Weight loss expectation Vs Weight Loss reality!
NobodyPutsAmyInTheCorner
Posts: 1,018 Member
Most of us when losing weight have expectations. These expectations are often over inflated and wishful thinking.
Can I lose 10lb in three days? Will a detox help me lose a stone in a week? Is a VLCD good for me when I only have 15lb to lose?
Let's face it. If any of this stuff worked, there would be no overweight people and this site and numerous others wouldn't exist.
Weight gain doesn't happen over night (well ok retaining water does) but actually fat gain does not happen just like that. We put weight on over weeks, days, months and even years.
So why do so many of us assume that in just three weeks we can undo all the damage? You can't. You have to be realistic.
Realism is not a happy word for those who want a miracle cure. Realism isn't a detox, a VLCD, a cleanse or a diet. Realism is cold hard truth, it's a long slog and when it smacks you in the face... It hurts.
"Truth hurts"
So what should we expect from our weight loss? We should expect slow sustainable progress. In the early days we should expect possibly a nice water weight drop (but we should never assume that we will drop a bunch of lbs in the first week). We should expect that we are in it for the long haul. That we need to be honest, accountable and patient.
"Patience is a virtue"
Slow and steady wins the race. It's a marathon not a sprint. All cliches but so very true.
We've all been there. We've all tried every quick fix on the planet but trust me when I say, no diet pill, no skinny shake, no this that or other is going to erase our terrible relationships with food. We need to tackle the reasons we overeat and overcome them. We need to remember that we are human and may still have slip ups but it's ok. It's not a sin to slip if you log it, own it and move on. You don't have to "cheat" or bust your *kitten* 7 days a week at the gym to lose 2lb a week when you can aim for 1lb a week instead and have an easier time of it.
You don't need to "eat clean", deny yourself, eliminate all carbs like they are the devil incarnate if you don't want to! Just eat less than you burn and weigh, measure and log.
If you want a cheeseburger, have one. Make it fit. No one has to live a life where food is the enemy. We also don't have to live a life where food is king. That's how we ended up here for the most part!
I'm sorry for rambling on but it is so saddening to see so many people clutching at straws to lose weight when the long game is so much more important.
Expectations are often a disappointment. Being realistic is refreshing.
Can I lose 10lb in three days? Will a detox help me lose a stone in a week? Is a VLCD good for me when I only have 15lb to lose?
Let's face it. If any of this stuff worked, there would be no overweight people and this site and numerous others wouldn't exist.
Weight gain doesn't happen over night (well ok retaining water does) but actually fat gain does not happen just like that. We put weight on over weeks, days, months and even years.
So why do so many of us assume that in just three weeks we can undo all the damage? You can't. You have to be realistic.
Realism is not a happy word for those who want a miracle cure. Realism isn't a detox, a VLCD, a cleanse or a diet. Realism is cold hard truth, it's a long slog and when it smacks you in the face... It hurts.
"Truth hurts"
So what should we expect from our weight loss? We should expect slow sustainable progress. In the early days we should expect possibly a nice water weight drop (but we should never assume that we will drop a bunch of lbs in the first week). We should expect that we are in it for the long haul. That we need to be honest, accountable and patient.
"Patience is a virtue"
Slow and steady wins the race. It's a marathon not a sprint. All cliches but so very true.
We've all been there. We've all tried every quick fix on the planet but trust me when I say, no diet pill, no skinny shake, no this that or other is going to erase our terrible relationships with food. We need to tackle the reasons we overeat and overcome them. We need to remember that we are human and may still have slip ups but it's ok. It's not a sin to slip if you log it, own it and move on. You don't have to "cheat" or bust your *kitten* 7 days a week at the gym to lose 2lb a week when you can aim for 1lb a week instead and have an easier time of it.
You don't need to "eat clean", deny yourself, eliminate all carbs like they are the devil incarnate if you don't want to! Just eat less than you burn and weigh, measure and log.
If you want a cheeseburger, have one. Make it fit. No one has to live a life where food is the enemy. We also don't have to live a life where food is king. That's how we ended up here for the most part!
I'm sorry for rambling on but it is so saddening to see so many people clutching at straws to lose weight when the long game is so much more important.
Expectations are often a disappointment. Being realistic is refreshing.
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Replies
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Love this! Agree 100%0
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I'm not usually one for these motivational speech type threads, but for once I actually find myself nodding away throughout the entire post... dang. I thoroughly tip my cap to this.0
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Such a great post!! Thank you!0
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JakeBrownVB wrote: »I'm not usually one for these motivational speech type threads, but for once I actually find myself nodding away throughout the entire post... dang. I thoroughly tip my cap to this.
Although if you had replaced 'cheeseburger' with 'ben n jerry's', I would have flung it sky high
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JakeBrownVB wrote: »I'm not usually one for these motivational speech type threads, but for once I actually find myself nodding away throughout the entire post... dang. I thoroughly tip my cap to this.
I don't like rambling on. And I must admit it made me cringe a bit but I've been a newb and thought I knew it all. When in effect, being here has been an education.
It makes me cringe when I think of all the quick fixes I've tried.0 -
JakeBrownVB wrote: »JakeBrownVB wrote: »I'm not usually one for these motivational speech type threads, but for once I actually find myself nodding away throughout the entire post... dang. I thoroughly tip my cap to this.
Although if you had replaced 'cheeseburger' with 'ben n jerry's', I would have flung it sky high
Oh B + J. Those two men will ruin me
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Great post!0
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Loved it!0
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