Twitter exploded with questions yesterday when I announced I had lost 34 pounds and am only 1.8 pounds away from my goal weight.

How did I do it without dieting?

Be warned, you may not like what follows. You may not agree. But it worked for me.

Three simple steps and six months of absolute consistency:

1) I decided to start by running six miles three times (Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday) a week. I started very, very slow. A 12 minute plus pace. I use Jeff Galloway’s run/walk method. For me, that means run for six minutes, walk for one, then repeat.

I added one mile on Sunday every other week. I now run 13-15 miles every Sunday.

I also gradually sped up the pace. I am now running the long runs at about an eleven minute pace. Tuesday is an easy pace, Thursday is as fast as I can go. I just ran 6.2 miles yesterday at a 9:24 pace. My pace times include the walks. So to run a 9:24 pace taking a walk break every six minutes, that really calculates to around a 9:00 pace while running.

2) I started an upper body weight training regimen three times per week. Low weight, high reps.

For me that is bicep curls, tricep, shoulder, back, chest and arms. I started bicep curls at 45 lbs and 3 sets of 15 reps. I am now curling 115 lbs at 3 sets of 15. Same holds true for other exercises. Chest press started at 3 sets of 15 reps of 80 lbs and now it is 3 sets of 45 reps of 130 lbs. You get the idea.

I also started doing 45 sit-ups. I am now doing 200.

3) I skip one meal a day. Either breakfast or lunch. I eat no snacks. On the long run days on Sunday I eat three meals. I always have a cup of applesauce with a tablespoon of steel cut oats before my long run. I use GU sports gel at mile 7. I then enjoy a full breakfast. Bacon, eggs, biscuits, jelly—the works.

For days when I eat breakfast, I have a cup of rice mixed with two scrambled eggs and two strips of bacon.

For days when I have lunch, anything goes except fried foods.

At dinner, I drink and eat what I want. I have stayed away from most fried foods as a rule. I eat half portions of dessert, but usually opt out of dessert for an extra drink, coffee or glass of wine.

That’s it.

I have lost 34 pounds during this six months with these three simple steps.

I realize this is not for everybody, but it works for me and I find it enjoyable.

Question: What works for you?

If this was helpful, please pay it forward by clicking the buttons below.