New Year…New Approach?

Each year losing weight or getting fit creeps into the top ten list of New Year’s resolutions and each year we get fatter as a nation and a world. Even though we spent more than $46 billion in 2009 on diet and exercise, it seems we aren’t making progress; let’s face it we EXCEL at fat.

Something isn’t right.  Denial might be the norm with obesity. Just know we can try to hide it, but everyone knows (sees) the truth. Oh wait! Maybe no one will notice if there are no pictures of me…

The reality is that we are gaining weight over time and it’s MUCH harder to take off then gain. The first step to success is really quite simple: admit there is a problem and resolve to attack it with unrelenting tenacity. If you have failed before, great, I did too on many attempts.  One thing is certain, you are NOT alone.

According to the US CDC, in 1985 there were no states in the US above the 15% obesity population line (BMI  30 – check yours here). Mine reached 34 at it’s peak. By 2009 there was only one state (Colorado) BELOW the 20% level. Even though we spent over $46 billion (BILLION!) in 2009 trying to “solve it,” I am betting 2010 numbers are not significantly down.  Apparently we are doing something completely wrong. So why not try something new? Why not give this a shot?

The US is getting fatter and exporting it to the world

Over the last two years, I’ve had the great honor to meet some of the most brilliant minds in technology. The conversations have been rewarding but more importantly, are giving me a first-hand insight into what it takes for unbelievable success and it is simple: an unbelievable effort.

It turns out that we don’t have a magic pill that can miraculously change you overnight. Even surgical procedures are not overnight successes – there is recovery. One of the reasons I put off writing a book in lieu of allowing Tim Ferriss to included my story in his was that  The 4-Hour Body was  built on a foundation of disrupting the way we look at everything.  He wanted to teach people to be skeptical and give them the tools to self-experiment.  For my success, the solution was not in a cold shower or a bathtub full of ice. It was a comprehensive approach of nutrition, exercise, and thermal loading. The latter will simply accelerate the rate of success.

There are many programs one could follow, but no matter what you choose to do, no change will occur until you begin. I hope that means taking action TODAY. If not, set a day, even if it’s New Year’s Day, but pick a day to start. If you have a diet or exercise program in mind that you feel confident about, do it. If not, consider the simple solution from 4-Hour Body (slow-carb) and stick to it. What ever plan you choose to follow…do it BY THE BOOK – don’t modify.

Once you have decided to begin, make sure to write it down.  Keep a journal (I like moleskine notebooks). You also need to measure  progress (more on that in a following post). Make some public proclamation about your plan; make it sting a little if you fail. I’ll assure you that even though walking on a 6 x 6 piece of lumber is no more difficult when its’s on the driveway versus 100 feet in the air, the height will probably get your attention. We respond to perceived risk, and  after all isn’t that what a New Year’s Resolution is about anyway? When you tell people  aren’t you  a little more accountable?

Remember, if you have nothing to lose, you have nothing to lose.

I am overwhelmed with the response and membership to this site. There is no way I will ever get to know everyone here, but I can say that I’m definitely interested in helping each of you achieve your personal fitness goals.  We’ll continue to lay out some of the founding principles of thermodynamically driven weight loss over time, but I want to rule out the notion that it is simply “beginners Luck” or “quick water loss.”

I want each of  you to commit to a nutrition/exercise routine and then add a thermal loading method from Tim’s book and report results.   If you divide a 6 week program into 3 weeks start (nutrition/exercise) and then add thermal loading in the last 3 weeks, you will better feel and see the difference. If you want to jump in there from the beginning, that’s ok too.  If you add additional cooling, for example during exercise or even while watching TV, just make note of it. It’s better when we make smaller changes.  When you change everything at once, it’s difficult to know exactly what is really causing the effect.

One thing is clear, if you are on a known diet and exercise (excluding swimming) program and then add thermal loading, you will notice hunger almost immediately. That is your body telling you that it is consuming more calories to maintain thermal homeostasis.

I exclude swimming in the exercise list, because thermal loading is a natural outcome of swimming. If some of the swimmers on the list want to introduce swimming in the third week, that would be FANTASTIC data.  Don’t know how to swim and want to learn? See 4HB page 434: How I Learned to Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days.   This will be covered in great detail over the coming months, but water is 24x more thermally conductive than air. That means it can suck heat out of your body at 24x the rate. Even when swimming in water at competitive temperatures (82F/28C) you are losing heat to the water at tremendous rates as the water temperature is far below your body temperature. This is why severe hypothermia sets in at the 30 minute mark in 40F/5C water, but in air you can last much longer.

In general for adults in reasonably good health, dangerous conditions for hypothermia don’t exist until air temperature drops below 32F/0C and water temperatures are below 59F/15C.  Still, there is no need to be miserable or shake convulsively to see INCREDIBLE results. Habituate to lower temperatures over time and don’t give in to the increased hunger; this is your sign that the fat is melting away. Not many fat surfers – right?

It would be fantastic to get a group of you motivated to try Tim’s Slow-Carb Diet for the next few months. After 3 weeks, and far beyond the immediate impact of a sudden change in diet, you can add some thermal loading.  In this way, we would see some of the results first hand. I will create a special group for those interested and post the signup in a future post. I want to know that you are committed to change, so each week, I’ll require DATA or you’ll be dropped from the list. I’d like to see some comments to get an idea of  how many are willing to participate.

NOTE: this is for the I”M NOT GOING TO FAIL crowd. If you are in the least bit on the fence about this, don’t join this group. I promise to have plenty of interaction for everyone over time.

So, are you IN?