The One Thing

Welcome back to the LenDentonThrive Letter. This is where I write every week about the ThriveLife - my food-first, gym-optional approach to help you lose weight, get fit, and stay fit for life!

Did you know that nearly 12% of American adults have used GLP-1s like Ozempic for weight loss? 

When I read this, I thought it was a misprint. But it’s true! The Rand Corporation conducted a survey in April and May of 2025 that showed 11.8% of those surveyed had used a GLP-1 for weight loss. This means that millions of Americans are on GLP-1s, not just celebrities!

But, I get it! 

Obesity is a major problem! Americans are more overweight and obese than ever (today’s obesity rates are 3 times higher than in 1960)! And, because of rising obesity, we are becoming more and more unhealthy as the rates of heart disease, cancer and dementia rise.  And, Americans are spending more every year on fitness-related expenses (memberships, equipment, etc.). 

Something’s not working!

What if you’re that guy who bought the gym membership? You get to the gym whenever you can. But, you’re still gonna weigh 7-10 pounds more on your next birthday than your last birthday? 

What do you do? 

Here’s a hint…Change the way you eat!

Note that I didn’t say, “Go on a diet” or “eat less!”

What I am saying is “Eat differently!”

It’s The Food

The biggest difference between men’s obesity rates in 1960 and today is the food we are eating. In 1960, most calories we ate came from whole (unprocessed) foods like meats and vegetables. Today in America, around 70% of the calories consumed are from highly-processed foods. The most-consumed foods in America today all have their own brands, labels, and marketing teams! 

Think about what you eat on a regular basis. I’ll bet these aren’t the farm foods our grand-dads grew up eating. More likely, they are factory-food products with a box, a brand, and an ingredient list at least 6-10 items long (most of which you can’t pronounce).  

Highly processed foods are highly-engineered foods. They are created with ingredients that not only enhance their taste, but also increase your cravings for them. 

This is where food science meets neuroscience! We’re eating more calories but actually getting less nutrition. And, it’s this change in our diets that has resulted in the obesity explosion we’re experiencing today!

The antidote to this dilemma is to eat more like our granddads and less like our kids! I call this Eating Smarter, and it is the foundation of my personal operating system for fitness that I call my ThriveLife.

In 2014, I started Eating Smarter by eliminating bad foods and replacing them with better food choices. I didn’t reduce the amount of food I was eating. I simply stopped eating six bad foods. And when I did, the results were amazing and long-lasting.

In just 7 months, I lost 70 pounds! I went from 248 pounds on New Years Day to 178 pounds on the 4th of July. 

I didn’t starve myself. I didn’t diet. There were no kale smoothies. Just plenty of real, unprocessed foods like my granddads ate. My daily calorie consumption went down, and so did my weight! Now, 12 years later, I’m still eating smarter, and I’m still at my goal weight. 

It’s not magic. It’s smarter eating. It works for me and many of my friends. And, it can work for you, too.

I’ve written extensively about Eating Smarter here, here, and here. Check it out for yourself. 

Remember: Your weight loss battle will be won in the kitchen - not the gym!

Smarter, Not Hard

Sustainable health and fitness are not about sheer willpower or perfection. It’s about consistency and making smarter choices. You don’t need crazy diets or killer workouts. You need smart daily habits that fit into your life and that you actually enjoy doing. 

Here are two ways I can help you build your own ThriveLife:

1 - Subscribe to the LDT Letter for weekly tips and strategies

2 - Join the wait list for my upcoming new book ThriveLife Transformation, where I’ll show you how to build a healthier version of YOU with 6 Smart Daily Habits that you can do in 30 minutes (or less) a day. 

To join the waitlist, just reply to this newsletter and say “Sign me up!” I’ll send you an email when the book is available.

Thanks for reading today.

And remember, God loves us. He wants us to thrive. So, let’s do this together!

All the best… Len

Healthy dads raise healthy families!

My mission is to help 1 million men raise healthy families for the Kingdom of God. So, I write this newsletter to make a positive impact on the lives of men and their families. If you found this information useful, please consider subscribing to receive new editions each week. And, please share this with friends or family that would benefit from the ThriveLife!

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