Retired Navy employee Philip Hamrick weighed in at 440 lbs. at his heaviest, a weight that placed a huge amount of stress on his 5'8" frame. In just two years, Hamrick lost 230 lbs. without diet pills, fad diets, or resorting to surgery. In his new book, he hopes to help others do the same.

"I'm preaching different techniques," Hamrick told the Daily News. "Yeah, eat healthy, but more importantly, eat smart."

In his new book The Easiest Weight Management and Smart Eating Program for Weight Loss, Hamrick says that the diet industry makes millions off of get slim quick remedies that don't work in the long term. As an alternative, he offers lifestyle changing tips that do not force people to do away with their favorite foods, but do encourage them to think before they eat. "There's no way I'm going to go the rest of my life without eating cake or pie or something unhealthy," he said.

Hamrick says he struggled with his weight for most of his life, but the problem got worse as he got older. In his mid-50s, doctors declared him morbidly obese and he knew that he had to make a change. "I knew that something had to be done or I wouldn't last long," said Hamrick. "I couldn't run more than 10 yards; I couldn't stand for very long."

So, with the help of his doctor, Hamrick found a way to cut his calories and lose the weight. According to the Daily News, Americans spend more than $40 billion annually on diet-related products. For Hamrick, those lose weight fast tricks were never an option.

"Everyone wants something easy and fast. And the diet industry is making a killing off of it," said 60-year-old Hamrick. "I knew you can't lose it fast. You can't go on a binge diet or starvation diet. You'll end up breaking."

Hamrick now weighs 210 lbs. He does light exercise and eats between 1,800 and 2,000 calories a day. He hasn't completely cut out greasy cheeseburgers, but he has learned how to change the portions so that he's not overdoing it. His book gives tips on portion control, food diaries, and metabolism boosters.

Hamrick says that natural weight loss will be a slower process, but he's reaping the rewards daily and hopes to help others do the same.