Weight Loss and Leadership

From 2015 to 2016, I was able to lose 170+ lbs. by following the 5 W’s.  I have also been able to maintain my target weight through the same practice.

Losing weight is easy when you adhere to the 5 W’s:

1. Wait – The simple practice of waiting before taking the first bite or drink is powerful!  It is a habit however that takes some work.  Prior to learning this habit, when I got stressed, I used to literally drink cup-fulls of M&M’s.  Our work kept M&M’s at the front desk and when we were driving to meet a deadline, I would take a plastic coffee cup, fill it up with M&M’s and drink it.  It was an impulse and the rush of the sugar would push me for the next hour until I crashed.   To stop this, I learned that I could take a walk around the office or eat an apple and resist the rush associated with my M&M fix.  Later, while maintaining my weight, I made up the concept of a Beer Walk.  After work in the summer at Austin Texas, I would have to walk to Banger’s ( a four mile trek both ways) in order to drink my daily beer allowance!  Find your method for waiting – something that breaks the impulse and you will be half way there.  Below is a picture of me when I habitually downed a few shots of M&M
2. Words – Another practice that helps with losing weight and keeping it off is writing thoughts and insights in a journal.  Many of the blog posts that you see on this site were created while I was working on my weight loss (this one however is new!).  I had two journals going while I was on my weight loss journey.  My first one was as part of Accenture Active.  My company – who by the way I owe an incredible debt to both for Accenture Active and for a discount to Weight Watchers – asked me to be one of the first Accenture Active journeyers.  One of the requirements was to keep a weekly blog. This blog helped immensely on holding me accountable both to myself and my followers.  The second journal may not seem directly related to Weight Loss but had a measurable impact on both losing weight and strengthening my soul.  Daily I record three things to be thankful for in my Kindness journal – as well as a record of people that treated me kindly.  Anger and being unthankful is often the culprit both of a hard heart and a flabby stomach.  I am no scientist but racing adrenaline and stress always seem to accompany a weight gain.  Working on your heart and soul cannot only make you a better person but can also help you in losing weight – a double whammy (ok enough with the W’s).
3. Walk – Some think you need to do cardio pump or PX 90 to lose weight and gain health.  Not true!  The simple art of walking can help take off the weight and keep it off.  I walk everyday (and no it is not always accompanied by a beer – see 1!).  one thing that has helped immensely on my walks is a little app available on your mobile phone called Overdrive.  If you have a library card and this app you can listen to audio books for free.  It really helps because a lot of times you will walk an extra mile just to hear the next chapter.  In 2017, I checked and I listened to 78 books while walking.  No better way to get a better mind and a better body.  Also, it can help you accomplish feats that you thought impossible.  In November 2016 I walked 50 miles in one day to raise money for Vets.  I will devote a blog to that later along with video from the walk.  But until then, here is a picture of me after finishing the 50 miles!
4.   Weight Watchers!  –  Ok I know their spoke person is now Oprah and you may have heard that you need to go to meetings and explore your feelings but Men this program works!  Here is why.  If you are analytical and like to understand the science of weight loss, it brings you the latest and greatest.  If you are a computer geek or an analytical, it has the best app and algorithm for determining weight loss.  If you like competition, you get to compete daily with yourself and weekly with the scale.  You even get medals!  Below is me getting my 100 lb medal with my teacher.  Lastly, you learn a lot by listening.  One day a person explained how they gained wait one week when not sleeping.  Bingo.  I had been stuck for two weeks and realized I needed to sleep. Take it from a West Pointer, Airborne soldier with the 9th ID, Weight Watchers works.
5. Water – which brings me to the last W.  Water.  How?  The other time I was stuck for a good two weeks, I learned from one of my fellow Weight Watcher members that I may not have drank enough water.  Water is one of the key components to weight loss. Sometimes you eat just because you are dehydrated. Also it keeps your metabolism up!  Drink water and feel full. Once I did that, I got back on track.

So there it is the 5 W’s (really 6 if you count Weight Watchers as two!).  Stick to the 5 W’s and watch as your weight is wasted away!