Gad Saad’s Unconventional Approach To Weight Loss: Lessons From An Evolutionary Psychologist

Gad Saad

In an episode on The Joe Rogan Experience in May 2022, Gad Saad talked all about his weight loss journey and experience. The Lebanese-born Canadian professor often talks about his academic interests. But every now and then, the topic is different. And in that May 2022 episode, it was all about Gad Saad’s weight loss journey.

Dr. Saad opened up about maintaining his 86 pounds weight reduction and spoke all about his lifestyle-changing advice.

Fans of the show were left speechless, praising the professor for his successful slim-down journey. Do you want to know more? Let’s discuss it.

Get To Know Gad

Born in October 1964 in Beirut, Lebanon, Gad Saad is a Canadian evolutionary psychologist, professor, and public intellectual. He was born in Lebanon but lived most of his life in Canada. Most fans recognize him for his work on the intersection of evolutionary biology, consumer behavior, and marketing.

He grew up in a multicultural and multilingual family. His father, for example, was a Jew from Syria. On the other hand, his mother was a Christian from Lebanon.

Due to the civil war in Lebanon, his family was forced to flee the country. They settled in Montreal, Canada. At the time, Gad was only 11 years old. But you can say that moving to Canada vastly improved his life and gave him much more opportunities.

Saad received his Bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer sciences from McGill University in 1987 and his MBA from the John Molson School of Business in 1989.

But that wasn’t enough for the ambitious intellectual. He later earned a Ph.D. in marketing from Concordia University in 1994. Following his Ph.D., he held various academic positions in institutions like Concordia University, the University of California, and the University of Montreal.

Dr. Gad Saad continued to learn and improve his skills. In 2000, he was appointed as a professor of marketing and holder of the Concordia University Research Chair in Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences and Darwinian Consumption.

Over the years, Dr. Saad has authored or co-authored many books, including The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption, The Consuming Instinct: What Juicy Burgers, Ferraris, Pornography, and Gift Giving Reveal About Human Nature.

Lately, he is known as a television personality. The esteemed professor often appears on television, radio, and podcasts. There, he uses the opportunity to talk on a wide range of topics, ranging from evolutionary psychology to politics.

Gad Saad before weight loss
Photo: pinterest.com , facebook.com

Why Did He Lose Weight?

The Professor of Marketing specializing in bringing evolutionary psychology to marketing and consumer behavior is one of the most interesting “Youtubers”. He might not be a true YouTube content creator with his own channel, but he often appears in podcasts. He is also a blog writer, writing for Psychology Today.

His channel The Saad Truth has more than 20 million views. Talking about his weight loss, he said he wanted to be in better shape.

Going from sort of overweight to a healthy body is not an easy way. And during Gad Saad’s weight loss, the famous professor managed to go a long way.

Fans wanted to know how he managed to do it. Read below.

How Did He Lose Weight?

Gad uses many platforms to share his views. While fans initially found out about his weight loss journey through a podcast, he also tweeted about it.

In one of his tweets, the evolutionary behavioral scientist said, “OK guys. I get it regarding exercise and weight loss. I was simply referring to the fact that I need to get into top shape & watch my diet”.

Comparing the before and after photos, he looks completely different. There is a noticeable weight loss.

In the Joe Rogan podcast, the famous biology professor disclosed he lost 86 pounds. As of July 2023, he weighs 170 pounds. At the peak of his obesity, he weighed 256 pounds.

He says he feels quite light now that he managed to shed some pounds. And movement made the biggest difference.

Fun fact: somehow, he managed to hide his new body for two and a half years.

How Much Weight Did He Lose?

As we said before, the Concordia University professor revealed he weighed 256 pounds when he began his journey. He managed to slim down all the way to 170 lbs, which is quite an achievement for someone in the late 50s.

Trying to motivate people, he said, “There are one thousand different temptations in a day for you to violate your goal and you can almost never fail. But it is up to you to take the right road and trust the process”.

How Did Fans React?

There were many fans who praised his new body and transformation. There were hundreds and thousands of replies to the episode. Many of them congratulated him on his fitness.

One user, for example, said, “I heard you on the latest JRE episode, and I just bought The Parasitic Mind. Also, the weight loss looks great dude. You’re inspiring this 54-year-old to get in shape. Thanks!”

Another user said, “It’s inspiring. Well done losing the weight and keeping active! And according to the Joe Rogan interview, dramatically increasing your bedroom Marathons”.

Gad Saad after weight loss
Photo: instagram.com , instagram.com

How To Lose Weight Like Gad Saad

In the Joe Rogan TV show, Saad shared his five keys to losing weight. When asked about his lifestyle change, he talked about different ways that he managed to keep his weight down. Here are those.

  • Number 1, walking between 15,000 and 20,000 steps per day, no matter what
  • Tracking his food intake, and in his words, “improvement comes from controlling what goes into the body”
  • He weighs himself once a week to keep track of his progress and improvement. Often, you realize and recognize little changes, but nothing magical
  • His fourth suggestion is to “get away from all or nothing mindset”. Instead, the professor says you should make sure that every day is a bit better
  • Last, but not least, remove all the carbs from your diet

He also talked about some of his meal choices. For example, for breakfast, he has two hard-boiled eggs. Then, for lunch, he has a quarter chicken with coleslaw and one or two snacks around midafternoon. For his snacks, he opts for frozen raspberries or yogurt. The professor finishes his day with a “fantastic salad” packed with protein.

How Walking Helps With Weight Loss?

The biggest reason for Gad Saad’s weight loss journey is walking. We all have heard the benefits of walking, but let’s go over them again. Walking is a low-impact and accessible form of exercise that anyone can do it.

The number one benefit is it burns calories. As a moderate-intensity activity, with a pace of 3.5 miles per hour, you can burn between 300 and 350 calories in 60 minutes. And over time, that will result in more burned calories.

Walking also helps you boost your metabolism. The more you walk, the more your body burns calories. And when you are trying to lose weight, that is imperative.

Most importantly, walking reduces appetite and your cravings for unhealthy foods. So, walking helps you burn calories, all while preventing you from eating empty calories. A win-win option, right?

But most importantly, walking improves your mood and reduces stress. You do not want to resort to emotional eating. It is never a good idea.

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