A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post on this site talking about how I was considering starting the P90X® workout program because I needed some structure in my fitness life, and I thought this looked like a good program to try.

I got some great feedback from some friends and colleagues online, many of them saying that they had done P90X®  previously, and that they highly recommended it.  Most of them said the program was tough, but that it was ultimately worth it for them.

With all the great feedback I decided to jump in and give it a shot.  I bought the program and was hoping to start the first Monday of the new year.  Unfortunately our family had a flu bug and I ended up getting sick as well.  I pushed back my start date one week.

Getting Started On P90X – Bring It!

I finally got started on P90X® one week into the new year. The day before I started I did the fitness test to make sure that I was “ready” to do the program. Most of the things I didn’t have much problem with, but a couple of them, including the pull ups and push ups, I struggled with a bit. I did enough to be OK to start the program, however.

Week One Of P90X

That first night doing P90X® was  a bit of a struggle, but I managed to make it through that chest and back routine.  What was involved?   A whole lot of pushups and pullups.   The first week I did actual pull-ups, aided somewhat by a chair as beginners were instructed to do in the video.  The two following weeks I had actually purchased these resistance bands (highly recommended – good quality), and used those for the pullup portions instead.  The pushups have been tough as well, and during some reps I’ve had to go from my knees – especially in later rounds.  I especially hate the decline pushups, and have failed on those a couple of times.

The following nights of the first week were also tough.  I was still struggling with that initial soreness that you get after you haven’t worked out for a while, and it was tough doing the plyometrics, shoulders and arms, and other workouts when I was so sore.

Week Two Of P90X

The second week was still tough, but I wasn’t quite so sore – which made it easier.   Our family also had another bought of the flu pop up (again!), and so I was only able to workout 4 out of the 6 days because i was busy taking care of the family.  My eating wasn’t nearly as good week 2 either.  I had some nasty food (as Tony Horton would say), and I think that wasn’t helpful in my weight loss goals.

Another thing that I noticed was that while doing the P90X workouts you are working hard most of the time.  They give you chances to catch your breath during the workout, but you’re always sweating and huffing and puffing.  I have never been as drenched with sweat as I have been after doing these workouts – even and especially the yoga workout.  Make sure to bring a towel!

Week Three Of P90X

With the first two weeks in the bag (with mixed results), I started week 3 on Monday of this week.  It does seem like I’m slowly starting to be able to do a little bit more in the exercises, and without quite as much soreness afterwards the next days workouts are easier to complete.

Week three I also started doing the workouts in the mornings, getting up early so that I could complete them before going to work.  After doing it for 4 days this week now I have to say I prefer working out in the morning because you feel good all day, you get it out of the way and then you can relax at home at night.

Today I did the yoga workout and had to cut it a bit short because I got up late – and the yoga workout is almost an hour and a half  long.  Tonight I’ll either finish that or do some other form of exercise.

P9oX So Far: Tough But Worth It

So I’m just over 3 weeks into the P90X program, and I have to say – it is tough!  I’m not sure I’ve ever sweated this much or worked this hard since I was in high school football.  The workouts are tough, but you can feel your body getting stronger.  I’m still fudging it a bit on some of the exercises, especially the pushups, but I’m getting better every week.

Now that I’m almost done with 3 weeks, I really think that I can stick with this for the entire 90 day – I can do this!

Are you considering starting P90X as well? Have you already started – or completed a round? Tell me about it in the comments!

One thing that can be extremely difficult to do is continue exercising or working out while you’re on the road.   Often the places you’re staying may not have adequate workout facilities or weights that you normally work out with.

What is a person to do when there just aren’t many great options for exercising?  It’s time to get creative!

Exercising On The Road – Get Creative

When you’re on vacation or on the road for work it can be tough to maintain a regular workout schedule.  If you plan ahead, however, it can be done.

So what are some things you can do to make sure you maintain your regular healthy lifestyle while on the road?

• Stay at a hotel with workout facilities:  When you’re booking your hotel make sure that they offer some sort of a workout facility with weights, treadmills and so forth.  Most hotel booking sites will make a note of hotels that offer those types of amenities.
• Go running:  One thing you can always do even if your hotel doesn’t have a treadmill is to go running in the area that you’re staying. It can be fun to go out and see the area  where you’re visiting – and see it early in the morning before things get busy. Just don’t get lost!
• Do body weight exercises: You can do body weight exercises in your hotel room.  Things like pushups, pull-ups, sit-ups or squats.  Check out a program like Crossfit.
• Bring your own workout gear: You can bring lightweight exercise gear like resistance bands in your suitcase and get in a good weights workout routine.  Put video workouts on your ipod or laptop!
• Go hiking or walking while sightseeing:  When sightseeing do plenty of walking while you’re checking out the sites.  Or if you’re in a more natural setting, go for a hike! You’ll be exhausted at the end of the day!
• Incorporate fun healthy activities like golf or tennis:  Take time for golf breaks and check out the local courses. It can be fun to see a course you’re not used to.  Or play some tennis with a friend.
• Do Yoga:  Yoga can actually be quite strenuous, so try doing some while on the road.
• Play beach games:  If you’re on the beach at a tropical location, get in on a beach volleyball game or play frisbee on the sand.
• Take a bike tour: Many popular tourist locations will do bike tours, or allow you to rent bicycles by the hour.  Go out for a spin!
• Swimming:  Go for a swim in the hotel pool or the ocean.  Swimming can be great exercise!

So as you can see there are a myriad of ways to stay on your fitness regimen while you’re out on vacation – or on the road for business.  Just get creative and you’ll come up with a bunch of other ways as well!

How do you stay fit while you’re away from home?  Tell us in the comments!

A while back I wrote an article on this site talking about how running can be a great cardio exercise, but how there are so many exercise alternatives for people who don’t enjoy running (of which I am one).

Among alternative exercises that we listed:

• Doing a workout video
• Playing basketball
• Rowing machine
• Hiking on local trails
• Spin classes
• Stationary bike
• Roller Blading

The alternatives are really numerous and you’re really only limited by your creativity.   There are a ton of exercises out there for non-runners.

One of the alternatives that I didn’t list, but that truly can be great exercise, is golf.

Golf  Can Give Great Exercise

One thing a lot of people really don’t realize is that golfing can be great exercise.  I think people have an image in their heads of a bunch of old fat guys riding around in a cart and stopping off for drinks  and food at the clubhouse.  But the truth is that golf can help you to burn hundreds of calories.  Playing 18 holes of golf can be about the same as walking 3.5 to 6 miles!

Research conducted by Neil Wolkodoff of the Rose Center for Health and Sports Sciences in Denver found the following statistics:

Golfers who walk and carry their own bag burn 721 calories, golfers using a pull cart burn 718 calories, golfers walking with a caddie burn 613 calories and golfers riding in a golf cart burn 411 calories on average.

So if you carry your own bag and walk the course when you  play, you can burn in excess of 700 calories. That’s not too shabby!  Even those who rode a cart still burned more than 411 calories by golfing 18 holes.

Not only does golf give you some great exercise, it can prolong your life!  A Swedish study by the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports and based on data from 300,000 golfers found that golfers have a a lower death rate than others:

The death rate for golfers is 40 percent lower than for other people of the same sex, age and socioeconomic status, which correspond to a 5 year increase in life expectancy. Golfers with a low handicap are the safest.

They found that those with a lower handicap – those who typically play more – had better health.  Also, because golfers tend to golf into old age, they will enjoy the health benefits for longer as well.  So start golfing and add years to your life!

Of course in order to enjoy the health benefits you have to be a regular golfer, and not a once every 3 months type golfer.

Conclusion

Golf is another great exercise alternative for those who don’t like to run, bike or do workout videos.  It will help you burn hundreds of calories while being low impact and doing something you enjoy (if you’re good enough and not hitting it into the sand traps!)

Next time you may think twice about taking your buddies up on those golf offers because you’re in fact improving your health and prolonging your life.   So go hit the links!

At the beginning of 2011 I hadn’t been posting on this site much at all, and I was at an all time high weight for me, over 270 pounds. At 6’4″, I’m a big guy, so the 270 lbs didn’t really look that bad, but I knew something had to change. I wasn’t feeling healthy and I was beginning to feel the strain that the weight was putting on my body.

In January of this year I joined Weight Watchers as a support system to my wife. Over the next few months we both lost weight, and by July/August I had dropped around 30 pounds off of my starting weight. I was ecstatic.

But then reality started to set in. I started getting bored with the program, life started getting stressful and I started to let myself slip into old bad habits. On top of that I hadn’t really stepped up my exercise routine while on Weight Watchers, and I knew I needed to get back on that.

Weight Roller Coaster

This past week I realized that over the past few months  I was starting to gain back a bunch of the weight I had lost this year.  Frustrating.   I know why I’ve gained it back, my eating habits have quickly deteriorated.  I haven’t been exercising.  I know I need to get back on some sort of healthy eating and exercise regimen.

I’m now at around 255 lbs – still down from my high of 270, but nowhere near my goal of 200 pounds.

I need to get back into something that I can enjoy doing and that will get me moving.

P90X Sounds Intense, But Maybe What It’s What I Need

A few months ago I was reading one of my favorite blogs, Smart Passive Income with Pat Flynn, and he was talking about how he was on a fitness kick. He was doing P90X, an intense 90 day workout from Beach Body, that promises to kick your butt and whip you into shape in no time.   At the end of his 90 days, he shared his P90X results. They were impressive to say the least.

…just getting started is the hardest part. At the beginning, it was tough. I could barely do half of the workouts on the DVDs and would constantly drop out in the middle of routines just to rest. One of the mantras of P90X is “Push Play Everyday”, and that’s exactly what I did, and after a while I began to notice that what was once hard was getting easier and easier everyday.Also, I learned that nutrition is more important than anything. What you eat makes up 85% of your results and the workouts and training is only 15%. It sounds crazy, but it’s soooo true.

When I read his results I thought – “Hey, I should try that”!    But then I put it on the back shelf in my brain and didn’t think about it again until this past week.

This past week was when I finally realized I was sabotaging all the results I had seen earlier in the year, losing 30 lbs, and slowly getting into better shape.  I needed to stop my downward slide and get back into it.

So now I’m once again considering jumping onto the P90X bandwagon, and giving it a shot.

P90X Details

I first heard of P90X years ago when it first came out after seeing it on TV.   At the time I wasn’t that interested in it as I was doing another fitness regime called “Body for Life”.  While I still think that program is good, I think I need something a little different now.

So what is P90X all about?  Here are some basic facts and screenshots from the P90X website:

P90X® is a revolutionary system of 12 sweat-inducing, muscle-pumping workouts, designed to transform your body from regular to ripped in just 90 days. You’ll also receive a comprehensive 3-phase nutrition plan, specially designed supplement options, a detailed fitness guide, a calendar to track your progress, online peer support, and much more. Your personal trainer, Tony Horton, will keep you engaged every step of the way, and you won’t believe your results!

Why is P90X so effective?

The secret behind the P90X system is an advanced training technique called Muscle Confusion™, which accelerates the results process by constantly introducing new moves and routines so your body never plateaus, and you never get bored! Whether you want to get lean, bulk up, or just plain get ripped, there’s an endless variety of ways to mix and match the routines to keep you motivated the full 90 days and beyond!

So when you buy the package, you’ll get a 12 workouts on DVD, a nutrition plan, a fitness guide and an overview video to get you started.

The workouts run the gamut from cardio, to weights to yoga.

When you sign up you also will get access to a variety of online support tools, community support and more.

So I’m seriously thinking about jumping in and giving it a shot.

I’d love to get some feedback from others who have tried the program.  How did it work for you?   Did you get the results you were hoping for?  Was it hard to complete?  Would you do it again?  Tell me your thoughts in the comments.

If you’re in a time crunch and want a simple but highly effective metabolism boosting fat loss workout that only takes 15 minutes to complete then this is right up your alley.

Give it a go and let me know how it works for you:

If you’re anything like me (a glutton for punishment) and love a good challenge then you’ll LOVE this workout. Or you’ll hate me altogether

WARNING: This isn’t easy and will push you to your limits physically and mentally.

If you’re still reading this then I haven’t done a good enough job of putting you off yet have I?

Ok, if you’re determined to go through with it then here ya go:

High Performance Lower Body THRASHER Workout

Good Luck and let me know how it goes

About 4 months ago I mentioned on this site that I was going to be joining Weight Watchers with my wife.  At the time I really didn’t want to do it as I had a preconceived notion that the Weight Watchers program was mainly helpful for women – a program where women get together at meetings every week and talk about their feelings, and why they struggled to lose weight.

I know that notion wasn’t really a true one, but I think a lot of guys have that idea in their head.  Even Weight Watchers corporate has admitted as much in their new set of commercials in which they have several men who have been through the program talk about how they’ve been made fun of for joining what has traditionally been a female focused program, but how they don’t care cause they’re looking better now.

We joined the program at the end of January, and we’ve been attending weekly meetings for about 16 weeks now.  In that time I’ve lost an average of 1.7 pounds per week, coming out to a total weight loss so far of 27.2 lbs, see my weight loss graph in the sidebar.   (Disclaimer: People following the Weight Watchers plan can expect to lose 1-2 pounds per week).  At the meetings every week they recognize members who have reached goals that they’ve set.  One of the goals you start the program with is losing 5%, then 10% of your starting weight.  Since I reached that goal last night, as well as completing 16 weeks of meetings, I got recognized last night with my 10% weight loss keychain and 16 week commitment charm.

Now that I’ve reached that goal I’m setting another goal of another 5% of my starting weight loss – or another 13.5 lbs.  My ultimate goal is to weigh in at 200lbs.  I know I can do it, but we’ll see how long it takes.   If I continue losing at the current rate, it’ll take about 6-7 more months.  I think I can handle that. It took years to build it up, to lose it in less than a year is a good thing.

How Did I Lose Weight (So Far)?

So how have I lose the 27.2 lbs that I’ve lost so far?

• Portion control: I’ve cut back my portion sizes to more manageable healthier sized meals.  I’ve become more aware of what a good portion size is, and let me tell you, it’s a lot smaller than you think. We’ve been conditioned by the food industry and restaurants to think a healthy meal size is mega – when in reality you could probably share an average meal with 2-3 people.
• Healthier eating:  While I still struggle with this one to a degree ( I like my sweets!), I’m more apt to eat an apple or banana, or eat a salad than I was before.  I’m making better eating decisions.
• Being more active:  I’ve been more active over the past few months, especially using my Xbox Kinect and the fitness video games that I’ve bought.
• More portion control:  Ok, I’m mentioning this one twice because this has been the biggest piece of the puzzle for me.  Before I would sit down and eat the whole bag of chips. Now I’ll measure out a healthy portion size and eat that instead.  I’m still finding that I’m satisfied, but I’m eating a lot less, and actually losing.

Ok, so losing weight truly isn’t rocket science. It really comes down to eating healthier (smaller portions, healthier foods), and getting some activity worked into your daily plan. That’s it. The progress isn’t always super fast, but if you do those things you will lose weight.

I for one have become a Weight Watchers convert having seen how it can work in my own life.   It’s not just for the ladies, guys!

So now it’s onwards and upwards to my next goal – 15% of my body weight loss!

Are you trying to lose weight currently – and if so, how are you doing it? Tell us about your progress as well!

Read my review of the Weight Watchers program

Disclaimer: This site is an advertising partner with Weight Watchers.  I will receive compensation if a new member signs up through one of the links above. Please know that this review does discuss my true feelings of the program and how it has worked for me.

A while back I talked about how I had bought a Kinect Sensor for the Microsoft Xbox 360.  I bought the sensor because I love checking out new technology, and because I just love playing video games in general.  The Kinect seemed like a bit of a game changer for the video game world, allowing you to control the video games, and the console experience without the aid of a controller.  As Microsoft likes to say, you “become the controller”.

While I was skeptical at first that the Kinect would be able to pull off the controller-less experience, now that I’ve had the sensor for several months I can truly say that I think they’ve done something special – and pretty darn cool – with the Kinect.  It truly is an immersive experience, and it is so easy to use – even for people who aren’t video game enthusiasts.  You know what I’m talking about – the folks that give you a funny look when you hand them a controller – and can’t remember which buttons to push.  With Kinect, they just do what comes naturally, and it just works.

Fitness Aspects Of Xbox Kinect

Since this is a health and fitness site, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the fitness aspect of the Xbox Kinect – and to me, this is one of the coolest things about the Kinect.  In the old paradigm being someone who played video games meant that you were a couch potato, and that you never left your seat.   Many of you know what I’m talking about, in fact you may be sitting there eating your Doritos and drinking Mountain Dew as you read this!

Now, with Kinect, pretty much all of the games that you can play are more active than the games in the past because you have to get up out of your seat, and actually move.

Because you’re actually moving, and breaking a sweat, just from the start you’re going to be doing better than you probably were before.  Add to this the fact that Kinect has a pretty good range of dedicated fitness games, and other dance games/etc that will get you even more active – and you’ve got the recipe for something that can help you get more active and actually lose some weight.

I’ve been using the Kinect now since November, and actively using it in an attempt to lose weight since January.  While I’ve been doing it in concert with healthier eating and diet, I’ve now lost about 20 pounds in 8 weeks.  That’s about 2-3 pounds a week!  Not too shabby!    I’m confident that others can do the same as it really does make fitness fun.

Details Of Xbox Kinect Package

If you’re thinking about buying a Kinect sensor and you already own an Xbox 360, here is what you will end up paying – and what you’ll get.

• Kinect Sensor ($149.99)
• Kinect Adventures Video Game

Of course this is only the sensor itself, and one game, Kinect Adventures. While Kinect Adventures is actually a very fun game that will really get you moving (I always break a sweat playing that game), most people find they’ll want to buy additional games.  Below I’ll look at some of the games I’ve found that work best for fitness.

Fitness Games For Xbox Kinect

Here are some of my favorite games for fitness – for Kinect.

Your Shape Fitness Evolved

Read my full review here: Your Shape: Fitness Evolved Review
From Amazon.com: Your Shape Fitness Evolved is a fitness-simulation game for Xbox 360 that is designed to deliver a 3D, controller-free fitness simulation experience like no other. Built around the camera, depth sensors and multi-array microphone of the Microsoft Kinect sensor peripheral,* the game allows for real-time motion capture of the players movements, facial recognition and both voice and interactive menu commands. This combined with Ubisoft’s Player Projection Technology, which enables the Kinect sensor to track up to a million data points on the player’s body, results in low lag and total player immersion in what is destined to be the most challenging fitness-simulation game to date. Additional features include: in-game instructors, multiple exercise classes, workouts created by real experts, progress tracking and multiplayer support.

EA Sports Active 2

From Amazon.com: EA SPORTS Active 2 with Total Body Tracking will include the innovative EA SPORTS Active heart rate monitor that provides constant on-screen monitoring, allowing users to capture intensity and optimize performance over time. Additionally, it will utilize the full body motion tracking ability of the Kinect Motion Camera, providing users complete freedom of motion. Users will also be able to track and share their workout data online through automatic uploading from their online connected console to their personalized EA SPORTS Active profile. 70+ Exercises and Activities – Create unlimited customizable workouts with over 70 exercises and activities to choose from, including foundational exercises like squats, lunges, and bicep curls. Enroll in the 9-Week Program – Designed by certified personal trainers, the EA SPORTS Active 2 9-week program provides total body conditioning using progressive exercise.

The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout

From Amazon.com: The Biggest Loser: Ultimate Workout is an exercise simulation game for Xbox 360, based on the popular The Biggest Loser television series. Utilizing seamless physical player movements only possible with Kinect for Xbox 360, The Biggest Loser: Ultimate Workout is designed to evolve along with the player’s exercise routine. Featuring the cast and trainers from the TV show, the game’s 125+ exercises, 2-4 player support via Xbox LIVE, new challenges, customization and more the game provides a fun and healthy exercise outlet suitable for every member of the family, regardless of their weight, physical ability or age.

Dance Central

While this game isn’t specifically a fitness title, it does have a “workout mode” that will track how long you’ve been dancing. It’s a good cardio workout!

Conclusion

I’ve now had the Xbox Kinect for a few months, and my initial thoughts have been that the Kinect is a great tool in the toolbox for people trying to lose weight, and for those who are trying to stay fit.  It offers the opportunity to get up and get active, and offers a variety of ways for people to do that through the fitness games, along with other games that just get people active.

I’ve also got personal experience using the Kinect as a weight loss tool -having now lost 20 lbs using the Kinect and a healthier diet.  If you’re considering getting a Kinect, and using it to work out, I’d highly recommend it.

Have you bought the Xbox Kinect, and have you used it for the fitness games or otherwise?  Are you considering it?  Tell us what you think in the comments!

Read my full review of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved and Kinect Sports.

I‘m always on the lookout for workout routines that are a bit unique, or that don’t quite fit the mold. There’s a new fitness program that was recently introduced in select locations called Dog Boot camp. It’s an exercise program for dogs and their owners. As a dog owner myself, I love the idea!

The program is designed to where both dog and dog owner become active participants, allowing people, along with their canine workout partner, to get into shape while having the added benefit of teaching dogs valuable obedience training that will be a huge help on the home front.

Jill Bowers, the brainchild of doggy boot camp, launched the program along with the help of her sister Jamie.  This veteran dog trainer has now become an expert fitness trainer that is helping people all over get into shape. Fitness is the key but with her program and with her many years of experience with dogs, she has crafted this unique way of exercise through adding in invaluable lessons for dog obedience in conjunction with an effective workout.

How It Works

This program is based in Los Angeles and there, during consultations, the owner is taught a series of commands that are designed to maintain a strict power and command structure. In this program, it’s important for the owner to maintain power and control over their dog during the entire process. This is essential for the dog obedience training as well as making for a smooth workout. The last thing a person wants is to end up spending most of their workout time with a dog that won’t listen. It can be chaotic and messy and nobody wants that.

So far the program has been hugely successful and the people who have applied these methods, devised by Jill Bowers, have found an increase of energy, loss of weight, better fitness and health, and last but not least, a healthy and obedient dog.  Jill writes:

Bootcamp was naturally the next step for us because of the growing number of obese dogs and humans in America. Because the owner and dog are dependent on each other, we know how important good health is for both. Just like basic obedience is necessary to ensure a peaceful home environment. A tired dog is a good dog and a trained dog is an even better dog, so get your shoes on, grab a leash, and come play with us!

Bowers explains that it doesn’t matter what breed or how high-strung the animal. This workout promises results to those who work the program right. Dog health is just as important as human health and everyone wants to get into shape. This may be just the time to do it. Summer’s right around the corner and there’s tons of information and other similar programs available in your area that will help you and your dog get fit.

I‘ve been through the weight loss cycle a bunch of times. At times I’ve lost 20, 40 or even 50 pounds.   I feel like I’ve always been on a search for the best way to lose weight, whether it’s through a program like Weight Watchers or workout regime like with P90X, or if it’s through some fad diet.    The time that I lost the most weight was when 3-4 years ago when I lost about 50 pounds using a program found in a book called Body For Life.  While there are a ton of programs out there to lose weight, the best ones always seem to focus on the basics – to eat less and move more.

Eat Less Move More

To say you need to eat less and move more may be a simplification of things, but essentially it’s the truth.  If you want to lose weight, and maintain that loss you have to reduce your calorie intake, and be more active.  The programs that I’ve had the most success with – Body for Life and Weight Watchers, both have taken aspects of that maxim to heart.

Weight Watchers does really well on the end of eating less, helping you to control your portions through their PointsPlus program.  Basically they help you to control what you’re eating in a way that makes sure you don’t feel deprived.  They also encourage you to exercise more – even if it’s just a little bit more.

Body For Life also encourages you to eat healthier, and lays out some suggested meal plans and eating schedules.  What it does really well, however, is  on the exercise end of the spectrum.  It helps you to lay out a 6 day a week workout regimen that will help you to improve your cardiovascular fitness, in addition to increasing your strength.

Experts have long said that this is the secret to weight loss, but unfortunately it just isn’t sexy and it isn’t necessarily what people want to hear. It’s boring, and it takes time for it to work.  People too often want a quick fix, something easy.

The basics of weight loss are simple: Eat less. Move more. But consumers still flock to the newest best-seller diets, hormone injections, alleged hunger-controlling cookies, enthralled by glowing testimonials about sumo-to-svelte slimdowns.“There’s nothing sexy about ‘eat your fruits and vegetables,’ ” said Keri Gans, a registered dietitian. “We want to hear something else.”

“Consumers need to understand that health and the ideal body weight are not found from a gimmick. It takes hard work. The end result is long-lasting success.”

One man profiled on CNN.com did just what we’re talking about. He didn’t go with any fancy fad diets or any new programs. He just set out to eat healthier and started working out regularly.

There were no diet pills, shakes or detoxes. And no, it wasn’t caveman food, grapefruit, Twinkies, Taco Bell or Subway sandwiches.

Tony Posnanski’s 200-pound weight loss was straightforward, almost dull.

“I changed the way I ate,” said Posnanski, 34, who went from consuming 10,000 calories a day to 2,400. “I got rid of processed foods. I ate fruits, vegetables, lean meats. It is pretty boring, but the results aren’t boring.”

There was no immediate difference, he said. “My pants were still large after that first day. But I felt like I could do this. It was different.

“Before, I would tell myself I’m going to do this for a little while. That day, I was like, ‘You know what — I’m done. This is the rest of my life.’ “

That’s the key to weight loss, experts say. It can’t be a temporary fix; the changes have to be lifelong.

That’s really what it boils down to in my book. You have to change the way you view food, you have to practice moderation and portion control, and you have to do your best to be fit.  It’s not rocket science, it just takes motivation and persistence.

You Have To Change Your Lifestyle, And Stick To It

Part of the problem with workout programs and other crash diets is that they aren’t realistic to continue on a long term basis. You can’t stick to it.  Having that complete change in how you view food, exercise and so forth is what you need for the long term.  If you can’t stick with it long term, you’ll gain the weight back.

For people who hope for shortcuts, Klein said: “There’s no magic bullet to lose weight and keep it off.”  Smaller portion sizes (no fewer than 1,200 calories) and daily physical activity can lower cardiovascular disease risks, he said.

Posnanski, a former yo-yo dieter and restaurant manager, who gave up what he called “gimmicky” diets, shared how he has managed to sustain his weight loss:

• Monitor portions and keep track of food intake
• Stay away from processed foods, and eat mostly vegetables, fruits, lean meats and whole grains
• Work out one to two hours a day

“I don’t believe in quick weight-loss diets,” Posnanski said. “I believe in the rest of my life.”

For me, that’s where I’ve failed in the past. I haven’t done a program that I knew I could stick with. Instead I stuck with the program as long as I needed to, and then stopped – and got into my old unhealthy behaviors.

This time around I feel like I’m on a program that I can stick with long term, and I know I’m on my way to living a healthier life.

How about  you?  Have you found a program that you can stick with? Have you changed your relationship with food and exercise? Tell us your thoughts.

Disclaimer: This site is an advertising partner with Weight Watchers.  I will receive compensation if a new member signs up through one of the links above. Please know that this post does discuss my true feelings of the program.