Inspiring but of limited value

I found Nick Yphantides' personal story about how he lost weight both interesting and inspiring. However, how he lost his weight is not really all that applicable to people who live in the real world. Nick took time off from his job as a doctor to travel around the US in a camper van going from one baseball game to another (his passion). During this time he drank only protein shakes and despite the tempation of hot dogs and burgers at the baseball stadiums, he never cheated or waivered in his resolve to lose the weight. He was incredibly disciplined and focused, helped no doubt by the fact that he was doing something that he was very passionate about (ie watching baseball games) and he had support in the forms of friends and family who would join him at various stages of his trip. Whilst this all makes for an interesting story, it doesn't make for a helpful weight loss strategy because:
- not everyone can take time off from their busy stressful lives in order to go off and do something else (bills still need to be paid!)
- not everyone has the discipline to live off protein shakes until the weight has come off (I can't remember exactly how many calories Nick was eating but this was definitely a low calorie diet, under 1000 cals a day for sure)
- not everyone has the support network in place to help them shed the weight

I absolutely admire Nick for having achieved what he has, but I note that his story ends with him now living on a primarily protein rich and therefore limited diet. I felt a bit sad upon the conclusion of Nick's story because he's clearly had to trade most of the food he used to enjoy for the pleasure of being in a fit healthy body. I just wish there was a way of having it all !! But if Nick's story has taught me anything it's that will power and self-discipline are still necessary for weight loss and, sadly, most dieters are in short supply of both

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