The weight loss industry is a multi-billion dollar behemoth, yet obesity rates continue to climb in the developed world, particularly in the United States. Many individuals embark on weight loss programs, only to abandon them within a month, and a significant number of those who succeed in losing weight eventually regain it. This suggests a fundamental flaw in the conventional approach to weight loss. Mark Manson, author of "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck," offers a unique perspective on weight loss, emphasizing the importance of mindset and attitudes towards health. This article delves into Manson's weight loss philosophy, drawing from his personal experiences and insights, as well as the transformative journey of Kelvin, who lost 266 pounds.
Manson's Philosophy: Mindset Over Fad Diets
Manson believes that successful weight loss hinges on fundamental behaviors and one's orientation towards those behaviors. He argues that the difficulty of losing weight is often self-imposed, stemming from psychological and emotional factors rather than purely physical ones. He emphasizes that weight loss is as much psychological as it is physical, and that counting calories and workout plans are fine, but we don’t change our behaviors without dealing with our mind and our emotions.
Manson's interest in weight loss was piqued when a reader named Kelvin shared his story of losing 266 pounds through traditional methods. Manson collaborated with Kelvin to refine and share his story, highlighting the power of mindset in achieving weight loss goals.
Kelvin's Journey: From "Fat Kid" to Health Enthusiast
Kelvin's story is a testament to the transformative power of mindset and perseverance. As a deaf individual, Kelvin faced unique challenges in his journey. He recalls being overweight as early as seven years old and being given nicknames based on his size in gym class. By high school, he embraced the "fat guy" identity to fit in, joining the football team and masking his emotions with a smile. However, inside, he was miserable.
In college, Kelvin's habits worsened, and his weight reached an embarrassing point. He became addicted to the feeling of being full, using food as a drug. During a summer break, his grandmother's intervention served as a wake-up call. She reminded him of his past struggles with Spinal Meningitis and urged him to take control of his life.
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Inspired by his grandmother's words, Kelvin joined a gym and stepped on the scale, which read 484 pounds. This number served as a harsh reality check, prompting him to take action. He started with a simple routine of riding a stationary bike for 40 minutes to an hour each day. He also cleaned up his diet, focusing on grilled chicken, fruits, and vegetables.
The Power of Small Changes and Positive Feedback
Kelvin's initial success fueled his motivation to continue. He found that success breeds success, and the positive feedback he received from others further encouraged him. By the time he graduated, he had lost 130 pounds.
However, Kelvin's journey didn't end there. He recognized that he still had more work to do. He became more focused on nutrition, refined his diet, and incorporated weightlifting into his routine. He adopted "losing weight" as his identity, which gave him pride and confidence.
Today, Kelvin weighs 218 pounds. He emphasizes that there is no endpoint to his journey and that he is constantly challenging himself. He believes that anyone can achieve similar results by finding something to drive them and changing how they see themselves.
Key Takeaways from Manson and Kelvin's Approach
- Address the psychological and emotional aspects of weight loss: Recognize that weight loss is not just about calories and exercise but also about understanding your relationship with food and your body.
- Find your story: Identify the underlying reasons for your weight gain and create a compelling narrative for your transformation.
- Start small and build momentum: Begin with manageable changes to your diet and exercise routine, and gradually increase the intensity and duration.
- Focus on the cue, not just the behavior: Instead of focusing on "working out," focus on developing a routine around initiating a workout.
- Find enjoyment in the process: Choose activities you enjoy to make exercise sustainable in the long term.
- Embrace the "easy mode" version of your desired habit: If you want to lose weight by walking for 20 minutes after dinner each night (note: the dinner is your cue), then it feels very easy to accomplish, and therefore it is.
- Reward yourself: Incorporate healthy rewards into your routine to reinforce positive behaviors.
- Don't be afraid to fail: Missing one or a handful of opportunities to practice a desired habit will not ruin your chances at establishing that habit in the long run.
- Develop a plan for when things go wrong: Anticipate challenges and temptations and create strategies to overcome them.
- Adopt a growth mindset: View weight loss as a continuous process of learning and improvement.
The Science of Habits: Cues, Behaviors, and Rewards
Manson's emphasis on mindset aligns with the science of habit formation. Habits are behaviors we perform on a regular basis, with some component of it being automatic. Charles Duhigg, in his book "The Power of Habit," explains that habits consist of three main parts:
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- Cue: An environmental trigger that initiates the behavior.
- Behavior: The action or response to the cue.
- Reward: A positive stimulus that reinforces the behavior.
To create new, healthy habits, it's essential to be intentional with all three parts. Manipulate your environment to introduce cues that you can then intentionally start to associate with a desired behavior and reinforce it all with a reward.
Practical Strategies for Habit Formation
- Focus on the cue: Instead of focusing on the behavior, focus on developing a routine around initiating a workout.
- Make it easy: Start with small, manageable steps that you can't say no to.
- Just show up: Focus your energy on just showing up.
- Have a plan for when things go wrong: Anticipate challenges and temptations and create strategies to overcome them.
- Don't strive for perfection: Those who develop solid habits do so not because they are 100% perfect in their execution, it’s because they’re able to consistently correct their course when they get off track.
Breaking Bad Habits
Bad habits work in the same way as good habits. To break a bad habit, identify the cues that trigger it and modify your environment to remove those cues. For example, if you're an anxious eater, learn to manage your anxiety through alternative coping mechanisms. If you're prone to boredom snacking, remove all snacks from your house.
Manson's Personal Health Journey
Mark Manson has also undergone his own health transformation. Over the past 5 years, I’ve completely changed my relationship to my health. Prior to that, I was overweight, pre-diabetic, and having chest pains in my mid-30s. I thought maybe eating a salad once a week and going for a run every now then would take care of it. I was wrong. Since then, I’ve lost 60 pounds (~30kg). I now enjoy exercising regularly and I eat healthy and nutritious foods. My daily life is much more physically active and I get way better sleep. I’m happy with my health now-but it took a long time to get here. I’m not going to share a bunch of workout routines or complicated diets. What worked for me might not work for you. But I can share what I went through to get here in the hopes that you, too, might change how you think about your health and take it more seriously. I think most people who are unhealthy are delusional. The environment matters so fucking much. I’m optimizing for longevity. I don’t need to have abs or be jacked.
Additional Tips for Weight Loss and Healthy Living
- Drink water with electrolytes: Often, when you think you're hungry, you're actually just thirsty.
- Walk in sunlight: Walking is low-intensity exercise, which is perfect for blunting hunger. Doing it in the sun helps your body absorb vitamin D, which can help regulate your mood and energy levels.
- Line up your diet to fit your lifestyle.
- Take daily walks after work to deal with stress and act as a form of cardio.
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