Interview with the Author Johnny T.
Flynn
Interview with Johnny T. Flynn author of the
book Heavy Lettuce – Adventures of a Journeyman Dieter. Purchase Johnny’s book Here or visit Johnny at
www.heavylettuce.com
Johnny, Thanks for taking the time to do this
interview for www.weightloss-articles.com.
Bill – Johnny, what inspired you to
write Heavy Lettuce?
Johnny -I
underwent shoulder surgery a few years back, and the lack of
activity had caused me to gain a ton (by ton I really mean
30 pounds or so). I had plenty of time to think, so I tried
to write all than I knew about dieting, trying to figure out
why I had not been successful in losing weight over the past
15 years or so. The more I wrote about weight-loss – tips,
stories, ideas – the more I realized that I had a book’s
worth of material. Right then I decided I would write my
book for myself, and hopefully, fellow dieters would see
themselves in my writing.
Bill – What do
you think the single biggest mistake people make when trying
to lose weight?
Johnny -I
think most people do not keep an accurate record of how many
calories they are consuming each day. People forget that
they had a handful of M&Ms or they ate an extra serving of
food. Dieters must also realize that when the serving size
on a package says one cup, that really means just one cup.
And I can tell you that one cup is much smaller than we
think. The best way to beat this is to write everything down
that you eat and measure the volume of your breakfast cereal
or other food accurately. Once you’ve been doing that for a
month, it will become automatic.
Bill – What do
you think is the most important first step for someone to
take when trying to change their lifestyle?
Johnny -Writing
in a journal can be very helpful in this situation. It only
takes 15 minutes a day or less, but you need to monitor
yourself and rededicate yourself to any changes each day.
It’s easy to tell yourself that you need a five day break
from your “new and healthier” life, but the more you go back
to your old eating habits, the less likely you will be to
ever make the necessary changes in your life. So remind
yourself each day and keep focused. Imagine what you’ll look
like if you succeed. It doesn’t have to be just a mirage.
Bill – Johnny, do
you have any peeves about the diet industry? For example –
one of my peeves has always been the before and after
pictures used in diet supplement advertisements. The ones
where the “after” guy or girl has a great tan, less body,
hair, better smile, and usually a model of the opposite sex
hanging on their arm.
Johnny -I
really hate to see all those different types of exercise
“machines” on TV. They all promise very fast changes that
aren’t really possible. What they are trying to sell you is
dreams, and apparently many people fall for that. Well, they
say a fool and his or her money are soon parted. Most of
those machines end up in your basement behind all the other
junk you don’t want anymore. Sometimes I think that a stick
and a rubber band would be better than some of the junk you
see on TV. I especially hate all the different abs machines.
What is wrong with a sit-up or a crunch? The answer to that
is that these advertisers can’t make any money off of a
sit-up. Not all machines are bad. I have a Total Gym, and I
do use it regularly. Stick to what works and ignore the
hype.
Bill – Who do you
think will benefit the most from reading your book Heavy
Lettuce?
Johnny -I
wrote this book for those, like me, who have tried to lose
weight for years but have not succeeded. I think they will
be able to understand where I’m coming from and identify
with lots of the silly and not so silly things that I’m
writing about. The book is meant to be humorous, but a lot
of good information is also included. In order to benefit
from the book one must take at least some of my ideas to
heart…with a smile of course.
Bill – What do
you think are the most important tools for someone trying to
lose weight?
Johnny -Using
your brain is way up there on the list. We often get
ourselves caught in our emotions, and many times that leads
us to eating as a source of comfort. Dieters need to think
their way out of these situations and use logic rather than
emotions when making our eating decisions. That is not so
easy to do, by the way, but it is a must in order to
succeed. Exercise would be second on my list. In the book, I
detail the benefits of exercise. It can put you in a good
mood, help you burn more calories and clear up your fuzzy
thinking. Lastly, one should never stop learning about
weight-loss. That is why I really like your site, because
one can learn a lot by reading the articles, reviews and all
the great stuff that you have laid out here for everyone.
Bill – Where can
fans of your writing see more of your work?
Johnny -I
am thinking about starting a blog. Those are very popular
these days, especially with the young crowd. It is also
possible that I might write a second book, but at this
moment I do not have the time. I still have bills to pay
just like all of the rest of us. I have toyed with the idea
of writing a book about depression, but I’m not sure I could
write that in a humorous style like my current book. I’ll be
thinking about that more as time passes.
Thank you so much, Bill,
for setting up your website. I think you’ve done a super
job, and I’m sure many people will benefit from all your
efforts.
Johnny -Thank
you for taking time to interview for weightloss-articles.com.
Heavy Lettuce is a book that I am proud to have reviewed on
this site and highly recommend it to our visitors. Best of
luck to you Johnny and please stop in from time to time.
I wish for you the best
of health!
Bill
© weightloss-articles.com
