The most significant weight loss of my life was thanks in part to a rowing machine. Back in 2001, dismayed by the pounds I’d piled on since moving to San Francisco — city of amazing food — I splurged on a $1,200 cherry wood WaterRower. This was long before its starring role in House of Cards, but it was said to be Steven Spielberg’s favorite workout machine, so I thought sure, why not.
Every day, next to a view of the Golden Gate, I’d pull that handle and make those soothing, sloshing water noises. It settled into a routine where I’d row for 3 miles in 25 minutes or less. That didn’t seem a huge effort, just enough to get sweaty and breathless, but by doing it every day and tweaking my diet, I lost 25 pounds in the space of a few months. And it stuck. Though my weight has yo-yo’d below that line with various diets and exercise in the years since, it never once went above what I still think of as my WaterRower threshold. Read more…
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