Conventional dieting wisdom – eat less, exercise more – is wrong. For me, cutting sugar, carbs and starches resulted in more than 140 lbs. gone. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.

Today’s dieting advice – eat less, exercise more – doesn’t work. A new study shows that few overweight people lose 5% of their body weight. And those who are successful put the weight back on within 5 years. Money quote from the study:

“Current strategies that focus on cutting calories and boosting physical activity aren’t working for most patients to achieve weight loss and maintain that.”

I’d tried for more than 25 years to lose weight. I tried all the different programs, most of which are the same: some form of calorie reduction and exercise. While I initially lost weight, I always felt hungry. I just couldn’t sustain those diets, and eventually I gained even more weight back.

So what’s so different this time?

1. My health became THE priority (I had to become a priority in my own life).
2. I read Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes (life-changing).
3. I said good-bye to processed, high carb foods (and sugar) and embraced low carb, high fat real foods.
4. Took the time to build good habits, like:

• Food prep
• Shopping the outer perimeter of grocery store
• Tracking & measuring what I eat
• Weekly menu planning
• Drinking water, not soda
• If it isn’t healthy, it’s not in my house (leading by example)

5. Eat only when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full (not stuffed).
6. Gave up perfection for patience.
7. Get 8 hours of sleep.
8. Avoid fruit, except for berries (and only as a treat).
9. A sense of urgency (my health was at serious risk!).
10. I’m not depriving myself. I’m making smarter, tastier choices!