I have been trying to write a review of Lose Weight Here for weeks, but I don’t feel ready to review this book yet.
I read it. I did well following the advice for the first week and then something happened: Chloe. Since we got our puppy, Chloe, my schedule keeps changing. Just when I think I have it down, Chloe has to eat lunch at a new time. Or Chloe needs to go to the vet for her shots. Or Chloe has explosive diarrhea…all over my bedroom carpet.
So I never seem to be able to get in a workout groove. I’m constantly just trying to fit it in, and that is not sustainable. I’ve always done better at being consistent with my workouts if I consistently do them at a certain time. But I haven’t been able to find a certain time.
So I don’t feel like I’ve given this book a fair shot. Instead of a review, here are some of my thoughts on the book so far, plus what it is…
After I read Lose Weight Here (I got the Kindle version), I thought, Why did I put off buying this book for so long?
I loved what the authors of The Metabolic Effect Diet had to say in that, their first, book. And I got results after following the philosophies in the ME book, so why did I wait so long?
First, I was thinking it might be the same information I’d read in The Metabolic Effect Diet. And some of it is, but there’s more. In my opinion, Lose Weight Here (LWH) is the next level of The Metabolic Effect Diet (ME).
Second, can I address the title? Because it really turned me off.
I feel like Jade and Keoni Teta are either really good at naming their books or really terrible. It depends on your camp. If you are looking at the titles from a health POV, then they are terrible. If you are looking at them from a marketing POV, then they’re geniuses.
I don’t like “fixes” or “weight loss plans” or “detoxes” or any of that stuff, so the title Lose Weight Here did not appeal to me.
Luckily, I already trust the authors. The Teta brothers are both natural doctors (they earned their degrees from the highly respected natural health institution, Bastyr University, which is right here in the Pacific Northwest).
But let’s get over the title of Lose Weight Here? Because the book is actually totally awesome.
Who is Lose Weight Here For?
Before I talk about my experience following LWH’s fat-loss ideas, I want to note that the book’s philosophy is not for everyone.
LWH is probably not for you if you are training for long-distance endurance events, such as half or full marathons, and Ironmans.
LWH probably is for you if you:
-have trouble getting motivated to work out at all,
-feel out of control with your eating habits/nutrition,
-are tired of doing workouts, but not seeing results, and/or
-want to build a leaner body.
And here’s a quick reminder that you don’t get anything you want in life without a little work. You get out what you put in, and that applies to your health and this book, too.
My Weight Loss Background
If you’ve been reading this blog for a few years, then you know I started working on being healthier in 2009 after gaining post-pregnancy weight and dealing with a back issue.
I did this by running because I wanted to “get in shape” and, ultimately, wanted to run a marathon. It worked…for a little while. I lost weight, but my body didn’t really change much. I just got to be a smaller-puffy version of the bigger-puffy one.
But I did become a better runner, and that’s mainly what I was after. It’s all about your goal. What is your goal? Mine was to run a marathon, which I did in 2011 (and again this fall). Mission(s) accomplished. Now, my goal is different.
Fat Loss and Weight Loss
After I ran my marathon in 2011, I started to get really annoyed with the fact that I would run and/or bike for hours and hours every week and would actually gain weight. I tried eating less and less. That didn’t work either and (now I know) that was really unhealthy and wrecked my metabolism.
A couple years later, I read The Metabolic Effect Diet (ME) and it. changed. everything. Suddenly, I understood why I had such a hard time losing weight: It wasn’t all about how much I was eating, it was also about what I was eating. It was also what I was doing: Eating less and exercising more was not the solution.
ME taught me that lifting weights (gaining muscle) was the key to fat loss for me. Oh, and I figured out it was fat loss I was after, not just weight loss. I didn’t know that muscle burns fat until I read ME.
I also learned that while no food is necessarily “bad” for me, different foods affect me in different ways. There is a fat and carb tipping point when it comes to my metabolism—too much carb and/or fat, and I gain weight. Too little, and I don’t feel well.
LWH is similar to ME in that it explains the science behind fat loss. You’ll learn about the metabolism and hormones. If you didn’t read ME, then definitely read this information in LWH. If you did read ME, you can probably skim or skip it in LWH. I read it because I felt I needed to brush up on the science.
The heart of LWH is two fat-loss philosophies that were introduced in ME, but that LWH takes to the next level: Eat Less, Exercise Less (ELEL) and Eat More, Exercise More (EMEM).
What you don’t want to do is Eat Less, Exercise More or Eat More, Exercise Less!
(Pro tip: Nutrition should always be your first priority when it comes to fat loss.)
I don’t want to give away too much because the authors went to school for a long time, and they worked hard writing this book, so they deserve to get paid for the information. But here’s a little taste:
For two weeks you Eat Less, Exercise Less. This is not a popular philosophy, but (spoiler alert), so far I have felt best during the ELEL weeks. My stomach got flatter and I lost weight.
Nutrition during ELEL is 3 meals: high protein and veggies for both breakfast and lunch, and for dinner it’s the same except you add some whole food carbs (such as sweet potatoes).
I thought I would have a hard time transitioning to only three meals a day (since I was eating like 6-8 times a day before), but since the meals are higher in protein and satisfying, I only struggled with craving habits (when you’re in the habit of doing something, such as eating junk when you get home from work…*ahem*). And that only lasted a couple days.
I found I was less hangry and mean during ELEL. I was less crunched for time, and I was able to get in all my workouts.
Working out on ELEL is easy. LWH suggests walking about an hour a day, and then two traditional weight lifting workouts (heavy weights; lots of rest between sets). That’s it. I adored this, but was excited by the end of the second week to get my sweat on in the Eat More, Exercise More weeks.
Nutrition during EMEM is not a whole lot different from nutrition during ELEL, except you eat one more meal–after your workout. Unfortunately, my EMEM phase fell during the same time we were going through some nutrition difficulties with puppy Chloe. I was stressing and snacking a lot more than I would like–I even made myself sick a couple of times. So, I don’t feel like I gave these weeks a fair try at all. I did not follow the nutrition advice.
Note: LWH gives you tips and advice on how to deal with cravings, and how to manage your HEC (Hunger, Energy, Cravings).
The walking workouts during EMEM are more time consuming. The authors want you to find up to two hours each day to walk if you can. I was able to get more walking in by doing bits here and there–15 minutes on the treadmill until I had to clean up puppy poop, 15 more while my son got ready for bed, etc. I just left the time up on my treadmill and then continued. But I was never able to get to two hours.
During EMEM, the authors also want you to do 3 days of 20-minute metabolic chain workouts (they give them to you), and 3 days of 20-minute rest-based interval training (for example, sprints with rest intervals). I love these types of workouts and enjoyed them very much. I wasn’t making nutrition a priority, though, so I gained weight. But I did lose an inch on my belly.
So, after 4 weeks, I’m in Week 1 of ELEL again. It hasn’t been going that well, honestly, because we are still in a state of craziness here at my house. But, if I’ve learned anything from the Tetas (and Jade’s wife Jill Coleman of JillFit), it’s that every meal is a brand new chance to eat well (and treat yourself well). So no guilt!
The other thing LWH prescribes is rest and relaxation. I did not get enough of that, for sure. But I was more aware of it, and got a few restful moments in here and there.
I really like what Lose Weight Here is about. Nutrition first, then strength and plenty of R&R. And also, I think my arms look pretty good.
Want to see/hear more about how I do using Lose Weight Here’s advice? Follow this blog, or follow me @momvsmarathon for more frequent (but shorter) updates on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.