Here are the facts: In January 2001, I weighed 338 lbs (153 kilos). 11 months later in November, I weighed in at 255 lbs (115 kilos). So how did I lose 83 lbs (38 kilos)? It was easier than I thought and it didn't involve removing any of my limbs!

It started in January of 2001 when I realized the obvious: I was overweight. In the past couple of years, I made my New Year's Resolution to lose 30 lbs but just found myself fatter a month later. But in the beginning of 2001, I knew something had to change... and fast.

The first thing I did was I changed my lifestyle. I was addicted to movies and the Internet so I replaced some of that time with jogs around the block. I also started going to the gym. I started at about 45 minutes a session once a week and moved my way up to 75 minute sessions 2-3 times a week. I never weighed myself for 2 months and I barely changed my eating habits. I figured that if I concentrated on changing to a more active lifestyle, my weight would gradually drop.

By May, I stepped on the scales to find that I had lost 12 pounds.

In June, I took a job working in the mountains as a teacher of archaeology and astronomy. For three months, from 9am to 5pm, I taught kids how to do archaeology - a job that required a lot of activity. On my days off, I would prepare for my European pilgrimage by hiking in the surrounding area. Average 2-day trip was about 13 miles (20 kilometers). At camp, I didn't have access to the fast food restaurants or snacks - it was just three well-rounded meals a day. (usually two since I'd skip breakfast)

By the time I was getting packed for my mid-September flight, I was down to 300 lbs (136 kilos) and in really good shape!

In Europe, I lost another 45 lbs (20 kilos) without even thinking about it. It was mainly due to the following reasons:

• 1 - I had a budget of roughly US$19 a day for all expenses. I became a penny pincher in order to keep to my budget. I'd skip the restaurants and cafes and go directly to supermarkets when I was hungry or thirsty. For 77 days, I ate mostly bread (w/ butter), fruits, yogurts, pastries, and the occasional meal. I also kept a container of the most-delicious Nutella, a chocolate spread that goes on just about anything peanut butter would go on. It is a fantastic source for a quick energy boost!
• 2 - Liquids, liquids and more liquids! I drank big 1-1.5 liter bottles of water or ice tea each day. Although I had a minor addiction to Fanta soda (especially the Exotic flavor) the first 6 weeks in Europe, I slowly removed it from my diet entirely and stuck with drinks that had less sugar in them. It's amazing how you begin to gain a craving for a nice big bottle of cold water after a long day's hike.
• 3 - On top of the diet, I found myself walking miles and miles a day. Most of the time without realizing it. When you are traveling, you tend to concentrate on the sites and not on how far you walk. Sometimes, at the end of a day of travel and sightseeing, I'd mentally review how far I walked since I woke up. Sometimes my daily walking took me into the double digits of miles! I'd go to sleep in my tent proud of the fact that I wasn't too sore or too tired considering the amount of exercise I had just done.
• 4 - In the LAX International Airport on September 10th, I weighed my backpack on their scales. It read 58.9 lbs (26.7 kilos). At first I thought I was insane to bring so much stuff (see WHAT I PACKED) but I had done enough hiking in the mountains and packed the bag in such a way where I didn't really feel all that weight. Nonetheless (or more), the physical load of my backpack must have played an important part in my weightloss.