Matthew Yglesias, a well-known political blogger and journalist, once weighed 250 pounds. His weight had gradually increased, but it accelerated after he quit smoking. He replaced cigarettes with salty snacks, such as Combos and Stoned Wheat Thins. Despite regular gym visits, Yglesias did not see any progress. This is the story of how he shed 70 pounds in less than a year by changing his eating habits and lifestyle.
The Turning Point: An Expert's Advice
Yglesias's turning point came when he took advantage of a free session with a personal trainer at his gym. The trainer's advice was unexpected. He told Yglesias that weight loss is more about nutrition than exercise and that going to the gym alone would not be enough. This insight resonated with Yglesias, who, as a fact-checker for publications such as The Atlantic and the American Prospect and currently a fellow at the Center for American Progress, decided to investigate.
The Math of Weight Loss: Calories In vs. Calories Out
Yglesias's research confirmed that weight loss is primarily a math problem: calories consumed versus calories burned. He realized that if he could determine the number of calories a person at his ideal weight should consume, he could adjust his diet accordingly and begin to lose weight.
Counting Calories: A Simple but Effective Strategy
Yglesias started counting calories diligently in March. He found it "boring and annoying, but it works." He found it most difficult to account for calories in restaurant meals. He advised building in a margin of error and always overestimating.
Embracing an Active Lifestyle
Despite his aversion to exercise, Yglesias attended a few more sessions with the trainer. He no longer goes to the gym, which has closed, but he now walks to work, climbs ten flights of stairs to his office, and uses a standing desk for the majority of the day. He avoids sitting until 3 or 4 p.m.
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The Results: A Healthier, Happier Yglesias
Yglesias lost 70 pounds in less than a year after starting to count calories. At last check, he weighed 180 pounds, his target weight. He realized in retrospect how much he had been snacking out of nervousness and boredom. He learned to resist every impulse and now only eats when hungry.
Beyond Matthew Yglesias: Other Perspectives on Weight Loss
Matthew Yglesias's weight loss journey is inspiring, but it is not the only path to a healthier weight. Other methods, such as medication and surgery, have proven effective for many people.
The Role of Attention and Willpower
One individual lost about 45 pounds-about 20% of their maximum body weight-by simply eating less and exercising more. They realized that the key to weight loss was attention. They lost weight because they paid attention to their eating habits and stopped eating when they were no longer hungry.
Many people believe that losing weight without medication or surgery requires willpower. Willpower, however, can be viewed as a combination of pain tolerance and attention. Pain tolerance is the ability to withstand discomfort and distress. Attention, on the other hand, is the ability to focus on weight loss goals and make conscious food choices.
The Rise of Weight-Loss Drugs: A Technological Solution
Semaglutide, a diabetes drug sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, has been shown to be extremely effective in helping people lose weight. It works by suppressing appetite. Tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound) and retatrutide are two newer, more effective drugs in the same class (not yet approved).
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These drugs have revolutionized weight loss. Studies show that most Ozempic users keep the weight off or continue to lose weight after stopping the drug, with fewer than one in five regaining it all.
Bariatric Surgery: A Surgical Approach to Weight Loss
Endoscopic gastroplasty is a newer type of bariatric surgery in which a laser scope is inserted down your throat and your stomach is stitched-up from the inside to become a smaller organ. The advantage of this procedure is that it does not require an abdominal incision, resulting in a much easier recovery.
One individual weighed 272.1 pounds on September 19, 2021, and 202.6 pounds on September 19, 2023, after undergoing endoscopic gastroplasty. The surgery helped them lose weight and gain lean muscle.
The Importance of Lifestyle Changes
Bariatric surgery is not an alternative to diet and exercise. It is critical to make lifestyle changes to maintain weight loss after surgery. This includes eating a healthy diet, avoiding snacks and desserts, and exercising regularly.
One individual found that lifestyle changes were easy to adopt after surgery. The surgery made it easier to eat less food and avoid unhealthy snacks.
Read also: Weight Loss Strategies
The Challenges of Weight Loss: Plateaus and Regain
Weight loss can be challenging, and many people experience plateaus or regain weight. It is critical to stay consistent with lifestyle changes and seek support from healthcare professionals or support groups.
One individual found that they could easily get back down to ~210 after regaining weight, but it was a struggle to get from there to 200. They realized that they were in the regular struggle zone.
The Fat Acceptance Movement: A Counterpoint
The fat acceptance movement argues that people should accept themselves as they are, regardless of their weight. While this movement has good intentions, it is critical to recognize the health risks associated with obesity.
One individual was annoyed when doctors lectured them about weight loss when they consulted about their knee and heel problems. They were grateful when a doctor gave them actionable suggestions for stretches that would help. They realized that getting surgery and losing weight helped even more than the stretches.
The Importance of Medical Interventions
Medical interventions, such as weight-loss drugs and bariatric surgery, can be extremely useful for people who struggle with their weight. These interventions can help people lose weight and improve their health.
One individual is grateful to be a merely overweight person now rather than someone with Class 2 obesity. They are also curiously watching to see what the longer-term outcomes are.
The Puzzle of Obesity: A Long-Term Trend
Conventional wisdom holds that obesity rates began to rise sharply around 1980. However, data suggests that this is not a recent phenomenon. Weight gain has been occurring steadily for as long as we have had modern economic growth.
Komlos and Brabec explain in their paper on the evolution of BMI values that the 1980 discontinuity arises because of studies that "do not look at birth-cohort effects - that is, the evolution of weight among people of the same birth year."
The Role of Food Availability and Affordability
One of the main reasons for the long-term increase in weight is that food has become cheaper, more widely available, and tastier. This is a situation with a lot of virtues but also some downsides.
In today's more affluent society, it is much less common to need to choose between going hungry and eating something you don't like. The vast majority of Americans on the vast majority of days have access to food that we subjectively enjoy, and we also have the opportunity to rotate through foods if we get bored of them.