Copyright 2005 Jeremy Likness
This is part 3 of the 4-part Seven Keys to Permanent Weight
Loss Success series.
Key #4: Make it a lifestyle
Youve heard this one so much you probably dont even pay
attention to it anymore. The idea of a lifestyle change has
become a clich. Sure, we all want to avoid the yo-yo diet plan
and make something permanent, but few people really take the
effort to learn how.
Are you one of those people dead-set in making a difference, so
you strap on your shoes, load your refrigerator with nothing but
chicken and broccoli, then put on your blinders and focus 110%
for twelve weeks until you reach your goal?
What happens after that?
Most people celebrate. They eat a lot. They take a break from
training.
A few weeks later, they are back to square one. Instead of
feeling great, they talk about how great it felt. Instead of
looking terrific, they tell old stories like grandfathers in
rocking chairs, I remember when I could see my shoes and not my
belly when Id look down at my feet.
Its great to have focus and to take on the challenge and really
pursue it. But have you stopped to think about what happens
after?
Are you training and dieting for a few weeks, or for life?
Let me ask you this if its for life, can you imagine yourself
eating the way you are eating from now until you are six feet
under with a bouquet of flowers above your head? If not, its
time to change.
You see, living healthy doesnt have to be about diets and
horrendous workouts. It can be about fun. I still recall the
first time I set down the barbell and put on a pair of running
shoes. Several people wrote me, horrified at the thought of how
my muscles would wilt and wither from the rigors of training for
a half marathon. How could I give up the admirable iron game for
some lousy 13-mile run through the woods? What was I thinking?
The truth is, Im beyond the need to compare my self-worth to
the depth of my abdominal cuts or the girth of my biceps. Im in
this for life, and that means having fun. While I enjoy grabbing
rusty dumbbells and slinging them around as I grunt, groan, and
sweat like Im taking an indoor shower, theres more to life
than weight-lifting. Thats why I like to ski, jog, and do other
activities as well. I make it fun. And you know what? I can do
fun. I dont have to always have a workout sheet and a pen to
stay in shape. Sometimes all I need is a good pair of shoes, two
hours of free time, and the good green earth to make my rounds.
The same is true for nutrition. Live a little. Experiment with
healthy recipes. Understand what better bad choices and
portion control means. If I want some cheesecake, I might
order a slice and split it with my wife and daughter. Youll
catch me eating a slice of pizza on occasion, and even sipping
on a glass of red wine. The key is moderation. I dont have to
count the days until my diet is over because Im focused on the
process, not the end result. Learn to get out of the finish line
and into the race. Youll enjoy it more.
Key #5: Listen to your body
Jeremy, I cant finish my cardio workouts because I get dizzy
and nauseous when I do them first thing in the morning, but I
cant eat food because they said I have to have an empty stomach
to burn fat.
Jeremy, I know I need a ton of protein, but I just cant seem
to get it down. I get ill eating so much protein. How will I
ever build muscle?
These questions are common, because instead of listening to
their body, many people are giving up their power by following
the current trend or diet program. Your body has built-in
mechanisms that can teach you a lot about what you are doing and
if it is working. A healthy person knows when it is time to eat,
because they get hungry. A healthy person also knows whether or
not they require protein. These instincts are built in, but the
S.A.D. diet (Standard American Diet) is so loaded with processed
food that has no counterpart in nature, its no wonder the
signal is getting lost.
What happens when you are next to a busy intersection with a
constant buzz of cars going by? Eventually, you will tune out
the noise. It becomes part of the background. If you are
standing next to a deserted road, however, the occasional car
whizzing by will attract your attention. Youll be in tune.
The typical diet is so loaded with salt that it completely
nullifies your sense of taste. When you try to eat something
that is low salt or salt-free, it tastes bland and disgusting.
You reach immediately for the salt shaker or at least grab a
bottle of Mrs. Dash and cover it with herbs and spices.
Try going without added salt for just four weeks. This is an
experiment I experienced first hand, as did my wife, and so do
many of my clients. The first few weeks are not fun, because
everything is so dull. Then, just like a smoker who has stopped
sucking on smoke for a few weeks, something amazing happens.
Slowly but surely, your taste will return. Suddenly, you become
aware of the subtle flavors in vegetables, fruits, grains,
meats, and other foods that just tasted like salt and seasoning
before. Its an amazing experience, if you let it happen.
By removing the additives, preservatives, refined sugars,
processed grains, and other artificial components of your diet,
you can start to sense your needs for protein and carbohydrates
as well. I dont follow the traditional slab of meat at every
meal bodybuilder diet. I know its popular, but I choose to
listen to my body.
Ive force fed pounds of protein and the end result might be a
little more muscle mass, but it also leaves me staring at a
block of steak wishing I was somewhere else and hoping I never
have to taste a bite of meat ever again. Thats not living s dieting, and Id rather live healthy than diet miserably.
So, I stay in tune. If I crave protein, I eat it. If not, I
might just have a vegetarian dish. I listen to my body.
If you have the most energy on an empty stomach first thing in
the morning, go for it. If youre one of those who feels dizzy
and weak, then listen to your body. Stop worrying about what
say about an empty stomach. Instead, get some food, let
it digest, and then get to work. Whatever fat-burning benefit
you might have from training on empty will be negated by your
lack of energy. Add some fuel and then push down on the
accelerator and go full throttle. In the end, its calories that
are king, not whether or not you time the meal before or after
your workout.
If you thrive on high protein and lower carbohydrates, thats
great. Personally, I get extremely irritable when I reduce my
carbohydrates and get sick of eating protein when I raise my
protein intake. So instead of giving up my power to the almighty
diet, I listen to my body. I figure it knows what it wants. Of
course, the trend is that you have to cut carbohydrates to lean
down, so I made certain I lost 35 pounds and cut down to 7% body
fat while eating 300 grams of carbohydrates and 90 grams of
protein per day to prove that, first, you can lose fat even with
carbohydrates in your system, and second, it doesnt take pounds
of meat and tubs of protein powder to maintain a muscular
physique. The proof is in the pudding - you can see my menus and
my progress here:
Bottom line, get comfortable with you. Stop ignoring your body.
Listen to it. If you find that your splurge meals are making
you sick, think about the message your body is giving you and
decide if you are going to continue it week after week, or if
its time to take off the training wheels and grow up. You dont
have to have pizza every week to enjoy life.

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