Someone who hasn’t been in the gym for a couple of years reached out. They’d lost a lot of weight back then… and recently gained it back. They were hard on themselves and said, “I’m going to hit the gym five days a week and jump back on that strict diet.”
I recommended the opposite.
Two to three training days per week.
Change one daily habit. That’s it.
For this person, dinner was the trap. So we agreed on:
• One plate at dinner—no seconds.
• Skip dessert on weeknights.
Nothing else (yet). Why? Because your body follows your normal behavior. If you create a short-term, extreme routine, it works only while you’re in that routine. When you go back to your true normal, your body goes back too.
The real reason weight comes back
Most of us can “white-knuckle” big changes for a few weeks. But if those behaviors aren’t sustainable, they fade—and so do the results. The goal isn’t a six-week sprint; it’sbuilding a new normal you can live in without hating your life.
The language trap
“I’ll diet and train hard until I reach my goal.”
That tiny word—until—implies you’ll revert after you “arrive.” If you haven’t cemented new habits, your old habits return, and so does the weight.
A steadier plan (that actually sticks)
Start here for the next 4–6 weeks:
• Strength train 2–3 days/week. Book your sessions and protect them.
• Pick one calorie-reducing habit that fits your reality (examples below) and do it daily.
• Walk most days. 6–10k steps is great—just move more than you do now.
Low-friction habit ideas (choose one):
• One plate at dinner; no seconds
• No dessert on weeknights
• Replace liquid calories (soda/alcohol/juice) with water/zero-cal on weekdays
• Protein + produce first at lunch/dinner, then decide on starch/fats
• Kitchen closed after a set time
Why “less” is more
Small, durable changes create a new baseline. Once that feels automatic, add one more. This is how you become the person who keeps the result—without living in extremes.
If this sounds like someone you know, forward this email. Sometimes it’s not a lack of effort; it’s a lack of a sane plan.
– James Pratt