Weight Loss (My Best Tip and 3 Hacks) | Jason Fung

Summary

This video shares a weight loss secret from the 1970s: eating less frequently. People back then ate three meals a day without constant snacking, which contributed to their slim figures despite not following today's diet trends. The speaker suggests three practical tips to emulate this success: limiting food variety to reduce pleasure and overeating, fat fasting to control appetite by transitioning the body to burn fat, and exercising to distract from hunger and reduce stress.

Takeaways

• 😀 The 1970s had an obesity epidemic that was not as severe as today, despite people eating foods that might not be considered 'slimming' by today's standards.
• 🏠 People in the 1970s ate three main meals a day without constant snacking, which contributed to their slim figure.
• 🍞 The diet of the 1970s included white bread, processed meat, and sugary drinks, but the frequency of eating was lower, which might have offset the impact of these foods.
• 🍲 There was no government intervention or widespread diet industry in the 1970s, and people relied on family traditions for their eating habits.
• 🕰 The key to weight loss is not just about the type of food consumed but also the frequency of eating.
• 🔄 Since the 1970s, there has been a shift to more processed foods and an increase in the frequency of eating, which has contributed to weight gain.
• 🥪 To reduce eating frequency, the speaker suggests 'keeping it boring' by limiting the variety of foods, which naturally leads to eating less.
• 🥩 'Fat fasting' is a strategy proposed to control appetite by consuming high-fat foods for a period, which can help transition into fasting or restricted eating.
• 🏋️ Exercise is not primarily for weight loss but can help distract from hunger and reduce stress, which are both beneficial for controlling eating habits.
• 🌿 Engaging in outdoor activities or hobbies can provide a natural stress relief and help keep the mind off food, contributing to better eating habits.
• 👍 The speaker concludes that the best tip for staying thin is to not eat all the time, and provides three practical hacks to help achieve this.

Q & A

What was the key to staying slim in the 1970s according to the speaker?

The key to staying slim in the 1970s was not eating all the time, despite the consumption of foods that might not be considered healthy by today's standards.

Why did people in the 1970s seem to stay slim despite eating foods like sandwiches with processed meat and white bread?

People in the 1970s stayed slim because they generally ate three meals a day without constant snacking, which helped to control their overall calorie intake.

What is the obesity epidemic's approximate starting point mentioned in the script?

The obesity epidemic in North America is said to have really taken hold around 1977.

What was the speaker's lunch routine during their school years in the 1970s?

The speaker's lunch routine involved eating a sandwich made with white bread and processed meat, a juice box, and sometimes cookies packed by their mother.

How did the speaker describe the diet industry and exercise habits in the 1970s?

The speaker described the diet industry as relatively small and the aerobics boom as not yet having taken place, implying that people were not exercising as much as they might today.

What are the two important parts of weight loss mentioned by the speaker?

The two important parts of weight loss mentioned are the types of foods being eaten and the frequency of eating.

What changes have occurred since the 1970s regarding eating habits?

Since the 1970s, there has been an increase in the processing of foods, a tendency to eat out more often, and an increase in the frequency of eating from three times a day to close to six times a day.

What are the three practical hacks suggested by the speaker to avoid constant eating?

The three hacks suggested are: 1) Keeping food variety limited to avoid boredom and overeating, 2) Fat fasting to control appetite and transition the body into burning fat for fuel, and 3) Engaging in exercise to distract from hunger and reduce the focus on food.

How does limiting food variety help with weight loss according to the script?

Limiting food variety can help with weight loss by reducing the pleasure derived from eating the same foods repeatedly, making it less likely for individuals to overeat out of enjoyment.

What is the concept of 'fat fasting' as described in the script?

Fat fasting is a method to control appetite by allowing a period of very high fat foods, which helps the body transition into burning fat for fuel, making it easier to fast or eat less during subsequent periods.

How does exercise help with weight loss or control over eating according to the speaker?

Exercise helps by taking the mind off food, reducing hunger signals to the brain during high exertion activities, and by serving as a natural stress relief, which can help prevent stress-induced eating.

Outlines

00:00

🕒 The Secret to Effortless Slimness in the 1970s

The video script begins by introducing the topic of weight loss, focusing on the contrast between the 1970s and today's obesity epidemic. Despite the consumption of foods that might not be considered healthy by today's standards, people in the 1970s managed to stay slim. The narrator suggests that the key was not the type of food but the frequency of eating. The script highlights that the 1970s saw three meals a day with minimal snacking, unlike the modern trend of eating up to six times a day. The narrator also mentions the importance of the diet industry and exercise habits of the time, which were less prevalent, contributing to the slim figure of the era.

05:00

🍽️ Practical Weight Loss Hacks Inspired by the 1970s

This paragraph delves into practical tips for weight loss inspired by the eating habits of the 1970s. The first hack is to keep the food variety limited, which naturally reduces the amount of food consumed as the pleasure of eating diminishes over time. The second hack is 'fat fasting,' a method to control appetite by transitioning the body to burn fat for fuel, which can help manage hunger during fasting periods. Lastly, exercise is introduced as a means to distract from hunger, as physical activity redirects blood flow to muscles and reduces the focus on food. The script emphasizes the effectiveness of these methods in promoting a healthier eating pattern.

10:03

🏋️‍♂️ Recap: The Key to Staying Slim Like in the 1970s

The final paragraph summarizes the main points of the video script, emphasizing the importance of not eating all the time as a key to staying slim. It suggests that despite the abundance of food in today's world, the strategies of limiting food variety, engaging in fat fasting, and incorporating exercise can help control eating habits. The narrator encourages viewers to share the video if they found it helpful and ends with a call to action for likes, setting the stage for future content.

Keywords

💡Weight Loss

Weight loss refers to a reduction in body mass, often achieved through a combination of diet and exercise. In the video, weight loss is the central theme, with the presenter sharing a tip from the 1970s that contributed to people staying slim without much effort. The script emphasizes the contrast between past and present approaches to weight management.

💡Obesity Epidemic

The obesity epidemic is a widespread increase in the prevalence of obesity within a population. The script mentions that this issue became prominent around 1977 in North America, suggesting a change in lifestyle and eating habits that led to a significant rise in obesity rates.

💡1970s Diet

The 1970s diet refers to the eating habits and food choices of people during that decade. The script contrasts these habits with modern diets, noting that despite consuming foods like white bread and processed meat, people in the 1970s managed to stay slim, likely due to their eating patterns rather than the specific foods.

💡Diet Industry

The diet industry encompasses all commercial products and services designed to help individuals lose weight. The script points out that this industry was relatively small in the 1970s, implying that weight management was less of a commercial focus and more of a personal or familial matter.

💡Aerobics Boom

The aerobics boom refers to the surge in popularity of aerobic exercise, particularly in the 1980s. The script notes that this trend had not yet taken place in the 1970s, suggesting that physical activity levels were lower, yet people still maintained a slim figure.

💡Frequent Eating

Frequent eating is the habit of consuming food multiple times throughout the day, often beyond the traditional three meals. The script highlights a shift from three meals a day in the 1970s to nearly six times a day by the 2000s, indicating a potential contributor to the obesity epidemic.

💡Food Variety

Food variety refers to the range of different foods one consumes. The script suggests that limiting food variety can lead to reduced overall consumption, as the novelty and pleasure of eating the same foods can diminish over time.

💡Fat Fasting

Fat fasting is a dietary approach where individuals consume high-fat foods for a period to help control hunger and cravings. The script presents this as a hack to transition into a more disciplined eating pattern, especially beneficial for those struggling with hunger or cravings.

💡Exercise

Exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health. While the script acknowledges that exercise is not the most effective tool for weight loss due to the relatively small calorie burn, it emphasizes the mental distraction from food and the stress-relief benefits of physical activity.

💡Natural Foods

Natural foods are those that are minimally processed and free from artificial additives. The script suggests that eating natural foods can help limit food variety and reduce the likelihood of overeating, as they are less likely to be designed to be addictive like many processed foods.

💡Processed Foods

Processed foods are products made from raw ingredients and transformed through industrial processing. The script implies that the increase in consumption of processed foods, which are often high in additives and designed to be palatable, may contribute to overeating and weight gain.

Highlights

The obesity epidemic in North America became prominent around 1977, but prior to that, people managed to stay slim without strict diet plans.

Despite eating foods that might not be considered slimming today, such as sandwiches with white bread and processed meat, people in the 1970s stayed slim.

There was no government intervention or diet industry influence on eating habits in the 1970s.

People in the 1970s ate three meals a day without constant snacking, which contributed to their slim figures.

The frequency of eating, not just the food choices, plays a crucial role in weight management.

Processed foods and eating out have increased since the 1970s, potentially contributing to weight gain.

By the 2000s, people were eating nearly twice as often as in the 1970s, which could impact weight.

Limiting the variety of foods can naturally reduce the amount one eats, as the pleasure of eating diminishes over time.

Natural foods can help limit food variety because they are less likely to be addictive compared to processed foods.

Fat fasting is a method to control appetite by transitioning the body to burn fat for fuel, making fasting easier.

Exercise can help with weight loss by distracting from hunger and reducing the focus on food.

Engaging in outdoor activities or sports can provide a natural stress relief and reduce the urge to eat.

Practical tips for not overeating include exercising, fat fasting, and limiting food variety.

The secret to staying slim in the 1970s was not eating all the time, a habit that contrasts with today's constant availability of food.

Sharing these weight loss tips can potentially help others learn and apply them for their benefit.

The presenter encourages viewers to like the video for more content on this topic.

Transcripts

today i'm going to share with you my

best weight loss

tip something that the people in the

1970s

used to their advantage to almost

effortlessly

stay slim and it's coming right up

the obesity epidemic in north america

really took hold about 1977.

prior to that people were not really

watching what they

ate and yet they were able to stay

effortlessly slim what was their big

secret

i grew up in the 1970s and when i think

back

on what i ate it probably wasn't

foods that people would consider

slimming today

i ate a sandwich almost every single day

for lunch

which was two slabs of white bread with

processed meat in the middle i'd have a

juice box

and maybe some cookies that my mom

packed and it wasn't just me

from grade 1 until grade 13

pretty well everybody in my class would

brown bag their lunch and eat it in the

cafeteria

nobody ate kale nobody ate quinoa nobody

ate whole wheat pasta

whole wheat bread was around but very

few people ate it

not many people were watching their fats

or their carbs there's

the diet industry was relatively small

the aerobics

boom hadn't taken place so people were

not exercising that much

either so looking at that you might

expect that there was a lot

of problems with weight but there wasn't

in fact people seemed to stay slim

almost no matter what they ate there was

no

government programs telling you what to

eat your mom told you what to eat

and that was a bit about it so

why was there so little obesity well

here's the secret they didn't eat all

the time

there's two important parts about

weight loss one is that the foods that

they were eating

and the second thing is how often you're

eating and those two things go hand in

hand

if you are eating all these foods that

are not particularly

healthy as judged by today's standards

the white bread and the sandwiches and

the juice box and the cookies

well if you're not eating all the time

well it may not be

that bad overall if you're to eat it

constantly then that can be a problem

and there's been changes since the 1970s

in both

what we're eating and how often we're

eating

the foods that we eat are now much more

processed they tend to be

a lot less natural than they used to be

we tend to eat out a lot more than we

used to be and those are things that we

talk about in our diet

but we also have to talk about how often

we're eating because there's been a big

change since the 1970s

back then people ate three times a day

breakfast lunch and dinner

and if you tried to eat snacks well

nobody really thought it was a good idea

your mom would not have snacks available

if you wanted an after dinner snack she

would say hey you should eat more at

dinner time

there was no eating at your table

there's no eating

at the computer there's no eating in

front of the tv

none of that it was breakfast lunch

dinner that's it

in the 70s people ate about three times

a day by the 2000s people were eating

close to six times a day so that's going

to make a big

difference both of those are very

important

and while i'm not trying to say that the

foods we're eating are not important

we have to look at how often we're

eating as well

and that was the secret to the success

in the 1970s but how to do this

practically i have three

hacks that you can use to stop yourself

from eating all the time number one

keep it boring if you limit the variety

of foods that you eat

you're naturally going to eat less

if you are eating the same foods over

and over and over again

in my case the sandwich every day

i'm going to be a lot less prone to

eating too much of this

there's two big reasons why we eat one

is that we're hungry but that's not the

only reason we eat

we also eat because we enjoy it

food is delicious so therefore

you can eat for hunger or you can eat

for pleasure

if you are eating the same foods again

and again and again

the pleasure starts to diminish and it

doesn't matter what food it is

if you're eating it every day it soon

becomes routine and it soon becomes

boring then you're going to eat until

you're no longer hungry

but you're not going to eat more because

you simply don't want to

that's often the secret with a lot of

restrictive diets

if you have a diet for example that cuts

out

meat you're going to naturally limit the

food variety

if you have a diet that cuts out

vegetables and is meat only

you're going to keep it boring if you

have a diet that is very low in carbs

you're going to eat a less variety of

foods if you are eating low fat you're

going to have

low variety of foods and so on and so on

so the secret to success for a lot of

diets is simply

that they limit the food variety and you

can

do this yourself once you understand the

power of

limiting food variety it's often

also important to eat natural foods

because there is a natural

limit to how often we can eat them

without getting bored

whereas processed foods are often

designed

to be addictive so adding a lot of

msg or adding a lot of salt or additives

or sugars

keeps the foods interesting to us even

when

we would naturally get bored of them

number two

fat fasting this is

a hack to try and get control of your

appetite for people who really struggle

with

hunger or with cravings and the idea

is to allow a period of very high fat

foods by doing this this allows

the body to transition into burning fat

for fuel

which then makes it easy when you're

trying to

not eat or fast for longer periods of

time

where you're going to try and rely on

your stores of body fat because

whether the body is burning dietary fat

or body fat

it's the same process if you're coming

off a period

of high carbs and high sugar like the

holidays for example or you're having

extreme stress extreme hunger extreme

cravings you can allow your period of

fat fasting

before getting into a period of

restricted eating the idea is to stave

off the hunger

by only eating very high fat foods

no dairy or nuts because it's very easy

to overeat them

but things like eggs bacon salmon

sardines

olive oil avocado butter and any of the

leafy greens

teas coffees and bone broths are also

allowed

even if you wind up eating a lot and

very often in the first few days

it'll gradually taper off and then

you'll be able to control that hunger

more easily and this is one hack that we

found

successful in our clinic at the

fastingmethod.com

to transition people into a more orderly

form of eating number three

exercise exercise is

generally not that effective as a weight

loss

tool because the number of calories that

you

burn during exercise generally is very

small compared to how many we eat

in a day however there are huge benefits

to exercise and one of them

is to take your mind off of food

think about a time that you're playing

basketball or playing soccer or going

for a

bicycle ride or going for a run in the

middle of that exercise

have you ever thought wow i'm really

hungry

probably not because if you're in the

middle of high exertion you're in the

middle of a tennis game your focus

is on playing the game the

muscles are demanding the blood it's the

blood is not there for your digestive

system

so you're not thinking about food you're

not hungry

and you're shutting down your digestive

system in order to

shunt the blood over to the working

muscles so it's a great way if you have

trouble keeping your mind off of the

food

to do some form of exercise the other

thing that's

often very good about exercise is if you

can get out into nature if you're going

for a

long hike or a long bicycle ride

a walk along the river or something like

that

that is a natural stress relief

and it's how we evolve to handle stress

so picking up a hobby picking up

some kind of exercise or game is a great

way

to stop eating all the time it really

gives you something else to do that is

going to

take that hunger away because you're

focused and your

blood supply is going away to your

muscles

instead of to your stomach and you're

not thinking about the hunger

in summary my best tip

to staying thin like it's 1970

don't eat all the time it's not so easy

in today's world

where food is all around us there's fast

food joints

everywhere we go and even in our

workplaces

but there's hacks you can use one

you can try exercising number two

you can try fat fasting three

keep it boring limit the number of foods

that you eat

and you will naturally reduce the number

of times

that you eat them

if you enjoyed this maybe share it with

somebody you might help them

they might learn something too and

if you could do me a favor and hit that

like button down below

thanks for watching i'll see you next

week