Perspective Reset

TerriRichardson112

Many people think of going on a diet as a temporary band-aid to fix their weight problems. They long for the day when they can return to 'normal' eating. Thoughts of the food they are denying themselves constantly fill their heads, threatening to derail their efforts.

I was one of those people. I would try each new 'miracle' diet, lose some weight, then return to my old habits. I was a typical yo yo dieter, on a treadmill which, each time, saw my weight creep ever upwards.

Today, it is almost six months since I started using MFP. I am more than halfway to my year end goal. I am lighter, fitter and healthier than I have been in decades. Throughout this process, my MFP friends have been a tower of strength.

I am consciously reprogramming my brain with a lifetime healthy-eating mindset. I firmly endorse the CICO ethos. For me, this has to be a permanent change. If I go back to doing the same things, I will get the same results. I do not want to go back down that road.

TerriRichardson112

Oops!

kraymike

Well done! This is exactly me though I'm only 5 weeks in so far. This time things are different because I have tired all the temporary diets and you lose wait then put it all back on again. I know now after many years of struggling with my weight that it's a lifestyle change that's needed not just a quick fix. I'm losing weight just by keeping to my calorie goal.

TerriRichardson112

TerriRichardson112 wrote: »

kraymike wrote: »

Well done! This is exactly me though I'm only 5 weeks in so far. This time things are different because I have tired all the temporary diets and you lose wait then put it all back on again. I know now after many years of struggling with my weight that it's a lifestyle change that's needed not just a quick fix. I'm losing weight just by keeping to my calorie goal.

That's great, kraymike! I joined in early January and haven't looked back. It's a struggle at times but it is worth it when you start getting into smaller sizes, and people begin to sit up and take notice.

Terri

MamaBirdBoss

My problem actually WAS exercise. I got fat on about 1800 calories a day. "Big" days were 2000. I need to diet for now, and then just keep up the same level of activity and increase calories for maintenance!

TerriRichardson112

MamaBirdBoss wrote: »

My problem actually WAS exercise. I got fat on about 1800 calories a day. "Big" days were 2000. I need to diet for now, and then just keep up the same level of activity and increase calories for maintenance!

MFP will give you guidelines for calorie intake based on your level of activity and what you want to lose, gain or maintain per week, which I find useful.

TerriRichardson112

In our modern society, we are constantly fighting our inbuilt subconscious need to survive. Each one of us must satisfy basic needs for food, water and shelter. It is that basic need for food which can mitigate against our efforts to maintain a healthy body weight.

In pre-history, humanity had to grab every opportunity to eat. You never knew where or when the next meal would come along. You ate to the max in times of plenty, building up reserves for the lean times.

In modern Western society, with food available 24/7, there is no longer that necessity. However, the instinct is hot-wired into our genes from those times, when it was a case of 'eat or die'.

It is essential that we realise this and re-programme our brains to the live in the modern world. We no longer need to submit to this prehistoric process. We can choose to change our habits. However, this needs to be a permanent change. Healthy eating is a lifelong commitment. If you go back to doing the same things, you will get the same results.

It is a slow process, but with perseverance we can do this. Start creating a positive attitude to healthy eating.
1. Start by making one positive change in your diet for one week.
2. Add to the process every week by making another positive change.

Step by step you can change your life for the better. You deserve it. You are worth the effort.

MamaBirdBoss

TerriRichardson112 wrote: »

MamaBirdBoss wrote: »

My problem actually WAS exercise. I got fat on about 1800 calories a day. "Big" days were 2000. I need to diet for now, and then just keep up the same level of activity and increase calories for maintenance!

MFP will give you guidelines for calorie intake based on your level of activity and what you want to lose, gain or maintain per week, which I find useful.

Yes. I know that. MFP overestimated my normal burn. I have a FitBit, which tracks calories more closely.

At my FitBit estimated activity, a 2000 calorie diet is around 200lbs in weight for maintenance.

MamaBirdBoss

TerriRichardson112 wrote: »

In our modern society, we are constantly fighting our inbuilt subconscious need to survive. Each one of us must satisfy basic needs for food, water and shelter. It is that basic need for food which can mitigate against our efforts to maintain a healthy body weight.

In pre-history, humanity had to grab every opportunity to eat. You never knew where or when the next meal would come along. You ate to the max in times of plenty, building up reserves for the lean times.

In modern Western society, with food available 24/7, there is no longer that necessity. However, the instinct is hot-wired into our genes from those times, when it was a case of 'eat or die'.

It is essential that we realise this and re-programme our brains to the live in the modern world. We no longer need to submit to this prehistoric process. We can choose to change our habits. However, this needs to be a permanent change. Healthy eating is a lifelong commitment. If you go back to doing the same things, you will get the same results.

It is a slow process, but with perseverance we can do this. Start creating a positive attitude to healthy eating.
1. Start by making one positive change in your diet for one week.
2. Add to the process every week by making another positive change.

Step by step you can change your life for the better. You deserve it. You are worth the effort.

I've maintained my weight in the low end of the healthy range for most of my adult life. I lost the time to do the hobby that I'd spent 4-10 hours a week on for years, plus added exercise, after I had my 3rd child, so I got/stayed heavy for a year and a half. I needed to replace my activity with something less time-consuming and to get rapidly back to my prior maintenance. For that, a temporary diet works fine.

Maintenance can be used to diet, if it helps you. Basically, if you want, you can choose your new maintenance at your expected weight level and just eat within those calories, arranging things as you figure out works for you. As long as you know what maintenance will be and accept the vigilance that comes with it, you'll be fine. A lot of people who have been heavy either "turn off dieting" or else don't react when they start gaining weight back because gaining has become normal to them. In those cases, really understanding where your maintenance will be can be helpful.

Now, I don't particularly need to make many changes to the diet I prefer. It's off from the range of IDEAL diets only in fruit consumption and it's one serving per day short on veg. Neither of which impacts my weight in the least. But I'm cutting to get a pretty fat deficit to get the weight off faster.

We get fat now because we sit more, food is cheaper than before, and we have ready access to foods that don't take much effort. If we had to cook something from scratch every time we wanted a little something, sheer laziness would prevent most weight gain in most people.

There is no pre-programmed inherent urge to stuff our gobs until our eyes bulge.

There are many people for whom a lifetime of being a healthy weight is a normal lifestyle, without special interventions. Derailment can come from a variety of sources. But it's not some great achievement against overwhelming social and biological pressures. It's just sensible choices, every day.

raregem99

For some including myself, we just enjoy food. So it is a great "personal achievement" to retrain our minds to cultivate a healthier perspective on food. I'm not going to act like I have it all together just because I've never been TOO overweight. My relationship with food itself had to change though, and I did experience social pressures to celebratory eat, based on my culture.

OP, thank you for posting this, I'm right there with ya

TerriRichardson112

MamaBirdBoss wrote: »

TerriRichardson112 wrote: »

In our modern society, we are constantly fighting our inbuilt subconscious need to survive. Each one of us must satisfy basic needs for food, water and shelter. It is that basic need for food which can mitigate against our efforts to maintain a healthy body weight.

In pre-history, humanity had to grab every opportunity to eat. You never knew where or when the next meal would come along. You ate to the max in times of plenty, building up reserves for the lean times.

In modern Western society, with food available 24/7, there is no longer that necessity. However, the instinct is hot-wired into our genes from those times, when it was a case of 'eat or die'.

It is essential that we realise this and re-programme our brains to the live in the modern world. We no longer need to submit to this prehistoric process. We can choose to change our habits. However, this needs to be a permanent change. Healthy eating is a lifelong commitment. If you go back to doing the same things, you will get the same results.

It is a slow process, but with perseverance we can do this. Start creating a positive attitude to healthy eating.
1. Start by making one positive change in your diet for one week.
2. Add to the process every week by making another positive change.

Step by step you can change your life for the better. You deserve it. You are worth the effort.

I've maintained my weight in the low end of the healthy range for most of my adult life. I lost the time to do the hobby that I'd spent 4-10 hours a week on for years, plus added exercise, after I had my 3rd child, so I got/stayed heavy for a year and a half. I needed to replace my activity with something less time-consuming and to get rapidly back to my prior maintenance. For that, a temporary diet works fine.

Maintenance can be used to diet, if it helps you. Basically, if you want, you can choose your new maintenance at your expected weight level and just eat within those calories, arranging things as you figure out works for you. As long as you know what maintenance will be and accept the vigilance that comes with it, you'll be fine. A lot of people who have been heavy either "turn off dieting" or else don't react when they start gaining weight back because gaining has become normal to them. In those cases, really understanding where your maintenance will be can be helpful.

Now, I don't particularly need to make many changes to the diet I prefer. It's off from the range of IDEAL diets only in fruit consumption and it's one serving per day short on veg. Neither of which impacts my weight in the least. But I'm cutting to get a pretty fat deficit to get the weight off faster.

We get fat now because we sit more, food is cheaper than before, and we have ready access to foods that don't take much effort. If we had to cook something from scratch every time we wanted a little something, sheer laziness would prevent most weight gain in most people.

There is no pre-programmed inherent urge to stuff our gobs until our eyes bulge.

There are many people for whom a lifetime of being a healthy weight is a normal lifestyle, without special interventions. Derailment can come from a variety of sources. But it's not some great achievement against overwhelming social and biological pressures. It's just sensible choices, every day.

@MamaBirdBoss It's great that you feel that way. However, alternative viewpoints exist. I have my beliefs, you have yours. Both are valid. My personal experience is different to yours, therefore, my perspective is different. You are indeed fortunate that you are not subject to the subconscious urges which plague others. The Fitbit is a great tool for tracking physical activity. I use one myself. I don't think the mindset that regards diet as a temporary fix is useful to me. My past experience emphasises the need for a radical change in perspective to achieve and maintain a healthy weight for optimum fitness. 'Each to their own' seems appropriate, here.

TerriRichardson112

raregem99 wrote: »

For some including myself, we just enjoy food. So it is a great "personal achievement" to retrain our minds to cultivate a healthier perspective on food. I'm not going to act like I have it all together just because I've never been TOO overweight. My relationship with food itself had to change though, and I did experience social pressures to celebratory eat, based on my culture.

OP, thank you for posting this, I'm right there with ya

@raregem99 Thanks for the support. I, too, have a love of food. My lifestyle changes over the years led to my weight increasing. I am taking positive steps to redress that imbalance.

47Jacqueline

Having that realization after 6 months is a great start to changing your perspective.

This is my response to people who come to MFP and proceed to complain about why it doesn't work.

MamaBirdBoss

TerriRichardson112 wrote: »

MamaBirdBoss wrote: »

TerriRichardson112 wrote: »

In our modern society, we are constantly fighting our inbuilt subconscious need to survive. Each one of us must satisfy basic needs for food, water and shelter. It is that basic need for food which can mitigate against our efforts to maintain a healthy body weight.

In pre-history, humanity had to grab every opportunity to eat. You never knew where or when the next meal would come along. You ate to the max in times of plenty, building up reserves for the lean times.

In modern Western society, with food available 24/7, there is no longer that necessity. However, the instinct is hot-wired into our genes from those times, when it was a case of 'eat or die'.

It is essential that we realise this and re-programme our brains to the live in the modern world. We no longer need to submit to this prehistoric process. We can choose to change our habits. However, this needs to be a permanent change. Healthy eating is a lifelong commitment. If you go back to doing the same things, you will get the same results.

It is a slow process, but with perseverance we can do this. Start creating a positive attitude to healthy eating.
1. Start by making one positive change in your diet for one week.
2. Add to the process every week by making another positive change.

Step by step you can change your life for the better. You deserve it. You are worth the effort.

I've maintained my weight in the low end of the healthy range for most of my adult life. I lost the time to do the hobby that I'd spent 4-10 hours a week on for years, plus added exercise, after I had my 3rd child, so I got/stayed heavy for a year and a half. I needed to replace my activity with something less time-consuming and to get rapidly back to my prior maintenance. For that, a temporary diet works fine.

Maintenance can be used to diet, if it helps you. Basically, if you want, you can choose your new maintenance at your expected weight level and just eat within those calories, arranging things as you figure out works for you. As long as you know what maintenance will be and accept the vigilance that comes with it, you'll be fine. A lot of people who have been heavy either "turn off dieting" or else don't react when they start gaining weight back because gaining has become normal to them. In those cases, really understanding where your maintenance will be can be helpful.

Now, I don't particularly need to make many changes to the diet I prefer. It's off from the range of IDEAL diets only in fruit consumption and it's one serving per day short on veg. Neither of which impacts my weight in the least. But I'm cutting to get a pretty fat deficit to get the weight off faster.

We get fat now because we sit more, food is cheaper than before, and we have ready access to foods that don't take much effort. If we had to cook something from scratch every time we wanted a little something, sheer laziness would prevent most weight gain in most people.

There is no pre-programmed inherent urge to stuff our gobs until our eyes bulge.

There are many people for whom a lifetime of being a healthy weight is a normal lifestyle, without special interventions. Derailment can come from a variety of sources. But it's not some great achievement against overwhelming social and biological pressures. It's just sensible choices, every day.

@MamaBirdBoss It's great that you feel that way. However, alternative viewpoints exist. I have my beliefs, you have yours. Both are valid. My personal experience is different to yours, therefore, my perspective is different. You are indeed fortunate that you are not subject to the subconscious urges which plague others. The Fitbit is a great tool for tracking physical activity. I use one myself. I don't think the mindset that regards diet as a temporary fix is useful to me. My past experience emphasises the need for a radical change in perspective to achieve and maintain a healthy weight for optimum fitness. 'Each to their own' seems appropriate, here.

Certainly. You were just giving me advice, and it simply wasn't relevant to me, and then you were backing it up with statements of fact that have no basis. Changing your perspective is great, and I'm sure you benefit from it. But you didn't have a wrong view of food because of some kind of genetic programming. Billions maintain healthy weights with plenty of access to food.

Anyway, I'm in the middle of going back to doing the same things I once did. My habits were once very good. I need them to be good again, if different from what they once were!

TerriRichardson112

MamaBirdBoss wrote: »

TerriRichardson112 wrote: »

MamaBirdBoss wrote: »

TerriRichardson112 wrote: »

In our modern society, we are constantly fighting our inbuilt subconscious need to survive. Each one of us must satisfy basic needs for food, water and shelter. It is that basic need for food which can mitigate against our efforts to maintain a healthy body weight.

In pre-history, humanity had to grab every opportunity to eat. You never knew where or when the next meal would come along. You ate to the max in times of plenty, building up reserves for the lean times.

In modern Western society, with food available 24/7, there is no longer that necessity. However, the instinct is hot-wired into our genes from those times, when it was a case of 'eat or die'.

It is essential that we realise this and re-programme our brains to the live in the modern world. We no longer need to submit to this prehistoric process. We can choose to change our habits. However, this needs to be a permanent change. Healthy eating is a lifelong commitment. If you go back to doing the same things, you will get the same results.

It is a slow process, but with perseverance we can do this. Start creating a positive attitude to healthy eating.
1. Start by making one positive change in your diet for one week.
2. Add to the process every week by making another positive change.

Step by step you can change your life for the better. You deserve it. You are worth the effort.

I've maintained my weight in the low end of the healthy range for most of my adult life. I lost the time to do the hobby that I'd spent 4-10 hours a week on for years, plus added exercise, after I had my 3rd child, so I got/stayed heavy for a year and a half. I needed to replace my activity with something less time-consuming and to get rapidly back to my prior maintenance. For that, a temporary diet works fine.

Maintenance can be used to diet, if it helps you. Basically, if you want, you can choose your new maintenance at your expected weight level and just eat within those calories, arranging things as you figure out works for you. As long as you know what maintenance will be and accept the vigilance that comes with it, you'll be fine. A lot of people who have been heavy either "turn off dieting" or else don't react when they start gaining weight back because gaining has become normal to them. In those cases, really understanding where your maintenance will be can be helpful.

Now, I don't particularly need to make many changes to the diet I prefer. It's off from the range of IDEAL diets only in fruit consumption and it's one serving per day short on veg. Neither of which impacts my weight in the least. But I'm cutting to get a pretty fat deficit to get the weight off faster.

We get fat now because we sit more, food is cheaper than before, and we have ready access to foods that don't take much effort. If we had to cook something from scratch every time we wanted a little something, sheer laziness would prevent most weight gain in most people.

There is no pre-programmed inherent urge to stuff our gobs until our eyes bulge.

There are many people for whom a lifetime of being a healthy weight is a normal lifestyle, without special interventions. Derailment can come from a variety of sources. But it's not some great achievement against overwhelming social and biological pressures. It's just sensible choices, every day.

@MamaBirdBoss It's great that you feel that way. However, alternative viewpoints exist. I have my beliefs, you have yours. Both are valid. My personal experience is different to yours, therefore, my perspective is different. You are indeed fortunate that you are not subject to the subconscious urges which plague others. The Fitbit is a great tool for tracking physical activity. I use one myself. I don't think the mindset that regards diet as a temporary fix is useful to me. My past experience emphasises the need for a radical change in perspective to achieve and maintain a healthy weight for optimum fitness. 'Each to their own' seems appropriate, here.

Certainly. You were just giving me advice, and it simply wasn't relevant to me, and then you were backing it up with statements of fact that have no basis. Changing your perspective is great, and I'm sure you benefit from it. But you didn't have a wrong view of food because of some kind of genetic programming. Billions maintain healthy weights with plenty of access to food.

Anyway, I'm in the middle of going back to doing the same things I once did. My habits were once very good. I need them to be good again, if different from what they once were!

That's great. I wish I had done the same years ago, when I was your age. However, things were a lot different when I was growing up.

As for 'statements of fact that have no basis'; there is a school of thought, based on a wealth of research over several centuries, which suggests that our eating habits are the result of a combination of nature/nurture; that inbuilt genetic factors combine with habits set in early childhood.

It is indeed fortunate that we have the ability to consciously change our inherited behaviour.

TerriRichardson112

47Jacqueline wrote: »

Having that realization after 6 months is a great start to changing your perspective.

This is my response to people who come to MFP and proceed to complain about why it doesn't work.

I am a great believer in the 'can do' school of thought. MFP is a tool, and tools are only as good as the people using them.

I have spent a lifetime changing my perspective. The last six months is just part of that process. As Maya Angelou said, "If you don't like something, then change it. If you can't change it, then change the way you think of it."