Weight loss
Would you like to lose 40 pounds in 90 days?
Yes? Then you have come to the wrong website. 95 percent of diets work in the first 90 days and then fail over the next 6-9 months. If it took you 30 years to gain the 40 pounds, they are not coming off and staying off in 90 days, unless you’re using Semaglutide, which has its own very serious issues.
That magical weight-loss story is as real as the photo above, which was generated in seconds by AI.
There’s a better way.
For the rest of us, we can lose weight slowly and work to keep it off. It’s not a crash program. It’s a new lifestyle. It consists of small, incremental changes that aren’t too different from your life today, but the little differences add up. So let me ask again:
Would you like to lose just one pound a week until you’re back at your normal weight?
One pound a week sounds doable, but it’s 52 pounds a year. If it took you 25 years to gain 50 pounds, do you really think it will all come off in one year and stay off? Again, you’re not looking for weight loss, you’re looking for a guy like Dr Spencer, who promises you’ll lose one pound a week and makes it sound reasonable. Try him and then come back here when it doesn’t work.
Would you like to lose five pounds in 90 days and keep those pounds off forever?
Yes? Then you have come to the right website. That’s 20 pounds a year, which is about all anyone can lose and keep off forever. The first 25 percent of the work is losing the weight. The next 75 percent is keeping it off. Once you’re sure you have control and the weight isn’t coming back, you can push on.
If you do it right, you can lose 20 pounds in the first year and perhaps (depends on you and your body) another 20 pounds in the second year and keep those pounds off for good. That’s as much as 40 pounds in two years, but it may take four years, because almost all the work is in maintaining the weight loss. That’s reality. It’s also just 2-4 years away, which isn’t that bad. Look back four years ago - were you trying to lose weight then? How did that go?
Strategy first
If you ask any dietician or nutritionist, especially a certified dietitian or nutritionist: “What’s the healthiest diet?” and he/she starts giving you a lecture on what a “healthy diet is,” possibly mentioning a “Mediterranean diet,” or a “low-carb diet,” or a “low-fat diet” — just leave. There’s only one answer to that question: “I would need to see your bloodwork, understand any pre-existing conditions, and learn about your exercise and diet history before I could recommend any kind of diet for you.”
Strategy first. That means I need a recent blood test. If you don’t have one, I’ll send you a sheet with the tests I want. The most important numbers are:
A1c (insulin resistance)
ApoB (cardiovascular disease risk)
Number of pounds of fat to lose
With those three numbers, we can determine your diet plan (see below).
You can’t lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. When you read about people doing this, you are reading marketing material. While it’s theoretically possible, in practice for most people it isn’t. First, you lose the fat and build your cardio routine. Then you change and add muscle later. We want to target your body fat percentage to below 15 percent for men and under 25 percent for women. The longer you've been fat, the longer it will take to lose and keep it off. You’ll need a combination of diet, exercise, and supplements. We'll design a sensible weight-loss program and make sure you can stick with it. No fads, no crash diets, no drugs.
The name of this game is consistency
If you are coachable and patient, I can get you to your goals. I won’t promise miracles. In fact, go with the person who promises miracles and then come back when that doesn’t work. You’ll need to set realistic expectations and plan on a slow, 180-degree transformation that has everyone wondering how you did it — over two years, not two months.
You'll get weekly individual instruction and feedback, we’ll track your progress, and you’ll keep your commitments.
The diet triangle
Every person is a shape inside this triangle:
In our initial consultation, after I see your bloodwork, I’ll make this triangle for you and we’ll set diet, exercise, and weight-loss goals.
Sample two-Year Weight-Loss Program
This program is for a 55-year-old man who is 40 pounds overweight, likely insulin-resistant, seeking health, independence, and functionality. For a woman, it would be similar but include hormone replacement therapy. The goal is to lose 40 pounds over two years (104 weeks, ~0.4 lbs/week) while building a sustainable routine. The plan uses a strict ketogenic diet (<20 g carbs/day) for fat loss and insulin sensitivity, incorporates cardio for heart health, resistance training for hypertrophy and strength, and balance exercises for functionality, prioritizing enjoyment to ensure adherence.
Year 1: Foundation (Weeks 1–52, Lose 20–25 lbs)
Goal: Lose half the weight (20–25 lbs, down to around 175–180 lbs), establish ketosis, improve insulin sensitivity (A1c <5.6%), and build exercise habits you enjoy.
Nutrition:
Strict Ketogenic Diet: <20 g carbs/day (e.g., spinach, broccoli, avocados), ensuring deep ketosis (ketones 0.5–3.0 mmol/L) for fat loss [web:7].
Protein: 1 g/lb goal body weight (~160 g/day, e.g., eggs, chicken, salmon, whey protein) to preserve muscle, per Dr. Mike Israetel [web:5].
Calories: 500–750 kcal deficit (roughly 1,500–1,800 kcal/day for a 200-lb person), with 60–70% fats (e.g., olive oil, nuts) for satiety.
Meals: 3–4 meals/day (e.g., breakfast: eggs with spinach; lunch: grilled chicken salad; dinner: salmon with asparagus; snack: keto protein shake).
Supplements: Electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium).
Hydration: 2–3 L water/day to support ketosis and exercise.
Exercise (Weekly Routine, 3–5 hours):
Cardio (2–3 sessions, 60–90 min total, Enjoyable): Moderate intensity, chosen based on preference to boost heart health and burn calories [web:6].
Options: Brisk walking (parks, treadmill), cycling (outdoor or stationary), swimming, or group classes (e.g., Zumba, low-impact aerobics).
Example: 3x30 min walks (e.g., neighborhood stroll with music, ~150–200 kcal/session).
Intensity: Aim to sweat and maintain zone-2 performance, heart rate 50–70% max (e.g., 90–120 bpm for a 55-year-old).
Resistance Training (1–2 sessions, 30–60 min total, Simple): Beginner-friendly to preserve muscle and build hypertrophy.
Exercises: Full-body, bodyweight or light weights (e.g., chair squats, wall push-ups, seated dumbbell rows, 5–10 lb weights).
Structure: 8–12 reps, 1–2 sets, 3–5 exercises (e.g., squats, push-ups, rows, bicep curls, leg raises).
Example: 1x45 min home workout (bodyweight circuit with music) or 1x30 min gym session (light weights, trainer-guided).
Balance Training (1–2 sessions, 15–30 min total, Fun): Improves stability to prevent falls, integrated into cardio or resistance [web:6].
Exercises: Single-leg stands (hold 10–30 s/side), heel-to-toe walking, or balance board wobbles.
Example: 2x10 min (e.g., stand on one leg while brushing teeth, or add balance moves to cardio walks).
Fun Factor: Pair with music or outdoor settings (e.g., balance on a park path).
Recovery:
Sleep: 7–9 hours/night, critical for fat loss, muscle retention, and insulin sensitivity [web:5].
Rest: 48–72 hours between resistance sessions; cardio can be daily if low-impact.
Monitoring:
Weight: don’t measure too closely, it doesn’t pay to be obsessed by 1-2 pound weight changes.
Insulin Resistance: A1c (aim <5.6%), checked every 6 months.
Ketosis: Urine strips or blood ketone meter (0.5–3.0 mmol/L).
Year 2: Refinement (Weeks 53–104, Lose another 15–20 lbs)
Goal: Lose remaining weight (~15–20 lbs, reach ~160 lbs), solidify habits, increase exercise intensity, and prepare for maintenance.
Nutrition:
Continue Strict Keto diet
Variety: Use keto-friendly recipes and learn some new ones.
Supplements/Hydration: Continue 2–3 L water/day.
Exercise (Weekly Routine, 4–6 hours):
Cardio (3–4 sessions, 90–120 min total, zone-2.
Options: Walking (extend to 40 min), cycling, swimming, or try new classes (e.g., aqua aerobics).
Example: 3x30 min walks + 1x30 min cycling class.
Try rucking on walks of 4-6 miles.
Intensity: Maintain 50–70% max heart rate.
Resistance Training (2–3 sessions per week)
Exercises: Progress to light weights (10–20 lb) or resistance bands (e.g., goblet squats, bench press, lat pulldowns, leg curls).
Example: 2x45 min gym sessions (weights with trainer) or 2x30 min home workouts (bands, bodyweight).
In this year, we will add osteogenic exercise to begin building bone.
We will also work on motor units and plyometrics for fast-twitch muscles.
Recovery:
Same: 7–9 hours sleep, 48–72 hours rest between lifting, daily light cardio.
Maintenance Phase (Year 3 Onward, Maintain weight at around 160 lbs)
Goal: Keep weight off, sustain ketosis or transition to low-carb, and maintain a fun, balanced exercise routine for heart health, strength, balance, and hypertrophy. On a diet that works, you don’t need a scale or too much monitoring — you’ll be able to tell how things are going by looking at the mirror and listening to what others say.