What works.

With 44% of Americans now obese, weight loss is a big deal and a big business. In fact, The?Keto diet?has been the most "Googled" diet in 2018 and 2020 and shows no sign of letting up. One recent market report found that the "global?ketogenic?diet food market is forecasted to reach USD 14.75 billion in 2027, at an estimated compound annual growth rate of 5.5% during the forecast period.

Despite Keto, countless social media fitness influencers, more specialists than ever, and countless"studies", 65% of all dieters gain their weight loss back within three years. Here is how I beat the odds and going on almost four years of sustained weight loss, despite operating living in a continuous adverse environment for over 2+ years now. Please note this is not "medical" advice, just sharing what has worked for me.

I also have a hypothyroid due to Hashimoto's and am on hormone replacement therapy due to the loss of my ovaries in my 30s.

My diet and exercise habits have resulted in the following:

Sustained weight loss of 40lbs for nearly four years now... no diet pills, keto required. I am 44 years old, 133lbs, and 5'10" tall.

Slashed cholesterol by 40% without a single pill

No more allergies (I was being advised to have sinus cavity surgery in 2017 and 2018)

Blood pressure hovers around 110/70 (often lower!)

V02 Max of 51, giving me a fitness age of 20 and top 5% of my age group

Being hit by a car recently demonstrated the strength and density of my bones

Mental Strength and Clarity

I exercise for at least 60 minutes daily, whether walking, swimming, cycling, running, or weightlifting.

I have averaged over 13,000 steps daily since I began wearing my Garmin watch in 2018.?

I stopped eating out and cook at home with one ingredient whole foods.

I do my best to avoid enriched flour products, corn syrup, refined sugar, and dairy except for full-fat organic butter.

I stopped consuming alcohol in 2020. As a result, my energy is through the roof with very little inflammation. And no, I don't miss alcohol or feel like I am missing out. My goals don't involve alcohol.

I limit caffeine intake to tea in the early mornings.

I consume fresh fruit or dark chocolate to keep my sweet tooth in check.?

I consume a balanced diet of fat, carbs, and protein. I do eat a high-volume diet with a lot of fresh fruit and veggies in my diet.?

Go to Fats: Unrefined coconut oil, organic butter, avocados, nuts, olive oil, nut butter(s), fatty fish, and eggs.?

I eat at least a dozen eggs a week, including the egg yolk.

Unrefined coconut oil is antimicrobial; I find it works wonders for gut health.

Protein: Poultry, Eggs, Fish, Nuts, Beans, Shellfish. I do not think there is anything wrong with red meat or pork; it is just a personal preference that I prefer fish, poultry, and eggs.

Carbs: Fresh Fruit, Veggies, Potatoes (white and sweet on rotation), rice (I prefer Basmati), oatmeal, popcorn (I make at home with salt, no butter)

I use oatmeal ground up as flour, coconut flour, or almond flour. I do not purchase refined white flour.

My go-to breakfast is typically oatmeal banana or sweet potato pancakes I make at home using at least two eggs and oatmeal flour cooked in coconut oil with maple syrup.

Here's my advice if you want to lose weight for good:

Watch the calories you drink:?Stop consuming juice, soda, mixed alcohol, and high-calorie coffee drinks.?The stuff is loaded with refined sugar, corn syrup, and countless chemicals like food coloring. A 16-ounce cappuccino has about 33 grams of sugar!?

With regards to sweeteners, I use?100% organic maple syrup, raw honey, and coconut sugar.?I stopped consuming all artificial sweeteners in 2018. Honey and Maple Syrup are loaded with nutrients that our bodies need.?

Cook at home to control what you consume.?I walked into a popular Mexican restaurant once and ordered three plain hardshell chicken tacos that set me back 800 calories despite ordering with no cheese, no guac, no sour cream, no side chips, or soda. Restaurant food and ultra-processed food often leave you hungry because it is designed to be addictive and often full of nutritionally void ingredients like soy lecithin.?

Move for at least?10,000 steps every single day.?

Resistance training 3x a week.

Stop using food as a reward.

Spend time with people who support your goals, not those who sabotage them.

Be careful where you get advice from and think about their motives (particularly financial)