Don't fall into apathy, and don't succumb to the typical procrastination of 'as of next Monday'. You are not a bear in hibernation, so don't wait for the summer, or for 'Monday'. Life is always now! 'Now' is the true definition of living. And so as soon as you notice that your belt is tight and you have to loosen it by a hole - get on the job right away and kill the fat while it is still young. 'Old' fat is much harder to get rid of.

Remember that it is much easier to gain weight than to lose it. The body perceives weight gain as being positive and healthy - this is because stored excess fat is the body's 'larder', maintained for freezing winters, years of drought or seasons of plagues and low yields. The fat person will survive a bad season, while the lean will perish. Unfortunately, while this is still a valid justification in certain parts of the world, mainly Africa, it is a very poor rationalization for people who live in prosperous Western countries. For most of us, the body's view of fat is completely outdated.

By recognizing the fact that your body is programmed to gain fat very efficiently, you will realize that it is enough to overeat for just a few days to see the fat accumulating. And if you make an attempt to lose it, the fat will cling to your tummy like a drowning man holding on to a life raft. The source of this desperate attachment is yet another evolutionary code.


The body perceives an attempt to lose weight as a real existential danger, as if you are undergoing famine. To make sure you survive, the body consequently activates what is known as 'the starvation reflex', which means slowing down your metabolism and increasing your appetite.


That's the way it is. This reflex is as old as the human race. It is part of our evolutionary heritage but it is anachronistic, as will be explained later.

This understanding may prove very important to you. If you realize that this is the way the body operates, you will be careful not to let new fat sit for too long on the 'larder's shelves'. Don't allow fat to be incorporated into the body's reserves, because if you do the body will be 'mean spirited' when it is time to let go of it. It is far better to remove the excess fat immediately, before the body becomes possessive about it. And thus you'll learn to maintain your weight at a level that you are happy with, according to your understanding of what is healthy, comfortable, sexy, fashionable - or whatever standard that you abide to.