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The Couch Potato Guide to Losing Weight Fast

Updated on June 3, 2010

Introduction

Losing weight is a constant battle for many people, and the battle is often one lost over and over again.  Whether it be lack of exercise, lack of motivation, or lack of caring, many people put on a lot of weight that they find is harder to lose than it was to gain.  Today's society is plagued with laziness, and the overwhelming option to take the easy way out and be happy with how you look - but many people look in the mirror and are not happy with their body.  I was once one of those people.

My biggest problem was my love for snacks, and my love of television.  You could not get me unstuck from the couch, unless there was no one around to fetch me a Twinkie.  I didn't realize that I had a weight problem until my friends started to give me nicknames that I didn't much care for:  piggy, fat boy, and tubby.  This only depressed me, and I started to hide food and eat in secret, thinking it would solve my problem, but it only made things worse.

I knew that something had to change, but I was too embarrassed to exercise in public, and I was often too lazy or tired to really get out and try my best to lose weight.  But something inside of me knew that I had to change, and I developed a technique of my own.  In four months, I lost 65 pounds of fat, without ever taking a jog around the block, and without ever giving in to fad diets.  I call this routine the Couch Potato Guide to Losing Weight.

8 minute abs

Do Jumping Jacks!

Running in Place

The Plan of Action

When I was overweight, I would often sit in front of the television, believing the ads that I saw for the latest weight loss device or workout routine. I was very naïve, and I really thought that the exercises that I saw must do some good. Then, one day, I saw an Eight Minute Abs commercial, and it changed my life. Not because I bought the video, and not because I believed the hype.

The commercial changed my life , because the spokesman said there were four exercises, performed for two minutes each, that will give you a six pack. Observing the commercial, I noticed the people performing four different exercises. So, I knew the entire routine without ever having to purchase the video. I laid on the floor and performed these exercises during every commercial break of the day. Then another realization donned on me.

I knew I was not going to lose weight by building up my ab muscles. However, I figured out that I could do exercises during commercial breaks on TV, never leave the living room, exercise for at least two hours a day, and maybe I would get in shape. Sixty Five pounds later, I am stunned at how right I was.

The first thing that you must do on the Couch Potato Guide is get motivated to lose weight. Watch all of the beautiful people on TV, figure out who you wish you looked like, and then make a plan of attack. Every single time there is a commercial break while you are watching TV, get up and get moving.

Make sure that you stretch very well before you start exercising for the day to prevent injuries and unneeded stress on your body. It's simple from here on out.

The first important part of this guide is exercise. The exercises that I did were to run in place as fast as I could for two minutes, and then to do jumping jacks and squat thrusts for two minutes as fast as I could. The key point to remember is that you have to get your heart rate up very high for your body to burn stored fat. No matter what exercise you choose to perform, it must get your heart rate up high and keep it high.

The best part about this exercise plan is that after only four or five minutes of excruciating cardio, you get to sit back down and watch television for another eight minutes. This method of exercise is certainly not the most efficient form out there - most experts recommend one hour of continuous exercise of increasing intensity. However, this method worked for me, and is certainly better than nothing. Not to mention, it is going to keep your heart moving throughout the day, every day. This is going to increase your metabolism, which will increase your overall health, and help you drop the pounds fast.

The other important part of this guide is diet. You do not have to become a rabbit, and you do not have to give up your favorite food. What you should give up, is empty calories. For me, it meant cutting out cakes, cookies, and sweets in general. I still ate fast food, and I still ate other junk food - but I did it in moderation. Watch the recommended serving sizes on the food that you eat, and you will see that most young children eat more than the recommended serving for a full grown adult. If you just need to eat something that is unhealthy, eat it only once per day, and only eat one serving of it. The same goes for regular food - eat what you want, just eat less. Instead of five McDonald's burgers, eat only one chicken sandwich. If you want to jump-start your own weight loss, you could also just eat healthy and sensibly:  vegetables, lean meat, and low fat. 

One other important thing - I used to ask people to get me a snack when they were in the kitchen. It sounds trivial, but I calculated over one summer that I burned over 10,000 calories by simply getting up to get my own food. You get the idea? Diet reasonably, exercise often and easily, and this plan will prove my point.


Conclusion

I am certain that some people will disagree with me on this guide, but you cannot argue with results.  I went from 230 lbs to 165 pounds over the course of one Summer, and it has changed my life.  I am actually the skinny guy out of all of my friends.  I went from tubby, piggy, fat boy to thin, healthy, and loving the way I look.  Whenever I feel that I have put on a little weight, I learn to recognize the problem, work out the way I was working out, and I get right back to being thin.  My life has changed, and being fit has made me feel happy, become more outgoing, and keep the weight off by being active in public.  I know that you can change your life too following this simplest of plans, which seems unlikely, but really works for any couch potato that needs an easy way to lose some weight.  You will never have to miss your favorite show, can skip annoying commercials, lose weight, eat what you want, and get in the best shape of your life. 

Why not accept the challenge and give it a start today?  You have nothing to lose except inches.

working

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