Choose FITness Not FATness Today!

An “over fifty grandpa” in his debut health/fitness book shares the diet/workout plan by which he achieved and maintains a 100-pound weight loss.

Though he tried many diets over the years, Wharton committed to serious weight loss after his grandkids remarked that “PePas” was one of those people “bigger than they need to be” and a stranger suggested bypass surgery. Drawing on his skills as a strategic planner, he tackled how to permanently lose 100 pounds within one year. His resulting plan was to eat and exercise in moderation, using a one-day-at-a-time approach informed by his previous commitment to alcoholism recovery. His diet, as laid out here, is focused not on counting calories but on cutting out sugary “crap” that often masquerades as healthy food. He recommends abstaining from foods on his “Red” list (generally sugary “white foods,” including white breads and corn products), largely eating “Green” foods (most vegetables, lean meats), and showing caution with “Yellow” foods (“high-fat” foods and “acceptable sweets,” including cheeses, bacon, dark chocolate, and even wine for those who partake). Lists and sample recipes and menus are provided. In a less prescriptive section on exercise, Wharton also recommends 30 minutes of exercise daily in a manner that makes you break a sweat. “If you combine your Red List abstinence with this simple exercise commitment and keep very gradually turning up the heat, your metabolism will be smoking hot (and so will you) before you know it!” he says, offering his own story as proof. Wharton’s self-tested plan is both sound and motivating. He provides an array of solid advice (e.g., check with a doctor before starting any program) as well as relatable, wry commentary about the allure of “crap” foods. His suggestion to “Picture all of the processed and white stuff as a Super Big Gulp of Elmer’s Glue” is a fabulous image to help resist Red food consumption.

An inspiring no-gimmicks approach to lasting weight loss.