I really hate the title of this hub.  It sounds so infomercially... but it is true.  I lost 20 pounds in 2 months... and a little more since then... and you can too!

When I got serious about losing weight and getting into really good shape, I weighed about 180 pounds on a five-foot, six-inch frame.  I have always been stocky so my 5-6, 180 was never an obese one and I hardly even appeared overweight.  That said - I had a gut and really no business weighing 180.  In two months I dropped to 160.  And now in month three, I am flirting with 158.  I would like to get down to about 150, which, given my stocky build, is probably the lowest realistic weight I could hope to obtain.  Plus at some point it is only a number; it's all about being healthy. 

A few months ago I looked at my gut peeking out of my tight, 34-inch waist pants and decided I was not going to be part of the commonly cited overweight and obesity statistic:  Two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese.  Plus I wanted to feel better, look better, and get faster on my bike as I planned to race for the first time in my life.  So I comitted to shedding pounds.  I am sort of shocked at how easy it all was when I truly got real and stuck to it.  Here's what I did...

• I am not sure if there is any scientific merit to this or not, but over the last several months I have not eaten anything after about 8-9 p.m. a minimum of five nights a week.
• As often cited, I eat relatively small frequent meals. Even if I cheat, maybe my metabolism is running well at such a pace?
• Most mornings - and definitely before a hard bike ride - I have a serving of Cytosport's Muscle Milk. Good stuff and though I have no proof I think it helps make you lean as long as you are active and eating an otherwise healthy diet.
• And the food I eat is quite narrow... check out this list!

1. Most mornings and/or evenings for dinner: Bob's Red Mill Steel Cut Oats or Irish Oatmeal.
2. Every fruit imaginable.
3. Vegetables including lettuce, tomato, avocado, and cucumbers.
4. Nuts.
5. Lean meats, namely fish (salmon and catfish most often) and chicken.
6. Yogurt.
7. Brown Rice (often with vegetables and 1-2 tablespoons of soy sauce).
8. Lara Bars.
9. Cytomax when I am biking as well as GU Energy Gel.
10. And that's about it, although I have fallen off of the wagon with carne asada or carnitas and my good old vice, donuts, from time to time!
11. And how could I forget? No alcohol at all for several months. At this point, I don't think I will ever drink again.

• I think the main reason why this is working is two-fold. One, the diet is sound. High fiber, high protein, only good cards, and low fat. Two, I exercise a lot. I commute by bike to work 4-5 times a week - 25 miles roundtrip. Additionally, to train for races and quench my love for the bike I ride an additional 50 to 150 miles per week.
  

It's not that hard to lose weight.  I don't care who you are.  Certainly some face real medical (physical and mental) obstacles, but everything else is merely an excuse.  If you commit yourself to some form of strenuous exercise (build up to it at least) and you can hang with a narrow, albeit healthy diet, you can do this.  Bottom line.