Ultra-Fat to Ultra-Fit: A Scientist's Rational Approach to Extreme Weight Loss and Optimal Fitness

Front Cover
Sentient Publications, 2009 - Health & Fitness - 256 pages
This book answers a seminal question that every overweight person has asked themselves at one time or another: If I really buckled down and tried to get in shape, just what am I capable of? The author, Noah Walton, decided to conduct a one-man experiment to find the answer. Armed with only his wits and a desire to lose a lot of weight, Noah set out to transform himself from a 340-pound blimp into an elite athlete. The book begins with Noah stepping onto the scale to confront the terrible reality of his physical condition. The book concludes five years later as he qualifies for and competes in the US National Triathlon Championships. The book is divided into two parts: a narrative section that connects the two events and a prescriptive section of advice and insights gained during the journey. Ranging from informative to humorous to emotional, the book strives to uncover the extent to which we can all take control of our lives and our bodies. In a world where 95% of diets fail, Noah's approach represents a fresh look at a very old problem. The book covers the complete range of human body types and offers advice for each. The author discusses his weight loss trials and tribulations in an easy-to-relate-to manner with a good dose of humour thrown in. He discusses the various reasons that weight loss is so hard for people and how he combated each issue. Five years of active research and work went into his experiment and he is still actively engaged in his unique approach to weight control and fitness.

From inside the book

Contents

341
12
Life in the Fasting Lane
23
Running on Fried Chicken
34
The Delusional State of the Merely BigBoned
42
Its Not the Heat Its the Humidity
50
Gastric Bypass
65
Going Long
72
Drowning in My Own Talent
86
One Big Weekend
139
Chicago
147
the Flight into Danger
156
Ironman
163
the Aftermath
182
National Championships
195
Musings on Weight loss
207
the Diet Establishment
231

Failure
99
Setting New Goals
105
the Rematch
113
An Unexpected trip
123
the Philosophy of Dieting
237
Social Aspects of Weight Loss
243
Notes
253
Copyright

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About the author (2009)

Walton, Noah |s Noah Walton is a scientist living in the San Francisco Bay area. He received his undergraduate degree in biology from Duke University and his PhD in neurobiology from the University of Florida. Noah leads a dual life as an athlete and scholar, competing in triathlons while publishing scientific studies. His scholarly work has been featured on CNN and in Scientific American and The New York Times. The legitimacy of the scientific aspects of Noah's foray into weight loss are underscored by his proven track record in biomedical research, where he has published numerous papers in top-tier scientific journals and presented work at international conferences. He effectively transformed himself from a couch potato into an athlete who qualified for, and succeeded in, the 70 mile US National Triathlon Championships. He has completed 2 Ironman (140 miles) races, 6 half-Ironmans, and an Olympic triathlon in the past 3 years. Noah's website is www.noahmwalton.com.

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