Lose 35 Pounds Without Working Out

I knew I was in for a good laugh before I even clicked on the link. Lose 35+ Pounds Without Working Out!

“8 no-sweat ways to increase metabolism, burn calories and get big weight loss results”

Really? There was nothing of substance in that article. It was just like every other trashy magazine article claiming they have the secret to losing 10 pounds  a week!

“Lose Weight Fast!”

“Drop 4 Dress Sizes in a Month!”

“Be Bikini Ready By Summer.”

WOW! 25 Pounds in only 2 WEEKS?!? Sign me up!! Not.

“Try Jennifer Aniston’s Workout.” Or remember when Jennifer Aniston was supposedly on a Baby Food Diet?

Etc etc etc.

They all make me chuckle.

QUESTION: Do you buy into the fad diets and weight loss scams in trashy magazines? Are you hopeful that they will work and get disappointed when they don’t?

Okay–I have a big revelation here. When I had reached my breaking point about being obese I broke down and asked my doctor for diet pills. She refused. I cried and pleaded and said I couldn’t be 250 pounds anymore and nothing I was doing worked. I was desperate.

She caved. She gave me a month’s worth of diet pills — for the life of me, I cannot remember the name. I took the pills for about 3 days and then threw them in the garbage. THEY WERE AWFUL. It was basically speed. I was up for 3 days. I could not sleep. I felt like I had had 100 cups of coffee and a Red Bull. It was a nightmare.

But it was a learning experience. I knew there was another way. That’s when I started counting calories and I started swimming. Check out how I lost 100 Pounds Here.

I’d tried a quick fix and got burned.

I learned that weight loss happens through HARD WORK.

Simple as that.

Yeah–it’s not a magic pill, or a super fast process, but it works. Slow and steady works. It means the weight will most likely stay off. It means you’ve learned healthy, good habits.

Here is an example of 1 month’s worth of exercise for me. It was from May of this year. Looking back I can see a bit of over-training (training for Reach the Beach AND Hood to Coast) but it’s a general idea of my exercise routine.

As you can see, it’s a lot of work.  It’s a screen shot of my Google Calender where I log all my exercise.

Nothing says you must become a gym rat or an obsessed workout freak. You just need to have a steady routine that  you stick with. Consistency pays off.

I haven’t quite figured out what my “happy maintenance mode” is yet in regards to exercise. Not only that, I LOVE working out. I grew to love the high and working out FEELS good to me.

Swimming is my Zen Time. It relaxes me. It clears my mind.

Running is my Aggression Time. I get a Super Runner’s High and if I’m frustrated or mad about anything, running purges that.

Biking is my Fun time. It’s when I get to explore the city and see new places. It’s something I love to do with this guy:

Hiking is my Adventure Time. I love exploring the beauty that is the Oregon Wilderness.

Growing to love activities like the ones I listed above have enriched my life AND kept the weight off.

QUESTION: Have you been burned by any “quick fixes?”