It’s a new year, and you’re still fat.

Fret not, though; by popular request, I’m pulling together this ongoing, intermittent series to help you get in shape.

Like fitness itself, the series breaks down into two interlocking halves – exercise and nutrition. Getting fit requires both working in your favor.
Nutrition primarily determines body weight. Exercise primarily determines body composition. If you’re pear shaped, eating less can make you a smaller pear, whereas only exercise can redistribute things around.

Both parts, though, aren’t short-term commitments. How long do you have to keep exercising and eating healthfully? Well, how long do you have to keep brushing your teeth? So this series focuses on sustainable solutions, the kinds of things you can start now and still be doing happily at the end of the year – or the end of next decade.

Coming up, we kick things off on the nutrition side, with some general principles: the three golden rules of eating.