Baleka Siphiwe - 4-minute fit: the metabolism accelerator for the time crunched, deskbound, and stressed-out

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Copyright 2017 by Siphiwe Baleka and Jon Wertheim

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Touchstone Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

First Touchstone trade paperback edition March 2017

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This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its author. It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subjects addressed in the publication. It is sold with the understanding that the author and publisher are not engaged in rendering medical, health, or any other kind of personal professional services in the book. The reader should consult his or her medical, health, or other competent professional before adopting any of the suggestions in this book or drawing inferences from it. The author and publisher specifically disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book.

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Interior design by Jill Putorti

Cover design by Dan Rambert

All images Brooke Partridge, except: Yale University: .

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Baleka, Siphiwe. author. | Wertheim, L. Jon., author.

Title: 4-minute fit : the weight loss solution for the time-crunched, deskbound, and stressed-out / by Siphiwe Baleka, America's Fittest Trucker, with L. Jon Wertheim.

Other titles: Four minute fit

Description: New York : Touchstone, 2017.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016038003| ISBN 9781501129773 (paperback) | ISBN 9781501129834 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Weight lossPopular works. | ExercisePopular works. | BISAC: HEALTH & FITNESS / Weight Loss. | HEALTH & FITNESS / Diets. | HEALTH & FITNESS / Exercise.

Classification: LCC RM222.2 .B35 2017 | DDC 613.7/12dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016038003

ISBN 978-1-5011-2977-3

ISBN 978-1-5011-2983-4 (ebook)

To my father, who has taught me the meaning of unconditional love; and to Robert Low, Founder of Prime, Inc., whose vision and commitment to truck driver health and wellness are unparalleled among fleet owners, and whose professional and personal support has been instrumental in Fitness Truckings mission to revolutionize the industry

What youre about to read is a take on weight loss unlike any other ever created, one built on real-world experience and proven effective on the most weight-challenged population in the world. Because Im not a nutritionist or a weight-loss guru or a TV host peddling a new diet trend or a crazy new exercise fad.

Im a truck driver.

You might say that Im at ground zero for the obesity war. For the last decade, Ive worked in the long-haul trucking industry, statistically the least healthy occupation in America and the line of work with the highest incidence of obesity. Ive seen firsthand how obesity ravages a body, diminishes a life, erodes self-confidence, and ultimately kills. Ive worked alongside people who believe they have no control over their lives, who long ago resigned themselves to irreversible weight gain and early death.

You see, truck drivers might be a unique breed, but the challenges they face are the same that most of us face: too much driving, too much sitting, and too many bad food choices. And you dont have to be locked into a cross-country haul to experience the damaging effects of the drivers seat. In fact, a 2016 study in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology , a British medical journal, found that those of us who drive to work weigh more and have a higher percentage of body fat than those who get back and forth by other methodsincluding even public transportation.

In fact, those of us who drive more than thirty minutes each way to work can pack on an extra 15 pounds every two years, say researchers. Sitting is bad for us for a number of reasons, but one of them is because it decreases our levels of LPL (lipoprotein lipase), a fat-burning enzyme secreted by the large muscles in our legs. It also damages our bone density while raising overall blood pressure, putting our muscles, our hearts, and even our brains at risk.

The stereotype is that people who spend all that time on their butts do it because theyre not motivated. But thats simply not true; the reality is that most of us work really hard, and nowadays working hard means being locked into a seated position.

And all that hard work is doing us damage. Consider this: A Cleveland Clinic study found that since 1995, the average age of people suffering potentially deadly heart attacks has dropped from age sixty-four down to age sixty, and 40 percent of those heart attacks can be linked to obesity. High blood pressure, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are the primary contributors, the researchers said. Another study found that people who sit for six hours a day or more are 40 percent more likely to die over the next fifteen years than those who sit for less than three hours a day. And a 2016 study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that about 4 percent of all deaths can be attributed directly to spending too much time on our butts.

Its ironic: We live at a time when its never been easier to live healthy. Restaurants give us calorie counts for the food were about to order. We wear watches on our wrists that track how many steps we walk during a day and the quality of our sleep. Everywhere you look, theres a new gym, fitness center, or a yoga studio. Yet, overall, obesity rates have never been higher.

Maybe, up until now, youve been one of those people fightingand losingthe battle against fat. Chances are, youre unhappy with how you look. Disappointed in your energy levels. Worried about the creeping health threats presented by your expanding weight, from back pain to diabetes to heart disease. Frustrated by the impact its had on your quality of life, from limited flexibility to a lackluster sex drive.

And maybe, like many of us, youve tried different methods to try to get back some controlfad diet plans, exercise routines, and specialty health foods that do little more than make your life miserable, whittling away your time, money, and energy while having only the slightest impact on your weight.