Ocarina of Time Helped Me Lose 9 Pounds: My First Update

The short version

• My scale is down nine pounds in about twelve days. That is my reported result, not a promise for anyone else.
• The deal still stands: reach my goal, then play Ocarina of Time. I’ve added a day off work as the reward.
• I expect progress to slow. Hyrule Warriors is giving me something to do when nighttime snack cravings hit.

Twelve days in: nine pounds down

It has been a little over a week since I shared my Ocarina of Time weight-loss plan. I’m now about twelve days into it, and the scale is down nine pounds. Apparently, wanting to go back to Hyrule is a pretty strong motivator.

The deal was simple: I don’t get to play Ocarina of Time until I hit my goal weight. My wife is helping me stay accountable. Nothing complicated, no special gaming workout, and no claim that holding a controller burns the weight off. The game is the reward for sticking with the changes I’m making.

I’ve added one more thing to the deal. Once I hit my goal, I get a day off work to play. And I want that day to be launch day. Having something specific to look forward to has made this a lot more motivating than another vague promise to get started eventually.

A good start—not the pace I expect forever

I had a lot of weight I wanted to lose when I started, so I’m not presenting nine pounds as some universal result. I’m encouraged by it, but I’m not assuming that all nine pounds are body fat or that the same drop will happen every twelve days.

Early weight loss can include water weight. A scale alone cannot tell me how much of my change is water and how much is fat. That matters when talking about the number: this is an early progress update, not proof that I have discovered an unusually effective diet.

Moving forward, around two pounds a week is what I’m hoping for, not a guarantee. A slower pace would still put me on track for my goal before Ocarina of Time, based on the plan I’ve set for myself. I’ll have to see what actually happens instead of treating the first twelve days as a prediction.

Hyrule Warriors is helping with the evenings

I’m also using games to keep myself occupied when nighttime snack cravings hit. Hyrule Warriors has been helping with that. It gives me something I actually want to do instead of sitting around thinking about a snack.

Of course, spending the evening in Hyrule is only fueling my desire to play Ocarina of Time. That is a slightly ridiculous loop, but right now it is working as motivation: play one Zelda game while working toward the reward of playing another.

This is not about saying that nobody should eat at night or that games replace exercise. I’m talking about my own cravings and a way of keeping busy that I enjoy. The changes to my eating are the work. Zelda is helping me want to stick with them.

Now I really want that day off

Ocarina of Time looks better and better the more I see it, and I can’t wait to play it. I went into this remake with doubts about how familiar it might be. Those questions have not disappeared, but neither has the excitement. Right now, a day off to explore Hyrule sounds pretty good.

So that is the first update: nine pounds down in about twelve days, plenty of motivation, and a lot more to do. I’m happy with the start. What matters next is whether I can keep going once the early excitement and the quick drop settle down.

What do you think? Do you have a goal that Ocarina of Time—or any other game—is helping you meet? Or do you think this is total insanity? Let me know in the video comments, and subscribe to NaizerBeam to see how this unconventional incentive turns out.

Sources and transparency

• The original plan · I’m Using Ocarina of Time to Lose Weight
• CDC · gradual weight loss and individual differences
• Mayo Clinic · why early weight loss can include water
• Nintendo · official presentation footage