For those who are interested enough to check this blog regularly for updates, may I apologize for my recent lack of posts, interesting or otherwise.

To be frank I have been lacking in motivation.

And the reason for this is that I have realised that people who stumble upon a site like this are looking for ways of losing weight fast and easily, with little effort and permanent results.

And you guys are simply not that interested in my running exploits.

That leaves me with a bit of a dilemma. You see I don’t think that weight loss is a) simple, b) quick, c) easy … and d) even a worthwhile objective. (And … I’m still enjoying my running).

Let me qualify that. If you are over-weight and at risk of health problems, then sure, weight loss is an objective that makes sense. But most people are more interested in weight loss for cosmetic benefits.

As with everything in life, there is always a nucleus of people who want immediate gratification … a shortcut that delivers all the benefits with none of the pain.

Which means that I need to find a way of revealing the truth without breaking your heart.

This leads me to my first point (and an appropriate starting place for this particular discussion). Here goes:

1. Stop looking for the quick fix … it seems the more I say it, the deafer my audience become. Guys, please, there is nothing gained in losing weight quickly. It’s meaningless, because it’s temporary.

The real prize is learning how to slowly bring yourself back down to a body fat level that you feel comfortable at. In the process you will learn the basics of eating right, as well as all the other things you need to do to become more balanced and more of an athlete.

2. being too ambitious … it is tempting to look at TV shows like “The Biggest Loser” and think that losing more than a half a kg a week should be par for the course. But it’s not. In fact it’s hard to separate the mentality behind this mistake from the mindset that drives mistake #1. Bottom line: slow and steady wins the race.

3. Panicking when you don’t get the results you expect. This happens to me, especially as I feel so darn accountable putting myself out there on a site like this. In fact, I have put so much pressure on myself, it’s taken all the fun out of the whole exercise. I have reviewed my initial targets and revised them in order to do things in a way that works for me.

Call me selfish, but what has become my primary focus is just going in the right direction. Speed of progress has become secondary.

And guess what? I’m having fun again!

4. Changing one’s diet and thinking that it will solve all your problems. This is another error I have made. You see, I am really clear that the foods we (humans) are designed for are fruits and vegetables. So my focus changed to eating less cooked food and more fresh, ripe, raw, organic, fruits and vegetables.

In so doing, I made a fundamental error that virtually all people new to “raw foods” make. I thought that just because I was eating raw, I was completely on the right track. Not so. You see, it is possible to eat predominantly raw, living foods and still be doing your body a dis-service.

How so I hear you say?

Simple … you get hungry and so start filling up on avocados and nuts, thinking that because they are God’s own foods, somehow you won’t get fat. Well folks, it’s a fundamental error and I fell into the trap hook, line and sinker.

I was getting so frustrated. I was eating far fewer cooked foods and a healthy variety of fresh, uncooked foods … and although I was feeling spectacular, I was not losing the weight I had hoped for. When I first came across “raw” I instinctively knew that I was onto something.

And I was! The better I felt and the more the weight came off, the more I felt vindicated. It was like I had discovered the motherload and I was just so excited. Indeed, it turns out that this “awakening” is very much a part of the whole “going raw” experience.

But as with anything really great, the entire truth is slightly more sobering.

The good news is that instead of going back to the drawing board, I trusted my instincts and just dug a little deeper. Before long it was clear. I was getting way too many calories from fat. Sure, “good” fat. But fat nevertheless.

Two avocados a day is ridiculous! But to someone who is still learning, two avo’s sounds perfectly healthy. I mean, it sure sounds a lot more healthy than fries or pizza.

5. Don’t give up when you miss your targets. Yes, I missed my targets so badly this quarter that I actually decided to revise them. But now the pressure is off again and I can get back to what is really constructive which is just quietly heading in the right direction at a more sedate pace … this time feeling more knowledgeable and a whole lot wiser.

One of the things that has always jarred me slightly is that I thought it made sense to get some momentum going, then lose both fat and muscle … as if the process was that controllable.

The fact is, controlling lean muscle mass and body fat percentage is not something as simple as putting a coin in a machine and waiting for a desired outcome to pop out.

So I have just got back to basics … focus on getting healthy and let the weight loss happen as a natural by-product. This now makes much more sense. Refinements can happen over time.

6. Actively focusing on eating less. I have always been clear that our addictions drive us far more than any other force. For this reason, deprivation was a lost cause as a strategy worth embracing. But the fact remains, it is tempting.

And when you fail, it is so mentally debilitating. So my focus instead is to eat what feels most natural for me. And if I fall from grace, so what.

Direction, not speed!

Which brings me to the end of this post. See, no mention of running. My new strategy will be to write longer posts, less frequently. I hope this new style will suit my readers more.

Remember, your feedback is always really appreciated. So don’t be shy!

I have noticed that a lot of people don’t return that frequently to this fine specimen of a blog because they aren’t that interested in my running exploits.

That’s perfectly understandable, but unfortunate for me as I love running and use it as my primary method of staying in shape.

Anyway, in an effort to yield to public opinion, I decided to republish a post I did earlier today on my companion blog “Health Essentials” . This wicked set of insights can be found at  Health Essentials Blog

Here is the post:

” … in no particular order.

1. Try to minimise emotional stress. Very often we turn to food as a way to numb our feelings. When we over-eat, so much of our energy is diverted towards digestion that we are left with very little to invest elsewhere. And of course, emotional stress also places a huge demand on our energy reserves too.

2. Clean house … and kitchen. Decluttering is always a good idea. But throwing out any food that we know is energy-sapping gives one even more satisfaction. Processed foods are a source of chemically-altered fats and refined sugars. In short they are “empty” calories, providing the drawback of excess calories without the attendant benefit of nutrients essential to proper cellular function.

This results in imbalance … and ultimately symptoms of this imbalance, such as excess body fat. Left unchecked, we become increasingly more at risk of serious illness such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

3. Go shopping every few days. Human beings were designed to respond best to a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables. And the only way to get these fresh is to buy them as close to harvest as you can get … and consume them quickly.

4. Daily activity. Just about every program on the internet today suggests we can get everything we need from 20 minutes or less of vigorous resistance exercise or interval training, maybe 3 times a week. This may be an efficient way of increasing your calorie burn post exercise … but it’s not enough to keep you physically fit.

And if you’re not physically fit, you can’t be that healthy. And if you’re not that healthy you are exposed to manifestations of this such as excess body fat.

5. Retire earlier. No, I don’t mean stop working. I mean go to bed earlier than you normally do. We spend our nights trying to de-stress in front of the computer or the TV. By the time we go to bed we are wired and our systems are full of the stress hormone cortisol. This works against melatonin, a natural sleep-inducing hormone … and we end up getting short-changed.

So go to bed earlier, read and gently wind down. When you close your eyes, learn to leave your day behind. When you sleep you recuperate. If you don’t get enough, fat loss will be virtually impossible.

6. Stop going out to eat … and ordering in. You always end up eating calorie-dense, nutrient depleted high-fat cooked “addiction” food. This may taste great, but it will set you back in your efforts to lose weight. Instead, make this an occasional treat so you still keep a healthy state of mind.

7. Social support. If your family aren’t with you when it comes to healthy eating initiatives, then you are fighting a losing battle. It’s just that simple. But don’t impose your regime on your family either. It all comes down to the art of negotiation. Don’t blow it, because fat loss doesn’t happen in a domestic war zone.

8. If you buy it, you will consume it. That goes for the booze you buy in case your friends pop over for a visit. And it goes for the chocolate you buy just for the occasional treat. When the addiction monster raises its ugly head, all resistance will crumble. Better not to have anything “on tap” in the first place. Temptation is much easier to resist that way.

9. Keep your head. If you have a blow out, don’t compound it. Dust yourself off and get back on track … and learn what you can for next time. Berating yourself will only make you feel worse and you want to keep your emotions on an even keel.

10. Finally, keep learning. Keep an open mind and never stop experimenting. But don’t become an information hound. Dig until you find someone who you think you can trust, then learn what you can from them while keeping an open mind. Don’t blow with the wind.

Until next time, my svelte little friends!”

I hope this makes a pleasant change of pace