Category Archives: Lose Weight Fast

When it came to changing her lifestyle habits, Jo Jones said that she's had a series of "starts and stops" over her 38 years. But the Milwaukee, WI, resident finally wanted to stick with these changes after a diagnosis from her doctor. "The thing that really got me into gear this time is I was diagnosed with high blood pressure," she explained. "And everyone in my family eventually dies from heart attacks from high blood pressure."

Jo decided right away to download the Lose It! app an app we highlighted in another weight-loss transformation to track the calories she was eating. The very first week of tracking, her calorie count totaled around 25,200. Now, she eats around 11,000 per week. "I didn't realize it, but I was eating about 14,000 calories more than I should have weekly. So, after that, I realized, 'Ah, yes, OK. I found the problem,'" Jo told POPSUGAR.

Through a well-balanced, monitored diet and working out, Jo has lost 66 pounds so far since November 2018. In a month or two shy of a year, Jo went from 225 pounds to around 159. But that's not all: she also became a runner. What began with slow walks on the treadmill, turned into one mile, a 5K, and a 10K. In late September, Jo actually competed in her very first half-marathon. Next on her list, coming up soon, is a full marathon (26.2 miles). Throughout her journey to get to where she is, she's learned a lot about what her body can accomplish. Ahead, check out a breakdown of Jo's eating habits, fitness routine, and some nonscale victories (because it's not just about the numbers).

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Meet a Woman Who Lost 66 Pounds and Is Running a Marathon: "This Is My Life Now, and It's Awesome" - POPSUGAR

Gemma Collins has been exhibiting her fantastic figure at all the hottest event.

The former TOWIE star, 38, flaunted her three stone weight loss in her latest dazzling Instagram post she shared on Thursday.

GC displayed her slimmed-down waist in the cinched waistline of her silver gown which featured a wrap around detailing.

In her sassy fashion, the telly star oozed sensuality when she placed a hand on her hip while she posed with a scenic backdrop.

Gemma's corkscrew curls sprung up around her face and she applied heavy make-up.

The self-confessed diva accessorised with a grey chic handbag to match her dress and peep-toe heels.

She wrote in the caption: "Looking very forward to @deliveroo this evening and then onto @havenhousech to celebrate the amazing charity work for all the beautiful children."

It comes after the queen-of-memes admitted that she helps keep the pounds off by injecting controversial 250 weight loss jabs .

The reality TV queen said: "I definitely feel much better since losing weight and I have got more energy and stuff.

"When you eat rubbish food, you feel rubbish and when you eat healthy, its a lot better."

The TV star thanks Skinny Jab for "curbing her appetite" and maintaining her slimmer shape.

Skinny jab has just opened a new London clinic with Gemma appearing as a guest of honour. The clinic offers a three-week programme for 250 to anyone between the ages of 18 and 76.

Clients will have to splash out an extra 135 each time for an extra jab. SkinnyJab claimed one injection should last between two and four weeks.

Gemma has maintained a slim figure after she lost weight following her Dancing On Ice appearance in January.

The blonde has been documenting her weight loss journey on Instagram with her profile of 1.5million admirers.

Often the reality star litters her Instagram with motivational quotes, slimmed-down snaps and pictures of her lavish lifestyle.

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Gemma Collins parades her three stone weight loss in fitted dress after Skinnyjab injections - Mirror Online

The first step to lose weight is to choose the right kind of diet to follow, which itself is a challenging task. Every day we come across different types of diets on the internet promising instant weight loss and it is obvious to get confused. Most people opt for the trendiest diet, just because of the big promises made by them. But remember, not every diet live up to the promise made by it and fail big time. Following these diets not only impacts your physical well being but it also affects you psychologically. So, if the diet you have chosen guarantees any of these 3 things then just drop it immediately. 1. It promises absolute resultsWeight loss is a slow process. You cannot come into a good shape at the snap of a finger. If there is a diet that promises a specific amount of weight loss in a specific amount of time, then just run away from it. No diet can guarantee this and if it does then it is a fad one. We all are different, our metabolism is different and so it is not possible to lose the same amount of weight. Even the most scientific diet cannot predict the exact amount of weight a person will lose in a given time. If your diet does not live up to the promised number then this will also harm you emotionally. 2. If it requires you to spend a lot of money The diet you follow should not be very expensive to maintain. If your diet requires you to include a lot of supplements and special products then there is no point pursuing it. The diet you are following should not burn a hole in your pocket. You can lose weight even by eating simple and easily available food items. Also, it is not necessary to have supplements to shed kilos. 3. It categorises certain food groups as dangerousThere is a thing about a fad diet, they use the scare tactic to make more and more people fall for it. But this does not work in the long run. Some diet restricts the consumption of certain food items like legumes, dairy, and wheat without any valid evidence. If your chosen diet does the same then it is certainly not a good idea to follow it.

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Guide to choose the right kind of weight loss diet for you - Times of India

If we ask you, whats that one thing you want to change about yourself without making any efforts, and we are sure that the answer would be -- losing weight and looking beautiful. Well, staying in shape is undeniably a universal desire, and why not as a healthy body and a sane mind is all we need to survive the stressful and fast-paced world. However, the desire to lose weight and work towards it are two different things. Ironically, most people want to lose weight, but the mere thought of all that exertion often leads to procrastinating the idea of working towards losing weight. No wonder as they say- no pain, no gain. Interestingly, theres a plethora of health care and weight loss advice floating all around the internet. Right from quick fad diets to meal replacement solutions to several fat reduction treatments, the internet is flooded with ideas, but the question arises whether these ideas are worth trying and sustainable over a long period of time.

Well, the answer is simple, quick weight loss plans and fad diets can help you lose weight quickly, but arent sustainable over a longer period of time. Hence, going for simple ways can make life far better and help you lose weight gradually in a sustainable way. Losing weight is a struggle, but going for natural ingredients to lose weight along with some exercise is the best way to manage weight.

Off late, a fruit extract from the Southern part of India has gained a lot of popularity among the world of fitness enthusiasts for its amazing weight loss properties-- Malabar Tamarind also known as Kudam Puli. However, it has been used an active ingredient in many health supplements used for reducing fat, across the world this fruit extract is also known as Garcinia Cambogia.

Traditionally, in South India kudampuli was used to add a tangy flavour to the pickles and curries. The extracts of kudampuli have ample amount of phytochemical, which blocks the production of fat in the body. The rind of this fruit was majorly used for making foods and drinks, but with its increasing popularity, it has turned out to be the main ingredient in most weight loss meal solutions.

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Is Kudam Puli the next big thing for weight loss? - Times of India

Jessica Simpson sheds 100-lbs.

Jessica Simpson shows off new figure in New York City. The mom of three was in the Big Apple for a night of fun and took to Instagram to show off the pounds she lost.

Jessica Simpsons trainer said a key to the star's recent 100-pound weight loss was a simple nightly check-in designed to foster accountability.

Harley Pasternak, who has worked with Simpson for more than a decade and helped her drop weight after all three of her pregnancies, explained that he gave the actress a series of daily tasks and asked her to report in whether or not she completed them.

We had a nightly email [check-in], he told Us Weekly. And so my clients, before they go to bed at night, send me an email and it says, Did you hit your step goal? Yes or no? Did you hit your sleep goal? Yes or no? Did you hit your unplugged goal? Yes or no? Did you hit your food goal? Yes or no? To the extent that you check yes, it gives you this sense of accomplishment at the end of every day.

JESSICA SIMPSON SHARES CHEEKY DIMPLE DOUBLE' SELFIE WITH DAUGHTER BIRDIE MAE

Despite setting clear goals for the Employee of the Month actress, Pasternak notes that it was her own dedication to a healthy lifestyle thats to credit for her immense weight loss after giving birth to daughter Birdie in March. For example, he noted that keeping her from exceeding her step-goal was the real challenge.

Shortly after she gave birth, as soon as we got medical clearance to start walking, he explained. We had a daily step goal on her Fitbit. More of a limit if anything because we didnt want to do too much.

Simpson initially set out with a goal of 6,000 steps per day, but he says shewas up to 14,000 very quickly.

Pasternak previously discussed Simpsons commitment to weight loss after giving birth in a September interview with People.

JESSICA SIMPSON RESPONDS TO AMY SCHUMER POKING FUN AT HER 100-LBS WEIGHT LOSS

The difference between this and the other times was that she worked out, yes, but her transformation was more about what she did on her own time, he explained. She was so motivated and positive. She was saying that her body has not belonged to her for the past decade. Not in a bad way, in a positive way her body has been designated to create life and now its hers again and shes going to make it fantastic in a really enjoyable way.

Simpson, who is mom to Birdie, Maxwell, 7, and Ace, 6,showed off her results in an Instagram post last month with a photo of herself rocking an all-black outfit.

"6 months. 100 pounds down (Yes, I tipped the scales at 240 )," she wrote.

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My first trip away from #BIRDIEMAE and emotional for many reasons, but so proud to feel like myself again," Simpson said. "Even when it felt impossible, I chose to work harder. "

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Jessica Simpson emailed her 100-pound weight-loss progress to her trainer every night - Fox News

HOLLY Snoxell reckons losing weight didn't just boost her fragile body confidence - it changed her life completely.

The 35-year-old had been told she was too overweight for the IVF treatment she wanted, leaving her fearing she would never have kids.

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But after shedding nearly seven stone on the Slimming World plan, Holly saw another dream come true by becoming a mother... three times over.

The full-time mum says: "I was devastated when we found out we needed IVF but my weight meant we were not eligible.

"My weight had held me back my whole life but I wasn't about to let it stop me having children.

"I couldn't believe how easy the Slimming World plan was to follow and how much I enjoyed all the meals."

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Holly, from Wixams, Bedfordshire, admits she always struggled with her weight - and couldn't resist gorging on bread as she was growing up.

She said: "I've always been on the bigger side. I remember being 11 and school friends talking about what they weighed.

"They moaned about being eight stone and I stayed silent.

"I was 11st and it was the first time I really realised how much bigger I was.

"I had a big appetite and a sweet tooth.

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"I was big throughout my teens and into my twenties. I went through stages of feeling OK about my weight then being desperate to be slim.

"Back then, I thought the only way to lose weight was to skip meals and starve yourself.

"I'd try, lose a bit but put it all back on. And it was really unhealthy.

Back then, I thought the only way to lose weight was to skip meals and starve yourself. I'd try, lose a bit but put it all back on. And it was really unhealthy

"I loved bread! I'd have toast for breakfast, sandwiches at lunch and more bread alongside my dinner."

Holly married her husband Steve, 37, a builder when she was 25 and wore a size 18/20 wedding dress.

But her weight made her miserable on her honeymoon and she felt as though she wanted to hide behind her beach towel.

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She said: "I met Steve when I was 25. I was happier and didn't bother with crash diets. I ate what I wanted.

"We married in May 2011, when I was a size 18 or 20.

"We went on honeymoon to Egypt eight months later but I felt uncomfortable from the start. "Everyone else was slim and beautiful and looked so confident in their bikinis.

"I just wanted to hide away. I felt fat, frumpy and old but I was only 28. We had been trying for a baby for nine months with no success.

"It was then, hiding under a beach towel, I decided I needed to change."

Holly's diet

BEFORE

Breakfast: Two slices white toast

11am snack: Half pack of biscuits

Lunch: White bread cheese sarnie, crisps and sugary drink

Afternoon: Cake and coffee

After work snack: Crisps

Dinner: Ready-made lasagne and chips

AFTER

Breakfast: Overnight oats

Lunch: Homemade chicken salad with dressing

Snack: Grapes

Dinner: Homemade shepherd's pie with salad

Holly started reading up about Slimming World in the airport on the way home and signed up to her nearest group two days later.

Speaking about her first session at the weight loss group, she said: "Two days later, I walked in,

stood on the scales and was shocked when they read I weighed 16st 9lb.

"I felt like running away and hiding, but a messaged pinged through on my phone from Steve.

"It said: 'Good luck. You can do this. I'm really proud of you.'

"That made me determined to see it through.

"On the way home I decided to get the ingredients to make overnight oats and I ate them for breakfast the next day."

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And Holly immediately fell in love with Slimming World's food plan - especially as it meant she could still eat her favourite foods.

She said: "I loved cooking each day's recipe and realised I could still have all my favourite meals. "I used to eat ready meal lasagne and chips but now I was eating homemade, healthy lasagne with salad.

"I stopped having four tablespoons of mayonnaise with every meal and made Slimming World dressings, instead."

We were given the green light and I was pregnant three weeks before my 30th birthday. I couldn't believe how quickly it all happened

Three months after joining Slimming World, Holly learned she needed IVF and her body mass index (BMI) had to be 30 or below to qualify for treatment on the NHS.

She added: "I'd already got it down from 37.5 to 34.1 but that gave me a massive push to keep going.

"Two months later, I'd lost three stone and my BMI was 30. I almost leapt out of my seat."

And Holly was soon granted the wish she'd always dreamed of - after she finally fell pregnant.

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She said: "We were given the green light and I was pregnant three weeks before my 30th birthday. I couldn't believe how quickly it all happened.

"I kept up with the plan throughout my pregnancy.

"What better motivation than eating healthily for your unborn child?

"I had a few cravings but stuck to the healthy meals - and didn't gain any weight other than the baby's weight."

Holly's first child Taylor was born on August 10, 2014, and, even though being a new mum was tough, Slimming World kept Holly on the straight and narrow.

"I lost six stone in the eight months after the birth", she said.

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"Since then, I've been pretty busy! After another round of IVF, we had twins on December 21, 2017.

"I made sure my old habits didn't creep back in and, following their birth, I reached my new target weight of 9st 13lb, a size eight.

"I've never rushed my weight loss or starved myself.

"I just made healthy swaps and gave up the junk. I couldn't be happier.

"Friends and family have been lovely but the main support has been Steve.

"He's been amazing - and even lost two stone himself eating my healthy dinners.

"I love that my children will only ever know the happy, healthy me who can run around with them."

Holly is now happier than ever at home with her three kids Taylor, five, and twins Evie and Zac, one.

MISS A MEAL Skipping breakfast, lunch or dinner could help you exercise more, study finds

AISLE BE DAMNED Bride who was so fat her thighs rubbed and bled shed 6st for big day

WEIGHT A MINUTE I lost 8st on a NON-diet plan and now friends don't recognise me

WEIGHT OFF I ditched abusive boyfriend and lost 6st after misery made me turn to takeaways

WEIGH IN Mum sheds 6st after ditching fad diet plans for Slimming World 'fakeaways'

WEIGH TO GO I shed 13 stone without counting calories & now I'm a new person

NO WEIGH Size 22 bridesmaid shed 6st to fit into her dress by snacking MORE

SLIM-BELIVEABLE Mum sheds 6st without giving up carbs after doc thought she was pregnant

WEIGH TO GO Woman sheds staggering 7 stone on diet of Chinese 'fakeaways' and curry

And she is now urging other slimmers to follow in her footsteps and sign up to Slimming World.

She said: "Slimming World is for everyone, as there is so much choice.

"You never feel like you're missing out. It's changed my life. Now let it change yours, too."

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Weight loss I was too fat to have kids but I shed 7st and now have three babies - The Sun

Kevin Gates looks a lot different now than he did a couple years ago, and thats thanks to his impressive weight loss: Mens Health notes that in about two years, Gates went from weighing 310 pounds to his current weight of 215 pounds. In a new video from Mens Health, Gates reveals the initial motivation behind his near-100-pound weight loss, and it was apparently an incident that hurt [his] f*cking feelings.

In the video, Gates responds to tweets about him. One tweeter asked Gates how he lost weight so quickly, and he reveals: One word: commitment. But what really did it for me: I had my shirt off and I was holding my patnas baby, and his baby tried to suck my breast. [] I just was like, I am too f*cking fat, Im a fat slob, I need to lose weight. That was the most embarrassing sh*t. I mean, sh*t, even though Im a big gorilla, I still got I got feelings too. Man, that sh*t hurt my f*cking feelings. I said, I gotta lose some weight!'

Lately, it looks like Gates has been addressing multiple aspects of his overall health. He recently teamed up with suicide prevention organization Save.org on a new video for his song Walls Talking. Gates said upon releasing the video, Music has always been therapy for me. Anyone who is struggling out there should know they arent alone. I got you.

Watch Gates respond to tweets in the video above.

Kevin Gates is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music.

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Kevin Gates Was Motivated To Lose Weight After A Baby Tried To Suck His Chest - UPROXX

If you're looking to lose your love handles, your best bet may be hitting the gym not the kitchen first thing in the morning, new research suggests.

For overweight men, exercising before eating breakfast could double your ability to burn fat, according to a new studypublished October 18 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Researchers from the University of Bath and the University of Birmingham looked at 30 obese or overweight men. They divided the men into three groups: a group who exercised before breakfast, a group who exercised after breakfast, and a control group who made no changes to their daily routines.

Participants ate the same breakfast and did the same exercise 60 minutes of cycling.

Read more: There's new evidence that morning is the best time to exercise if you want to lose weight

Over the course of the six-week study, the researchers found the men who exercised before breakfast burned twice as much fat as those who exercised after breakfast. Those fat-burners had fewer stored carbohydrates to burn for energy, so their bodies more quickly transitioned to burning fat to fuel the exercise, according to the research.

The study did not find any link between when the men exercised and how much weight they lost, however.

Researchers noted that pre-breakfast exercisers also had a better response to insulin, helping regulate their blood sugar.This could also improve health and decrease the risk of illnesses like heart disease and diabetes, according to Dr. Javier Gonzalez, co-author of the study and senior lecturer in the Department for Health at the University of Bath.

In contrast, the insulin levels of those who ate breakfast first were no better than the control group.

"Our results suggest that changing the timing of when you eat in relation to when you exercise can bring about profound and positive changes to your overall health," Gonzalez said in a press release.

Read more: 6 full-body exercises you can do with almost no equipment

However, because of the small sample size and limited scope of the study, it's not clear whether these findings will apply more broadly to people other than overweight men. Plus, past research on on the topic is mixed. While an earlier, and even smaller, study by Gonzalez also found that exercising pre-breakfast was superior, fat-burning wise, to eating first, calorie-burning wise, the opposite was true.

And, many exercise professionals encourage eating prior to exercise in order to help fuel a workout that may otherwise fall flat.

The bottom line: More research is needed. Still, exercising whenever suits you whether before or after breakfast, or any other time of the day for that matter is better than not exercisng. As Chris Jordan, an exercise physiologist and creator of the viral "7-Minute Workout" previously told Insider,"The best time of day to work out is the time you're most likely to work out."

Read more:

There's more evidence that intermittent fasting could help you lose weight without eating any less

Researchers may have figured out why vegan diets lead to weight and fat loss even if dieters don't cut calories

6 full-body exercises you can do with almost no equipment

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The best time to exercise is before breakfast, a new study says - INSIDER

If someone claims that they can help you lose weight without exercise and a healthy diet, runaway that instant. Save yourself from such false lies. There is no shortcut for achieving a healthy and fit body. We are sorry for speaking out bluntly, but it is the truth. We cannot change the facts, can we?

The road to health & fitness is not going to be easy, but that is what makes it all the more interesting. The common mistake people make is that they get tempted by false advertisements very quickly. They start to believe that by taking some synthetic fibres or nutrients that companies are selling, they will lose weight. One has to be very sure while consuming supplements and nutrients. Not all supplements are healthy as you may never know what a company is selling in the name of health & nutrition. Also, there is no better way of getting in shape then to work hard and exercise. Why fall in the trap when you can naturally lose weight?

The most important thing is to accept the way you look and not shy away from it. Do not be ashamed of your body shape. It is never too late to start adopting a healthy lifestyle. Do not go crazy on your body goal. We all want to look good but more than that health is essential. Aesthetics of a body should not be given as much importance. Your focus and aim should be on getting healthy and fit. People become paranoid about the way they look and take extreme measures. From starving their bodies to over exercise and everything in between which is like punishing oneself.

Work hard and strategically by adopting a balanced diet and an exercise routine. Diet plays a vital role in losing weight. 90 percent of the weight loss process includes healthy eating. Only 10 percent is the exercise regime that you will follow. So eating right and healthy should be your main focus.

Look for ways in which exercise can entertain you. People often find exercise to be a stressful activity. The body aches and pains can hinder ones confidence at times where one may feel like giving up. Finding activities that can keep you pumped up and energetic is a good strategy for losing weight.

The atmosphere in gyms is high and peppy. It is inspiring to see people working out together at the gym. It motivates one to work hard as well. Also, you can sign up with different programmes at the gym like an aerobics class, yoga or Pilates.

Look for things that can inspire you and keep you motivated. Your strong will for losing weight is what is going to help you achieve your goal. You must train your mind to stay in focus and for that make efforts and make exercise entertaining. Following the same routine will bore you! Push yourself when you feel low. Try that machine which you had your eye on. Sign up for that class which you are uncomfortable to do. Stepping out of the comfort will add excitement and that is what we want!

If gym is not your thing, enter in some sport activity. Basketball, football, swimming and more, choose what you like. There are clubs that offer several different activities that can be both for entertainment and staying in shape. Pick up your tennis racket that has been collecting dust over the years. Wear that jersey which once represented you at school.

Dont stop, just do it and not think much about how you will reach your body goal. You must not put your thoughts in the wrong direction. Just enjoy the weight loss journey! It is possible only if you are ready to free your mind from negative thoughts. Focus on the beauty of exercise and that pain which you will feel in your legs. Enjoy that sweat that trickles down your forehead. Enjoy that warmth your hand will feel when you run your fingers in your sweaty wet hair. All is worth it! Your hard work is worth it! The sweat is your victory each time that you work out. Enjoy the pain and soon your body will show you the best results.

An essential part of weight loss is taking the right foods and dietary supplements that will help you stay fit. Whey protein powder, creatine supplements and essential vitamins and minerals will boost your workout performance. Also, to get all the nutrition from food is not possible.

You will have to consume a large amount of food to fulfill the daily requirement of essential nutrients and protein. This also means that you will be consuming a large amount of fat and carbohydrates which we do not want. The weight loss process will become complicated and you may end up gaining instead of losing. Dietary supplements have optimum nutrition covering the daily requirement without the unnecessary fat and sugars.

Many people have biases about whey protein powder or other nutrition & supplements. They fear the risk of it being synthetic and harmful for the body. This fear is valid! Not every product is authentic which is why you must buy from a trusted website or store. Buying supplements online will save you a lot of money as there is no third-party distributor involved.

Focus on a balanced diet in combination with health supplements. Eat strategically and include exotic foods as they are rich in essential vitamins and minerals. Berries are a great way to fight body lethargy and laziness. It sums up for a tasty breakfast meal. Juices and smoothies with a scoop of whey protein powder and nuts will be the best brunch choice. It is up to you how you choose to consume your food. Look for recipes online and eat healthily.

Do not worry so much. Relax! Rome was not built in a day! The best things in life take time. Just focus on exercising and following a healthy diet. Before you will even know it, your body will transform into a new you. Pull your socks up and get prepared for a beautiful journey that you are going to take on. Savour every moment so that one day you can tell proudly how you achieved your weight loss goal. Be an inspiration and motivate others along the way.

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Burn Fat with Exercise and Healthy Eating Habits - There is No Shortcut - Chiang Rai Times

Key point:The Zero was a superior plane, but it was too lightly armored.

Japan began the Pacific War with two major technological advantages over the U.S. Navy: the much more reliable Long Lance torpedo, and the Mitsubishi A6M Zero carried-based fighter, a design that defied expectations by outperforming land-based fighters when in it was introduced into service in 1940.

Designer Jiro Horikoshi maximized the Zeros performance by reducing airframe weight to an unprecedented degree by cutting armor protection and employing an extra super duralumin alloy. Combined with an 840-horsepower Sakae 12 radial engine, the A6M2 Type Zero could attain speeds of 346 miles per hour, while exhibiting extraordinary maneuverability and high rates of climb. For armament, the Zero boasted two punchy Type 99 20-millimeter cannons in the wingthough only with sixty rounds of ammunitionand two rifle-caliber machine guns firing through the propeller.

The elegant airframe weighed only 1.85-tons empty, giving the Zero a tremendous range of 1,600 milesvery useful for scouting for enemy ships and launching long-distance raids. By comparison, Germanys excellent contemporary Bf 109 fighter could fly only 500 miles, fatefully reducing its effectiveness in the Battle of Britain.

The Zero debuted fantastically in combat in July 1940, with thirteen land-based A6M2 Zeros shooting down twice their number of Russian-built I-16 and I-153 fighters in a three-minute engagement.

When Japan launched her surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, and on British and Dutch possessions in East Asia, the 521 Zeroes serving in the Japanese Navy quickly became the terror of Allied fighter pilots. U.S. Army P-39 Airacobras struggled to match the Zeros high altitude performance. Even the pilots of agile British Spitfires found they were likely to be out-turned and out-climbed by a Zero.

The U.S. Navy at the time was phasing in the Grumman F4F Wildcat at the expense of the infamously awful F2A Buffalo. The tubby-looking Wildcat was heavier at 2.5 to 3 tons and had a range slightly over 800 miles. The Wildcats supercharged 1,200 horsepower R-1830 radial engine allowed it to attain speeds of 331 mph while armed with four jam-prone .50-caliber machine guns, or 320 mph on the heavier F4F-4 model with six machine guns and side-folding wings for improved stowage.

Thus the U.S. Navys top fighter was slower and less maneuverable than the Zero. But unexpectedlyafter a rough start, and despite starting the war with less combat experience, Wildcat pilots managed to trade-off evenly with Zeroes. At Wake Island, just four Marine Wildcats helped repel besieging Japanese forces for two weeks and even sank the destroyer Kisaragi. In February 1942, Wildcat pilot Edward Butch OHare managed to shoot down three Japanese bombers and damage three more during a raid.

Though the Wildcat didnt claim air superiority over the nimble Japanese fighters, they performed well enough to allow American dive and torpedo bombers to sink five Japanese aircraft carriers in the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midwayfinally turning the tide of the war in the Pacific.

How did they pull it off?

The Zeros lack of armor and a self-sealing fuel tank (which have internal bladders that swell to close off holes) meant they were infamously prone to disintegrating or catching fire after sustaining light damage. Meanwhile, once a Zero pilot expended his limited supply of 20-millimeter shells, the remaining rifle-caliber machine guns struggled to down better-armored Wildcats. Navy and Marine Wildcat pilots learned to make slashing attacks from above leveraging their superior diving speed. But it simply wasnt always possible to avoid getting into a turning dogfight with a Zero.

Contemplating this problem, naval aviator John Thach, devised the tactic called the Thach Weave in which two Wildcats flying side-by-side laid a trap for pursuing Zeros. Both the bait and hook plane would complete two consecutive 90-degree turns towards each other, forming a figure eight. A Zero choosing to pursue the bait plane would end up having its tail in the sights of the hook.

After successfully testing the maneuver with Wildcat ace Edward OHare, John Thach had a chance to try his Thach Weave the Battle of Midway. On June 4, Thachs six F4Fs of VF-3 squadron from the carrier Yorktown were escorting Devastator torpedo bombers when they were bounced by fifteen to twenty Zeros, one of which immediately set a Wildcat ablaze while another knocked out the radio on the Wildcat of Thachs wingman.

Thach called on the radio for rookie pilot Ram Dibb to help him perform the Weave maneuver. Steve Erlings book Thach Weave recounts what happened next:

With so many enemy planes in the air, Thach was not sure anything would work, but the answer came when a Zero followed Dibb during one of his turns Thach found himself angry that the young inexperienced Dibb was the target of this Zero. Wisdom called for a short burst of shells to hopefully cause the Zero to break off the pass, but it was apparent this Zero was not going to break off. Anger rising, Thach continued straight ahead, the firing button depressed, rather than ducking under the Zero. At last the Zero broke off, and as he passed close by, Thach could see flames pouring from its underside.

Continuing the weave now discouraged the Zeros from following the Wildcats in their turns, but one made the same mistake as Thachs first kill, and when he was too slow in his pullout, Thach shot him down and added a third mark on his kneepad. Soon after, Dibb erased another enemy fighter converging astern of Thach and Macomber.

By then the Zeros had shot down all but two of the torpedo bombers and might have finished off the Wildcats. But at that moment, two squadrons of SBD dive bombers came screaming out from the clouds on the now unprotected Japanese carriers. The Zeros were too low and far afield to intercept them, and bomber proceeded to fatally cripple the carriers Akagi and Kaga.

The Thach Weave was subsequently adopted by other Navy and Marine squadrons, and top Japanese ace Saburo Sakai described the maneuver vexing a squadron mates attack run over Guadalcanal in his biography.

The Wildcat never exceeded the Zero in performance, but over time the non-existent armor protection and loss of entire carriers took a heavy toll on Japanese aviators, eroding their experience advantage. In 1943, new, much faster U.S. fighters such as the F6F Hellcat and F4U Corsair decisively won air superiority for the Allies. In the 1944 Great Marianas Turkey Shoot over the Philippine Sea, Allied fighters and flak gunners shot down over 500 Japanese warplanes for just 123 USN aircraft lost.

Both the Zero and Wildcat saw action through the remainder of World War II, many of the former ending their days as Kamikaze aircraft. The Wildcat carried on a little-known but surprisingly successful career with the U.S. and Royal Navies in the European theater, dueling French fighters over North Africa, flying from small escort carriers to hunt Nazi bombers and submarines, and even embarked on the last Allied air raid of the war, sinking a U-Boat in Norway on May 5, 1945.

Sbastien Roblin holds a Masters Degree in Conflict Resolution from Georgetown University and served as a university instructor for the Peace Corps in China. He has also worked in education, editing, and refugee resettlement in France and the United States. He currently writes on security and military history for War Is Boring. This first appeared in December 2018.

Image: Wikimedia Commons.

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Imperial Japan's Zero Fighter Was Once Thought to Be Nearly Unbeatable - The National Interest Online