How to Loose 30 Pounds in 3 Months
HEALTH AND FITNESS
MAKING A BIG CHANGE DOESN ’ T TAKE AS LONG AS YOU MIGHT THINK
Three months before my wedding , I had a realization : I don ’ t want to be a fat groom . After all , a cummerbund can only help so much . And besides , what kind of man would marry a beautiful woman knowing he ’ s going to die young ? that I became fully committed to change . That day arrived
when I met with Keith Berkowitz , M . D ., medical director of the Center for Balanced Health , in New York City . His specialty : turning the obese thin .
That ’ s not hyperbole . My 5 ’ 9 ’’ frame tipped the scales at 231 pounds , easily qualifying me as obese — a designation that advanced my biological age of 26 by 2 decades , according to a UCLA study .
More disturbing , a blood test showed that I was on the verge of diabetes , despite having no obvious symptoms ( other than a bulging belly ). For the first time , being fat felt irresponsible .
But dramatic change doesn ’ t take as long as youmight think . In 12 weeks , I lost 33 pounds and whittled 5 inches off my waist — just in time for our big day . And , even better , my latest blood work came back nearly normal . How ’ d I do it ? Keep reading .
The Tipping Point
Like most overweight men , I wasn ’ t proud of carrying around all that extra flab — especially since I ’ m an editor at Men ’ s Health . But it wasn ’ t until I literally feared for my life
When I showed up at his office , Dr . Berkowitz first analyzed a blood test I ’ d had done in preparation for our meeting . My triglycerides — a measure of the fat circulating in my bloodstream — were more than double what ’ s considered normal . I was also insulin resistant . That means my body was having to produce 10 times the amount of insulin — a hormone that signals your body to store fat — normally secreted by a healthy guy my age . Both of these measurements are key predictors of future heart disease . Can you say “ instant motivation ”?
Chances are , if you ’ re overweight , your blood work may look similar . Research shows that heavier men have higher cholesterol , triglycerides , and blood pressure than their leaner counterparts . And , according to Dr . Berkowitz , almost half of the population is insulin resistant . The most telling physical sign : abdominal fat . Still need a kick in the pants ? Ask your physician for a complete blood profile ; fear is a great
motivator .
60 4GUYS . CA