After going to the Doc and then seeing a film of me that 2Feathers put on facebook when we were training in Minneapolis I've decided NEVER to look like that again. I began when we got back and went to the Doc yesterday and weighed in at 230. South Beach diet and working out will do it. My goal is 225 by next week then 3-4 lbs a week until I'm 200. I've done it before but it took complete humiliation for me to do this.

get on the south beach site, then get the book and follow it.

Did atkins with great progress then plateaud for weeks. I'll look at south beach.

good

Body for Life,

You can track calories and exercise online and on smartphones for free with MyFitnessPal. All I have done is track my food and I have lost 20 lbs in 2 months. I haven't changed what I eat just the amount. I don't like fad dieting ideas because most of the time you will not do it for the rest of your life so you end up gaining the weight back. It's all about calories consumed vs energy burned.

And eat real food. Keep fast food and soda off the table.

I've really struggled with conventional diets about 3 times in my life. All those times I've also felt bad while doing them. Always tired and feeling run-down without energy. And always hungry. Moreover, when I did lose weight with conventional diets I would always manage to eventually gain it back because I never changed my lifestyle.

Recently, I started a modified low carb diet. Not the unhealthy no carb Atkins style diet but a modified one were you severely limit carbs (only 50 per day) 2 days a week and then introduce greater amounts of carbs in the rest of the week. (By cycling like this your body doesn't jump to starvation mode and decrease metabolism which will just make matters worse in trying to lose weight.) The proteins are, off course, not limited. The other 4 days of the week I eat more carbs but in a moderate way. Then one day a week I take a break and eat anything as long as its in moderate amounts. This "cheat" day keeps me from going crazy and ditching the whole thing and also works to keep the metabolism a bit off balance.

I feel better and have more energy than with regular diets. Moreover, I never experience the hunger pains like in the conventional "counting calories" type of diets. So far I've lost
22 pounds in about a 2 1/2 month time span. I'm projecting that to lose the weight and get in better shape will take a total of about one years time. (For maintaining once I do get to my target weight I'll change to one no-carb day, 4 moderate carb days and 2 days where I can eat anything I like.)

Just planning a slow and steady routine instead of blasting off a large amount of weight and then gaining it back soon after like I've done in the past.

I always made weight in the Army and I can keep it down when motivated. I put weight on 8 years ago when I wrote a novel, had a New York and Hollywood agent and the N Y Agent would call me at night, every night during the re-write and I started drinking beer and not working out. The novel is set in West Africa, Al Q against the U S and I am doing another re-write with a new agent. This time I'm going to lose the weight and keep it off.

Thank you so much.

Details on book when available. Oh, and good job.

P90X and "Insanity" are both extremely good workout routines for getting you back in the groove. They are largely body weight and require little to no equipment. They can be done completely at your pace and in the privacy of your own home. You can modify them, omit certain things if your knees/etc can't handle the load, etc. Many guys at work have used them to get ready for high-speed low-drag tactical academies, with great success. Personally, I have to have a plan when I go to the gym, or else I'm all over the place wasting time. P90X and Insanity both give you a plan, a routine to follow. This helps.

Having said that, remember what you learned in high school health class... Muscle burns fat. Even at rest, muscle consumes fat. So the more muscle you have, the more fat you burn. That's not to say you need to become a meathead with a neck thicker than your jaw. But weight training, even with very light weights, is critical, IMO, to overall health. I like to use light weights often because it allows me to do very large movements with my body, which in turn allows me to really stretch my muscles and ligaments. I like to complete exercises using the fullest range of motion my joints will allow, and I feel good solid stretches throughout. Its awesome and has done wonders for my flexibility and mobility.

Also, I have made the mistake of watching other folks in the gym, and then forgetting to check my ego at the door. CHECK YOUR EGO AT THE DOOR. Just because the guy next to you is putting up 315lbs on the bench doesn't mean you should do it. I've been injured to the point where I can't work out for three, six, even twelve months. All because I forgot to check my ego at the door and go at MY pace. When I first got back in, I did my favorite shoulder exercises with the PINK 5lb weights. I got a lot of looks. But within a few weeks I was strong, limber, moved up to "real" weights, and most importantly, uninjured. This is YOUR health, and you are working out for YOU. So what if some badass stud is in there kissing his biceps in the mirror while doing curls with 100lbs? He's of no consequence to you. This is YOUR workout.

On diet... Would you put 87 octane, watered down gas from the cheapest station in town in a Dodge Viper? Your body is no different. The only source of fuel your body gets is from diet! Diet is 90% of overall health. Let me say that again... Diet is 90% of overall health. You can eat healthy and clean and go for evening walks with your wife and see fantastic results. Of course its easier to put a $30 delivered pizza on a credit card after a long day, rather than spend an hour preparing a fresh, healthy meal from scratch. But remember, your body is relying on YOU to properly nourish it. I eat lots of clean fresh lean meats (chicken, salmon, talapia, tuna, eggs, turkey, very lean red meats) and LOTS of GREEN veggies. Fruit is good too for fiber, but remember the high sugar content. An apple is still better than a candy bar. WHOLE GRAINS. Not enriched, not bleached. True whole grains. I eat breads, oats, spaghetti... All whole grain.

I read a book years ago called "You: the manual" (or something to that effect). I think Dr. Oz wrote it. Nothing in that book is rocket science, but it changed my life forever. We all learned how to be healthy in elementary school health class and gym class. We just forgot along the way. This book was instrumental in helping me get my mind back in the game. Everything is very simple, and you should take baby steps. Small victories. I highly recommend this book. Remember its easier and cheaper to buy a bag of Doritos than it is to put together your own mix of fresh nuts (I buy almonds, walnuts, and pecans and throw them all into a huge ziplock bag, $30 and it lasts me 7-10 days). Society in general has made it easier to eat like crap. Fight the power.

Heart health is critically important. Blood supplies oxygen and nutrients to the entire body –– its the only delivery system we have! Don't neglect the heart and lungs. Cardio, even light cardio, will do wonders for your energy levels, sleep patterns, and overall mood. Water is key. Drink it until you can't stand it, and then drink some more. Water lubricates joints, keeps tendons and ligaments pliable, and volumizes muscle tissue, allowing for more nutrients to reach key tissues. Water up!

The biggest hurdle in this endeavor of yours, and I salute you for taking it on, is making it a HABIT. As others have covered, fad diets are short term. Their sole purpose, despite what anyone else says, is to make the inventor rich. Many of them are sound, and based in science, but you have to stick with them. Atkins is not healthy (I won't go into it here). A BALANCED diet is key. Allow yourself a cheat day once a week –– but don't go overboard. You are not "dieting," you are making a lifestyle change. Once this diet and exercise routine becomes a true habit, you will find it easier and easier to stick with. Once you feel and see your health improvements, it will motivate you to continue. Stay with it! You are buying yourself more time with your loved ones by staying healthy and fit. In time, a bag of Oreo cookies will simply not be desirable. In time, you will CRAVE gym time, and even move things around in your daily schedule to accommodate it. It becomes a health addiction –– and at that point its easier to keep at it!

There are tons of diets all over the internet... I like the sample meal plans on bodybuilding.com (no, you don't have to be a 300lbs monster to use that site). The diets are clean, use fresh foods, lean meats, lots of veggies... And following one or two closely, you WILL see results. There are also sample workouts on that site, from basic cardio full body workouts to hardcore meathead isolation exercises. Try lots of different things and see what you like, what your joints will tolerate, and what your body will respond to best. Vary your routine often –– every 4-6 weeks minimum –– to keep your body guessing and to keep it from adapting (this is partly why Crossfit's Workout of the Day is so popular right now). Chart your progress and write down your meals. Have a complete shopping list BEFORE you go to the grocery store, and eat something before you go. Get in there, buy what's on your list, and get the hell out. Don't go down the cookies isle. Don't go down the soda isle. Make your brain believe that these things don't even exist.

Involve your family if you can. This is easier said that done. If you are having three eggs and a bowl of oats for breakfast, and your better half is having a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, its going to be harder for you to stick with it. This is like quitting smoking... You NEED a support network. Find friends who will to go the gym with you. They will motivate you on days in which you're too tired to go, and vice-versa. Discuss your diet with friends. It may seem lame at first, but soon you'll be telling your friend how awesome last night's freshly grilled asparagus tasted. Like I said, this is a lifestyle change!!!

If you haven't already done so, jump on Netflix and watch "Food, Inc." and "Forks over Knives." Combine the knowledge you gain from those programs with sensible meal plans from good books or the internet, and your body will be properly fueled. Then, exercise AT YOUR PACE in the gym, but realize that a little pain and sweat go a long way. Look at full body workouts involving major muscle groups, cardio, conditioning routines... Combine these things and you will be healthier. It truly is just that simple.

Post back here often so we can applaud your progress and keep your head in the game. You're a coach... You already know this stuff! Now its time to use your knowledge and experience to make YOUR life better.