4 ms·

I decided a few years ago that I was tired of being fat, so I started working out. Fast forward to today... I'm still fat (dieting is the trick folks, you can't

I decided a few years ago that I was tired of being fat, so I started working out. Fast forward to today... I'm still fat (dieting is the trick folks, you can't burn an extra 700-1000 calories a day while using that "deficit" as a reason to enjoy that dessert and get to a healthy weight) but I usually walk about 7 miles a day (thanks Apple Watch for the effortless tracking), every day. During that time I will listen to an audio book. Sometimes I just spend the time thinking about hard problems in whatever project I'm working on, but most often I enjoy a book. Listening to book on that walk is how I unplug and is probably the best habit I've ever picked up. I'm 40lbs lighter, probably 100 or so books better read and have a nice collection of destroyed Nike trophies.

chad_strategic 9y ago
Bravo!
dsacco 9y ago
Congratulations on losing 40 pounds! To your first point, it's great to see you say that: I see this repeated so often, yet I observe very few people actually internalizing it even when they hear it from others. The most effective and efficient method for consistently losing weight is diet control. Exercise (specifically the type and intensity) changes body composition, but diet alone impacts overall mass. You can't expect to lose much weight just because you're running - it might push you into a caloric deficit if you're not already, but it will take focused effort not to unconsciously eat more to compensate if you're not used to controlling your diet already. Gaining mass at a caloric deficit will be impossible no matter how much weight training you do (but again: composition will alter), and losing mass will be impossible at a caloric surplus no matter how much running you do! Someone with specific fitness goals needs to strategically optimize both their exercise regimen and diet.

chad_strategic 9y ago

Bravo!

dsacco 9y ago

Congratulations on losing 40 pounds! To your first point, it's great to see you say that: I see this repeated so often, yet I observe very few people actually internalizing it even when they hear it from others. The most effective and efficient method for consistently losing weight is diet control. Exercise (specifically the type and intensity) changes body composition, but diet alone impacts overall mass. You can't expect to lose much weight just because you're running - it might push you into a caloric deficit if you're not already, but it will take focused effort not to unconsciously eat more to compensate if you're not used to controlling your diet already. Gaining mass at a caloric deficit will be impossible no matter how much weight training you do (but again: composition will alter), and losing mass will be impossible at a caloric surplus no matter how much running you do! Someone with specific fitness goals needs to strategically optimize both their exercise regimen and diet.