Stop expecting perfection and it is much easier

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Zedeff
Zedeff Posts: 651 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I see constant posts on here every day of people wailing about transgressions. People say "I'm addicted to sugar, I binge ate last night, my friends want to go to the pub, what can I eat a restaurant, etc. etc." and they panic about breaking the "rules."

Stop it! Stop worrying so much. Do you really think that a single day of going out for a celebratory meal, having a few beers or eating fried chicken will undo ALL of the work you did?

I've been logging for 107 days, starting as a 5'9" 258 lb male. I've lost 29 lbs. As my calorie graph below should show, I HAVE NOT BEEN PERFECT! You don't have to be perfect. You just have to maintain a NET deficit over time. Forget about single meals or days; worry about net weeks, or even better, net months, and you will have long-term success.

ib0yGsX.jpg

Because I know I'll get called out: Yes I have several days logging <1000 calories. No, I don't agree with you that this is dangerous. My job involves working lots of nights and travel; sometimes after working nights I'll sleep all day, wake up and have only 1 meal left in the day, meaning a ~600 calorie day without actually feeling hungry.
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Replies

  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
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    You've done a really good job. :)
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    I wouldn't criticise an occasional off day (100cal) it is an anomaly in your case, not the norm.
    People who want to do it day in day out are the ones that people worry about.
    Good job on your loss and tracking.
    I am fish and chips English style tonight, yum.
    Cheers, h.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    agree OP …eat the foods that you enjoy, don't worry about the BS "bad" foods, maintain a deficit, and the weight will come off….

    too man people stress about eating clean or healthy, or only eating "good" foods…

    congrats on your progress
  • higgins8283801
    higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
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    Yep. I sit here at 39.6 pounds lost since may. In the beginning I was one of those people who felt guilt about a night out or anger when my calorie went negative red.

    But I eventually got over it and have consistently lost, despite going over once a week or so.

    Tonight I took my 9 year old son on a date. We had whopper jrs and fries and hot fudge sundaes from sonic. That's what he wanted and even though I ended up eating every single one of my exercise calories back today, I don't care. We had fun. And he has a new memory. That's so much more than a day of being under and perfect.
  • clambert1273
    clambert1273 Posts: 840 Member
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    higgins8283801 wrote: »
    Yep. I sit here at 39.6 pounds lost since may. In the beginning I was one of those people who felt guilt about a night out or anger when my calorie went negative red.

    But I eventually got over it and have consistently lost, despite going over once a week or so.

    Tonight I took my 9 year old son on a date. We had whopper jrs and fries and hot fudge sundaes from sonic. That's what he wanted and even though I ended up eating every single one of my exercise calories back today, I don't care. We had fun. And he has a new memory. That's so much more than a day of being under and perfect.

    I totally agree with this! We are taking my 7yo on her first trip to Disneyworld ... I will probably eat and drink my weight that week but I don't care... it's a week... I have many others to worry about :) the time with her seeing it through her eyes will be way better than worrying about my intake lol
  • FashionQueen86
    FashionQueen86 Posts: 51 Member
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    It can be quiet annoying sometimes, but even I fall into that trap of whining and complaining. I think what's missing is just education and proper research. Usually, if I go out to a buffet, I eat like a pig, even if I am trying to watch my weight.
  • jpaulie
    jpaulie Posts: 917 Member
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    guess you guys didn't see what happened to Barney on The Simpson's after he had a beer after being on the wagon...
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    edited March 2015
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    130 days of logging and lost 70 pounds And i had pizza and champagne and cheesecake in those days. I had some off days of not feeling good and ate a week around the 1000 calories. ( because of a cold)

    I had days of no exercise and days i tried a bite of a certain food that was not logged.

    Just daily life...and it works as long your are honest dont give up and go back to portion control and moderation.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
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    A lot of people seems to confuse educating yourself or asking for information to help make informed decisions with panicking or worrying.

    I have asked about meals, I know it's not going to undo all my work so far, if I have one large dinner. But what is the harm in asking questions? What is the harm in gathering information so you can weigh up the foods you enjoy to eat?

    It seems that if you ask for information people just reply with, just enjoy your self.

    If you have two meals, both will fill you up equally, both you will enjoy equally but one might be full of fats salt and sugars and be the equivalent of eating 2 pizzas, while a 2nd meal has half the fat and salt and won't impact you weight loss as much, what is the harm in asking for advice?

    Sure there are people who do panic etc, complaining how they ruined everything by eating 100 cal to much. But not everyone asking about or being concerned about a single meal is being a worry wart and needs to calm down.

  • rosnigetsfit
    rosnigetsfit Posts: 569 Member
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    Thank you, just what I needed.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    Thank you.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
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    Everyone seems to be sharing weight lose and examples of how they weren't perfect

    Lost 30-40kg (around 65 pounds isn't it) while eating pizza kfc oporto subway Chinese sushi etc etc etc
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    I'm also not perfect. I did 5 minutes of cardio today, while eating candy. I logged the candy though.
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
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    yes.... do you want to avoid the rest of your life every kinda junk food? Not going out when you cant count calories?

    You dont get overweight by doing these things
    You get overweight by doing those things TOO MUCH!
  • gary241069
    gary241069 Posts: 255 Member
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    Don't forget what you're trying to achieve. Health and Fitness is about breathing easier, feeling more flexible, being more alert, sleeping better, having better concentration, and getting less illnesses. Don't forget to record how you feel in your diary as a person rather that a statistic. Yes weightloss is extremely important. But it's not the only factor.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    edited March 2015
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    Merkavar wrote: »
    A lot of people seems to confuse educating yourself or asking for information to help make informed decisions with panicking or worrying.

    I have asked about meals, I know it's not going to undo all my work so far, if I have one large dinner. But what is the harm in asking questions? What is the harm in gathering information so you can weigh up the foods you enjoy to eat?

    It seems that if you ask for information people just reply with, just enjoy your self.

    If you have two meals, both will fill you up equally, both you will enjoy equally but one might be full of fats salt and sugars and be the equivalent of eating 2 pizzas, while a 2nd meal has half the fat and salt and won't impact you weight loss as much, what is the harm in asking for advice?

    Sure there are people who do panic etc, complaining how they ruined everything by eating 100 cal to much. But not everyone asking about or being concerned about a single meal is being a worry wart and needs to calm down.

    If both are the same amount of calories, it doesn't really matter that one has more salt or sugar or fat for weight loss. Eating less sugar, or salt, or fat won't make you lose weight quicker. Caveat being you stay within your macro and calorie goals and you don't have a medical condition.

    That's kinda the point.
  • FashionQueen86
    FashionQueen86 Posts: 51 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    I'm also not perfect. I did 5 minutes of cardio today, while eating candy. I logged the candy though.

    Candy :p
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    FashionQueen86 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    I'm also not perfect. I did 5 minutes of cardio today, while eating candy. I logged the candy though.

    Candy :p

    Just hard candies. Not like a whole chocolate bar or anything ha.
  • rosnigetsfit
    rosnigetsfit Posts: 569 Member
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    Great reminder! Weight loss is never linear. It's good to loosen up sometimes. I cheat once a week to keep my sanity.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
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    TheVirgoddess wrote: »
    Merkavar wrote: »
    A lot of people seems to confuse educating yourself or asking for information to help make informed decisions with panicking or worrying.

    I have asked about meals, I know it's not going to undo all my work so far, if I have one large dinner. But what is the harm in asking questions? What is the harm in gathering information so you can weigh up the foods you enjoy to eat?

    It seems that if you ask for information people just reply with, just enjoy your self.

    If you have two meals, both will fill you up equally, both you will enjoy equally but one might be full of fats salt and sugars and be the equivalent of eating 2 pizzas, while a 2nd meal has half the fat and salt and won't impact you weight loss as much, what is the harm in asking for advice?

    Sure there are people who do panic etc, complaining how they ruined everything by eating 100 cal to much. But not everyone asking about or being concerned about a single meal is being a worry wart and needs to calm down.

    If both are the same amount of calories, it doesn't really matter that one has more salt or sugar or fat for weight loss. Eating less sugar, or salt, or fat won't make you lose weight quicker. Caveat being you stay within your macro and calorie goals and you don't have a medical condition.

    That's kinda the point.

    Just a guess here but some people aren't just doing this to lose weight but to also eat healthier. More nutritional foods.

    And won't impact your weight loss as much... That wasn't saying less salt etc increases weight loss, I said that as in it has less energy. So not the same calories.

    What I was trying to get at was, say your going out to chinese and basically any meal you will enjoy, asking for advise about better meals isn't the same as being overly worried or panicking.

    For example the two meals above, one might be some sort of deep fried meat dish with fried rice full of fats, salts and being 2000 cal and the 2nd meal is some seafood dish with lots of veggies and boiled rice with less salt, fat and only 1000 cal for example.

    What is the harm in asking about these? Asking for suggestions? Most Chinese places I have been have no nutritional details.

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