In a previous post, I hailed the virtues of Jack Lalanne. To lose weight and get in better shape, you need to do one thing - burn more calories than you consume. Every day.

I lost 30 pounds during the summer of 1997 by following this rational formula. You can do it, too.

Here's what you need:
- A mountain in southern Japan.
- A tent.
- A food supply that's more that 7 kilometers away. Down the aforementioned mountain.
- No transportation besides what God gave you below your ankles.
- No refrigeration.
- Limited financial resources.

I was camping in Ryumon Gorge on Kyushu Island, doing research on the history of Japanese porcelain. I was over 210 pounds, which looked vile on my 5' 10" frame.

But I was also limited on cash — had about $8 a day to live on, of which $1.50 was for the tent pad. And the nearest food was in Arita, which I figure was at least 4 miles away.

We're not talking Everest here, but the campsite was above a dam. The road wound around the contour of the valley and it was a nice climb. Also, above me, was the peak of one bitty mountain, and to the west was a village called Okawachiyama, which housed some pretty cool restoration-village type exhibits.

So I hiked to check out the various 17th-century attractions. I hiked to get my food. I hiked to take a shower in a waterfall. I hiked to take a crap. I hiked for the hell of it, because I didn't speak Japanese and there was no one else around. I hiked because that's all there was to do.

Not having any refrigeration, I was forced to go to the market at least every three days. Even carrots and onions get gamey in a tent during the summer. Also, I needed to refill my kerosene can every so often.

Oh, I already mentioned my limited budget - so I formulated my very own 'miso stew.' Miso, of course, is a soybean paste that is added to water to make soup. I would buy the carrots and onions, saute them in a pan - no oil, that would cost money - then add water, bring it to a boil and add the paste. It was cheap and tasty.

I ate this stew every day for three months. When I left Japan, I thought I would never eat miso again, but surprisingly, I found myself oddly attached to this abomination.