Who: David Kirchhoff, CEO of Weight Watchers International
As the CEO of one of the biggest weight-loss program in the world, Kirchhoff knows a thing or two about keeping off the pounds. Over 1 million people in about 25 countries attend WW meetings each week, and 2 million use the diet’s online program. He may be fit now, but Kirchhoff struggled with his weight for years, a battle that he chronicles in his book, Weight Loss Boss. “Every single day, at mealtimes, in places where I’m surrounded by food, I’m actively working to make better choices. The reward for doing it is so huge that I’m totally great putting in that bit of effort every day,” Kirchhoff told TIME in an earlier interview.
Kirchhoff also doesn’t believe willpower is a good strategy for dieting. “I actually think the notion of willpower can be destructive,” he said. “The reason I say that is that there is a presumption that one simply needs to exert willpower to ward off temptation. Knowing how our brains work from science, it’s a false premise. It never works. Rather, my view is that this is one place where I get to stack the deck in my favor. By managing my environment so that I’m not tempted, I don’t have to exert nearly as much willpower.”
Diet: Vegetables, fruit (lots!), seafood, whole grains. Basically, MyPlate, the government’s guidelines for healthy eating.
Health resolution: Slow down and be more mindful! Put my fork down after every bite, and eat more meals at tables.
Most surprising thing in your fridge: A human head. Kidding. I keep a stash of cheese (my idea of indulgence).
General thoughts on weight loss, and healthy living: Focus on the end game: eating the smart foods as a matter of habit, not willpower. The key is to use the right tools and support to help you make healthy life automatic and easy, not a test of character and resolve.
Fitness regimen: I try to exercise every day. Took me 10 years to work up to that point.
Guilty pleasure: Ice cream, even though it’s my kryptonite, I treat it carefully, with respect, and ultimately with love when I have it.
MORE: Q&A: Weight Watchers CEO Describes His Path to ‘Weight Loss Boss’