and around London, so jazz dance was the order of the day, and Steve would often demonstrate jazz tap on stage, and virtually everyone would be mesmerized. Towards the end of the eighties New Jack Swing hit the scene, and this was really high energy dance, and Steve loved it, and said this is what he had always been waiting for. Considering the fact he was nearly forty he was showing the youngsters some really hot moves, and some fun years followed. Unfortunately in ninety three Steve had a bad car accident and he could hardly walk for a year, and I started getting fat and lazy, and no more dancing.

Last Christmas he went to a party and someone started playing some oldskool swing, and of course this brought back the old memories, and he said he then realized how much he missed dance. A woman friend of his has a dance studio, and since January he has spent five days a week, and at least an hour sometimes two hours, doing tap and swing, He is also teaching tap in some classes to help out, and Waite for it!! he has lost just over eight stone this year, and wants to loose another six, which he hopes to do by the summer.

Steve’s story has certainly given me something to think about, to be able to loose that much weight doing something you enjoy is a real bonus, and without any hard dieting. I have never been as flexible as Steve, or as good a dancer, but it does prove the point that if you stick at something you will succeed in getting to your goal. I hope this might of given you some new ideas how you can approach your own weight loss, it doesn’t always need to be conventional.

This society is paying the price for leading a more or less sedentary life. This is a life where people do little or physical activity. This, coupled with high fat diets have spawned a nation of overweight people not to mention that there are about 350,000 deaths each year in the United States due to obesity. In a way, we cannot blame the people themselves because society has really changed since the 1st century. In those days, people used to be extremely active because the men had to hunt and build houses and fight wars while the women had to tend the home and the till the land. Today, people work in offices and drive there. Then their idea of work is sitting behind a desk all day. This is a very low level of activity all while feeding your body with snacks and other foods that are rich in trans fats, protein and carbohydrates. This is a sure recipe for obesity and that is what almost 40% of the US population is grappling with.

There are other reasons why people end up being obese and with body fat. One reason is genetic. There are people whose bodies cannot process food efficiently and either digests it slowly and stores a lot of simply fail to generate the needed metabolic combustion rates to burn most of the fats that come into the body. All the same, these people, together with this that lead a life devoid of strenuous activity end up with the same problem.

Exercise is a great way to combat belly fat. One great exercise is to do a 30 second run on the spot before you begin anything else. Then rapid sit-ups can follow and these are very effective in eliminating belly fat if done consistently for a number of weeks.

Hi my name is Brian and I am the Weight Loss Path resident trainer for at least the next three months. This is a new experience for me as I am used to working with whoever I am training in person, which makes it much easier for me to assess their fitness and ability levels. Today I am going to cover some of the serious problems that can occur if you don’t follow any sort of fitness program.

 When I ask the people I train what are the most important things that keep us healthy, I usually get very similar answers and mostly in the same order. Top of the list are nearly always diet and exercise, but not always in that order. Keeping your alcohol consumption to a minimum often comes next, followed closely by not smoking, but with all the information available today, not smoking is a no brainer. When you thing it’s only about fifty years ago that doctors recommended a cigarette to relieve stress, these days it’s only the tobacco companies who think it’s good for you, but I wonder if they actually still smoke themselves. Sorry getting a bit off track, but smoking is one of my biggest hates, I have seen quite a few lives destroyed because of it. OK back on track, one subject that virtually never crops up when talking about our health, is one of the most important, and that is sleep.

 The following information is probably going to surprise a lot of you, but 20% of people living in the United States suffer from sleep disorders, and here in the UK the figure is even higher according to the NHS, it’s nearer 30%. These are frightening figures especially as you get older, as it can lead to a lot of serious problems. In the United States survey of 2012, they found that the leading causes of sleep disorders where, lack of any exercise, poor diets, and irregular meals. Although here in the UK the causes of the sleep disorders were not printed, there is no reason not to assume they are not similar to the United States.

 One interesting fact that the American survey showed, was that women had a higher risk of insomnia than men. According to a separate report, up to 65% of Americans have a problem getting to sleep at night, although they don’t classify as sleep disorders, 40% of the 65% are women. Records show that in America, women who don’t get a proper night’s sleep, are more prone to, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, obesity, and it can also affect the menstrual cycle, and there is no reason why the pattern isn’t similar here in the UK.

 I don’t believe in using scare tactics to get someone to want to start training, I believe when dealing with adults, you should make the facts available, and then you can make up your own mind. So what do you need to do now, as I said earlier this is difficult for me as I don’t know your individual fitness levels, so we will start with very basic training.

 You need to get out walking for 30 minutes every day, if you can’t walk for 30 minutes do two 15 minute sessions, or even one 20 minute session, but if you start on 20 minutes try to add one extra minute every day until you are up to 30 minutes. This walking fitness is not an amble round your local park, this is walking with a purpose, and you need to push yourself to improve your fitness level. The easiest way to improve is walk normally for 4 minutes, then as hard as you can for 1 minute, but don’t strain yourself but you do need to get your heart rate up. Repeat this six times for your 30 minutes, and for those doing different time adjust accordingly, but after a week you should find you can do the 1 minute easily, increase it to 2 minutes, and recover in the 3 minutes, and again repeat it six times.

 Two things before I go, the weather is getting warmer, so don’t go walking without at least a 500ml bottle of water, and make sure you always have comfortable foot ware, as there is nothing going to stop you faster than sore feet. If you follow this program, you will lose weight, your fitness level will rise really quickly, and you will find that you get a good night’s sleep, even if you weren’t before, and if you are having real sleep problems, try walking in the evening as late as is practical, that should help. Until next time get out there and enjoy yourself, it’s doing you good. If you have any questions you can contact me at theweightlosspath@gmail.com and just mark the subject line Ask Brian, and I will get back to you as quickly as possible. Until next time take care.

When it comes to a weight loss program, far too often we take those first steps towards weight loss bliss for what we later determine are all the wrong reasons. Ultimately however, if your reason works for you there is no truly wrong reason to diet. The trick is in finding the reason that will actually work for you.

I’ve seen all kinds of excellent motivators when it comes to dieting and taking your dieting seriously. One of the more common reasons is to lose weight. This is as good of a reason as any. Some want to get back into the size 5 jeans they wore in high school while others would simply like to be able to look in the mirror once again without feeling guilt. For some this is a simple matter of vanity and for others it is finally managing to deal with what has become a lifelong problem. If you find the inspiration you need to be successful with your dieting this time as opposed to others, then that is the perfectly plausible and acceptable reason for you to diet.

Other reasons for dieting include a desire to be more physically fit. Some of us have a deep and abiding desire to live as long as possible and firmly believe that the best possible method for accomplishing this goal is to live the healthiest life possible. This is another excellent reason for losing weight and getting into shape. If it works for you that is. The thing to remember is that every person is going to have to find their very own motivation deep within.

Yet another great reason is to have the energy you need to keep up with your little ones. This is one of the most heartbreaking side effects for most when it comes to obesity. There is simply no energy left over at the end of the day to enjoy doing things with your precious little ones who are young for such a very short amount of time. You desperately want to be able to build those precious memories with them but absolutely have no energy with which to do so. If that isn’t bad enough you probably (if you are considered morbidly obese) have noticed that many of the simplest activities with your children often bring you physical pain that is the direct result of your weight.

Revenge is a dish that is best served cold and another excellent motivator for some when it comes to dieting and taking off those pesky pounds. Losing a great deal of weight takes time in many cases so you must be able to maintain your motivation even when things are going rough along the way. The path to a new body is not an easy path. This is for those who have some serious emotional healing to do and the best revenge for old slights and wounds is to come back more beautiful than ever before. If this motivation is what it takes for you to take off the pounds then this is the motivation to which you should cling.

Religion is another common weight loss motivation. Some people believe the body should be treated as a temple. There is nothing wrong with this philosophy at all, though it takes some us longer to find our way to that line of thinking than others. Religion and faith are powerful motivators, as they have been known to bring healing to those in need by the power of their faith or their prayers. If your faith can give you the will power and strength you need in order to reach your dieting and weight loss goals then by all means lean on your faith and hold it close.

No matter what motivation you have for a weight loss program if you find it is no longer working for you, then you need to find another motivator quickly. Without proper motivation it is quite unlikely that you will ever meet your weight loss goals.

Being fit and healthy is the in thing. Actually, it really never goes out of style. That body is the most valuable asset you could have in your lifetime. Thus it is important that you take good care of it. Give it the proper attention it needs.

When it comes to ensuring and maintaining the health, the best option is to do cardio training.

What Is Cardio Training?

Cardio training involves any activity that requires the use of the large muscle groups of the body in a regular and uninterrupted manner. It elevates the heart rate between 60 to 85 percent of the fastest heart rate you could get.

Some of the usual cardio training activities are walking, jogging, running, aerobics, cycling, tae bo, swimming and rowing. Cardio training is considered an aerobic exercise as one is required to move from one exercise to another.

What Are the Benefits of Training?

1. Gives Energy to the Body
You can expect more energy and higher endurance after some time of regular cardio training.

2. Prevents Diseases
One could prevent heart diseases with regular cardio training. It is also helpful in preventing other variety of diseases like diabetes, obesity and even high cholesterol. The cardiovascular training strengthens the heart and the lungs. The low to moderated type of cardio exercises are required for people seeking to prevent diseases. Examples of these are walking, brisk walking or jogging.

3. Control Your Weight
With cardio training, you are able to burn more calories. This will help one who needs to lose weight. While those who already achieved their ideal body mass, the training will make it easier to control the weight.

Cardio training helps burn calories. However this generally depends on your current weight and the kind of cardio training you are undergoing. Better consult this matter with your physician or trainer, to know the proper type of training for your needs.

4. Lose Body Fats
Some people do not have problem with their weights. However, there may be some excess fats that keep bothering. Cardio training will help in getting rid of those. The activities involve the movements of large muscle groups. Regularly doing the training will make you leaner.

5. Get Rid of Boredom
Cardio training is fun. It pumps up your system. You will definitely feel more energized and on the go.

Recommendations to Better Enjoy the Benefits of Cardio Training

Cardio training is essential when you need to make health improvements. For starters, it is best to do the 30 to 45 minutes of exercises, 3 to 5 days a week. If you are aiming for weight loss, the training must be done 5 days a week. The more frequent you do it; the more likely it is that you will lose weight. However, avoid exhausting yourself too much in exercise. Avoid going beyond 45 minutes. Remember, it has to be done in a regular basis.

Start now. Walk or ride the bike around the neighborhood now. Follow that aerobics video you purchased. Set a goal and follow that goal. At the same time, modify your diet too. Eat healthy food.

As you increase in the fitness level, the intensity of the training must also increase. This is to have an area of variation and there should always be room for improvement. Implement this by intensifying some parts of the training. If you are into jogging or running, increase speed every 5 minutes for at least a minute or two. It is important that you challenge yourself, so as not to be stuck in a stump.

Avoid doing the cardio exercises before bedtime. You will have a difficult time sleeping if you do so as the energy level of the body will stay high for sometime.

If you are undergoing weight training too, do the cardio exercises right after, not before.

It is best to take a snack 30 minutes before doing the cardio exercises. Do not start with training in an empty stomach. This will not help in achieving the proper momentum when you train. At the same time, avoid indulging in large meals too before exercise. Just give your body the proper supply it will need to sustain exhausting movements.

It is good to do the cardio exercises outdoors. This way you can easily interact with nature and breathe fresh air. You can also simply enjoy going around the neighborhood as you get your system healthier by the minute. It is possible to make some friends among the people who also do their exercises.

Be consistent and stick with the training once you have started it. This is the only way that cardio training will benefit your body and your health in the long run.

Whenever we get too busy or stressed, we all tend to make poor food choices that will actually increase stress and cause other problems.  To get the most of your healthy eating and avoid stress, follow these simple tips.

Always eat breakfast,

Even though you may think you aren’t hungry, you need to eat something.  Skipping breakfast makes it harder to maintain the proper blood and sugar levels during the day, so you should always eat something. One of the best things to start the day is porridge with some chopped dried apricot of sliced banana as a sweetener, as this releases energy right through the morning.

Carry a snack,

Keeping some protein rich snacks in your car, office, or pocket book will help you avoid blood sugar level dips, the accompanying mood swings, and the fatigue.  Trail mix, granola bars, and energy bars all have the nutrients you need.

Healthy munches,

If you like to munch when you’re stressed out, you can replace chips or other non healthy foods with carrot sticks, celery sticks, or even sunflower seeds, or my personal favourite a nice juicy apple, there’s a lot to the old saying an apple a day keeps the doctor at bay.

Bring your lunch,

Although a lot of people prefer to eat fast food for lunch, you can save a lot of money and actually eat healthier if you take a few minutes and pack a lunch at home.  Even if you only do this a few times a week, you’ll see a much better improvement over eating out. Something like a Tuna Pasta Salad is really healthy, and you can make so many variations you could almost have it every lunch time, followed by some fruit.

Stock your home,

As important as it is to get the bad food out of your house, it’s even more important to get the good food in!  The best way to do this is to plan a menu of healthy meals at snacks at the beginning of the week, list the ingredients you need, then go shop for it.  This way, you’ll know what you want when you need it and you won’t have to stress over what you need to get. As long as you keep your refrigerator stocked with plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits, and eggs, and your larder has some tins of tuna, and packets of rice and pasta you will always be able to put a healthy meal together.