Hairy Bikers are a couple of bikers who have lost a significant amount of weight and now enjoy cooking healthy meals for themselves and their families. Through careful planning and rigorous exercise, they have managed to shed a combined total of 136 pounds, and they continue to inspire people everywhere to follow their lead.
Inspiration
When Jens and Marianne, a German couple, decided to slim down, they initially turned to traditional methods such as calorie counting and portion control, which typically work for most people. But after struggling with yo-yo dieting, they decided to try something different. Instead of focusing on what they were giving up, they decided to focus on what they were gaining, and that was a whole new approach.
“We decided to take a long-term view and look at losing weight as a process, not an event,” Jens says. “We wanted to develop a sustainable approach to weight loss that wouldn’t depend on willpower alone, so we combined calorie counting with a little bit of behavior modification.”
How They Did It
To shed the pounds, Jens and Marianne started by biking to work, cutting out sugary drinks and desserts, and eating more vegetables and fruits. As they got fitter, they started cooking more elaborate meals for themselves and their families. They also eliminated all the foods that they felt they had a tendency towards, such as potato chips, pasta, and rice, which they replaced with more nutritious options, like vegetables, brown rice, and quinoa.
While it’s always convenient to order takeout, skipping meals and heading straight for dessert doesn’t offer the same benefits as cooking your own food, which automatically registers on your waistline as fewer calories.
“In the beginning, it was quite hard to get used to cooking food that we didn’t normally eat,” says Marianne. “But now, we look at the process of creating a meal as more stimulating than the actual consumption of the food. It’s not just about the food, but about joining together a bunch of flavors to make something that is new.
The Results
After an eight-week program of cooking on a regular basis, the Harleys have lost a total of 36 pounds. While this is no magical weight loss formula, it does offer proof that learning to cook can be an effective way to shed pounds and improve overall health.
“Eating well is not about eating certain foods or avoiding others,” Jens points out. “It’s about eating the right amount of nutrients in the right proportions, so when you do eat something that you don’t particularly like, you’re not left feeling unsatisfied.”
Thanks to their newfound passion for cooking, Jens and Marianne have been able to share their recipes with others, and have received many compliments on their unique and delectable cuisine, making them even more motivated to continue cooking.
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