I was inspired by a report from Portland local news channel KGW that family had lost 513 lb ( 233 kg) of weight in total. What are the key factors for their successful weight loss?

It all started in April 2009 with Dave Boring, married father of 3, who weighed more than 300 lb (136 kg). He was on prescription medication for cholesterol and high blood pressure. He decided that he “just needed to get healthy’ and made up his mind to lose weight.

Dave started one step at a time and in 2 years lost 180 lb (81 kg). He achieved this by eating less and working out more; he ate 6 small meals a day and did cardiovascular exercise 6 days a week, slowly adding weight training.

As Dave progressed, the people around him; his wife, parents and siblings, started to notice the changes in him and wanted to have the same health benefits. So, the whole family got involved and they lost 513 lb (233 kg) in total as a family!

The family medical history has been bad. Heart disease, stroke, diabetes are common among the family members. Dave’s parents even needed a machine to help breathe in the night. Now, there is no need for medications nor machines.

One of the key to success was using the egg-shaped capsule called Bod Pod, which measures the body composition of fat and lean muscle mass and resting metabolic rate. This help to determine how much calories to eat. Dave was using this to track his progress and he was so impressed that he started a company marketing the Bod Pod.

5 key factors for success we can learn from Dave Boring and his family:

1) Determination and dedication

Once you make up your mind to get healthy, you need to be dedicated and persevere to change a lifetime of unhealthy eating habits.

2) Eat less

Eat fewer calories. Many small meals a day is better than 3 big meals. Eat more fruits and vegetables, as they are low in calories but high in nutrients.

3) Exercise

There is no running away from this. Exercise regularly is important to build fitness and burn fats.

4) Monitor your progress

Monitor your body composition of fat, lean muscle mass and resting metabolic rate. This can help to track your progress and stay on course. The Bod Pod capsule is one way. You can also find similar machine from Omron.

5) Patience

Be patient as it takes time. It took Dave 2 years to achieve his target. So, do not expect those weights that took you several years to put on, to lose them in months.

If you apply these 5 factors into your weight loss program, I have no doubt that you will achieve your weight loss goals. And you will reap the reward of a healthier body that is free from medications.

For more information on the story, check out KGW

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