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Good morning, 66.1ers.
Welcome to issue #127 of 66.1.

The boring stuff

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Setting the scene

I caught some heat for a LinkedIn post I published earlier this week.
Some told me the language I used was harsh (sorry, mom).

Others told me weight loss is simply a matter of “calories in, calories out”.

It was a fun conversation.
Before we dive in this week, a few questions for you…

Have you recently thought, “I look great, I feel great, and I’m happy with my weight”?

Or,

“My habits and routines have me on track to be fit and lean so I can dance at my granddaughter’s wedding decades from now?”

If you answered yes to these questions, then this week’s piece isn’t for you.

You’re better off continuing to do what it is you’re doing to maintain your healthy weight.
And, hey–if this is you, mind sending a reply here as to how you’re maintaining this healthy weight?

I’m always looking to learn more.

If you answered “no” to either of the questions above, this week’s piece is an effort to help you get back on track so you can lose weight (without Ozempic) and be there for your family.

Here are the 10 most common weight loss mistakes I’ve seen among the hundreds of coaching clients I’ve worked with:

Top 10 most common weight loss mistakes:

1. Eating as little as possible
   I talked to a prospective coaching client earlier this week who is eating just 1,000 calories per day.
   She is also training 2+ hours per day.

   That’s a serious calorie deficit.
   While her approach is logical, it hasn’t been effective.
   When you are in severe calorie restriction as this client is, your body goes into survival mode.
   It catabolizes muscle (because muscle burns more calories than fat) and turns it into fat (a source of energy when your body is in a calorie-scarce environment).
   You’ll need to eat in a calorie deficit, but don’t exceed a 500 calorie/day deficit.

2. Treating all calories as equal
   Remember that LinkedIn post I mentioned?
   Someone suggested that losing weight was all about “calories in, calories out”.

   While the math makes sense, weight loss is more than a simple math problem.
   It’s part math problem, part art project.
   Sure, you’ve got to eat in a calorie deficit.
   Imagine this side-by-side comparison, though:
   Person A eats only Cheetos for 3 months.
   They’re eating at a 500 calorie/day deficit, but all they eat is Cheetos.
   Person B eats only rice, steak, and broccoli for 3 months.
   They also eat at a 500 calorie/day deficit.
   Who’s going to have a healthier body after the end of 3 months?

3. Trying to outtrain a bad diet
   People are catching on to this one, but it’s still worth mentioning.
   Have you ever seen the gym bro who lifts weights in the morning, runs on his lunch break, then trains jiu jitsu in the evening?
   That’s cool, if that’s your jam.
   But I’ve seen more overweight guys who do this than I’ve seen healthy guys who do it.
   Why?

   Because they’re eating everything in sight.
   Sometimes that means a clean meal of steak and vegetables.
   Other times, though, it’s a milkshake and a Big Mac.
   When you aren’t fueling with clean food, you’re still likely to end up overweight and uncomfortable, no matter how hard you train.
   I advise clients to eat 1-ingredient foods 80% of the time.

   The vast majority of your calories burned on a daily basis come from your baseline metabolism, or basal metabolic rate.
   Not from your workouts.
   It’s like going into credit card debt and trying to make your money back trading crypto.

   Could be done, but it’s not all that likely.

   Better to just avoid the debt in the first place.

4. Focusing on the numbers
   Obsessively weighing yourself will help you lose weight.
   Counting calories will help you lose weight.
   Tracking your exercise will help you lose weight.
   BUT…

   Are these habits you wish to sustain for the next 10 years?
   What if there was a more sustainable approach?
   
   Quick aside: I surveyed my LinkedIn audience a couple weeks ago. 35% of people said their biggest health challenge was losing weight.

   

5. Overemphasizing cardio
   This is the person who thinks they’re going to lose weight by ellipticaling (not a word, but you get it–look up the elliptical machine) themselves into the ground.
   They’ll go hard on the elliptical for hours per day.
   And, while this will help maintain a calorie deficit, who is going to maintain this lifestyle?
   Why would you maintain this lifestyle?
   Cardio burns calories, but it’s also going to make you hungry.
   Get your cardio, but remember that it’s just one piece to the puzzle.

6. Chasing weight loss over improved body composition
   It’s one thing to lose weight.

   If you laid in bed all day and only ate a few handfuls of Cheetos for the next month, you’d lose weight.
   Obviously, this approach isn’t what needs to be done to build a healthy body.
   You’ll lose muscle mass.
   You’ll feel awful and have low energy.

7. Externalizing your locus of control
   This is a psychology term for “Deciding you can’t do it without Ozempic, Mounjaro, bariatric surgery, or something else.”
   All these medical technologies have their place.
   But they’ll never be a replacement for lifestyle change.
   People regain the weight after being on Ozempic if they don’t maintain their healthy routines.
   You’ve seen the bariatric surgery patient who has regained the weight they initially lost.
   If you’re starting down either the GLP-1 or surgery path for weight loss, ask your doctor about support from a health coach or other behavior change expert to make sure you’re getting the support you need to maintain the results you desire.

8. Prioritizing statistics over intuition
   You’ve heard me talk about how tech-free walks are important.
   How, before you count your steps, your calories burned, and your total minutes of activity, you need to figure out what it’s like to feel “good”.
   Do you think more clearly when you walk 3+ miles per day?
   I’ll bet you sleep better.
   Find what works for you first.
   Once you’ve recognized what it takes to feel “good”, start tracking your numbers with a wearable, if you so choose.
   This approach will allow you to identify the high-leverage activities for building your own health.
   The wearable will augment your understanding of your own body.
   Intuition first, technology second.

9. Going it alone

   If you’ve been reading 66.1 for a while now, you know that the health of your relationships is the #1 predictor of longevity.
   Your social circle is extremely important for your weight loss journey.
   Surround yourself with positive, supportive, and fit people, and your journey will be 10X easier.
   If you’re surrounded by negative people who discourage healthy change, losing weight will be nearly impossible.
   More on casting your life with positive people here.

10. Too much, too soon
    You’re not going to lose 30 pounds in 3 weeks.
    Not in a healthy fashion, anyway.
    As with anything difficult, it’s going to take time.
    Instead of implementing a crazy workout routine, an aggressive calorie deficit, and a restrictive diet all in week 1, you’ll need to start slow.
    Too much too soon and you’ll burn out, quickly regaining the weight.
    One small change at a time (I like to add or modify 1 habit every 2 weeks) and you’ll be in a totally different place 6 months from now.

Avoid these mistakes and weight loss won’t feel quite so difficult.
Have a question?
Send a reply to this email—I respond to every email from readers.

That’s all for this week.
Have fun out there.

Marcus