I would give ANYTHING...well, except any effort whatsoever

HannahJDiaz25

Conversation with a friend today...

Friend: "Your sooo lucky to have an "athletic" body. I would give ANYTHING to have your body."
Me: "Really? Ok. You can have my body. Just give me 1 hour in the gym of your very best effort and follow a simple, healthy diet I'll help you develop and it's all yours."
Friend: "ummm...."
Me: "No seriously, One hour a day and eat right. You wont be hungry or anything. Diets don't have to equal suck and after a little while, working out becomes addictive. I promise. We will work out together...I'll start easy on you ."
Friend: "I'm thinking about starting weight watchers. And I heard about this Raspberry stuff that makes you lose fat..." * turns away ending the conversation.
Me: :ohwell: What about giving ANYTHING?!? One hour a day and proper eating is too much?? ( I didn't say this...I just shrugged and told her let me know if she changes her mind.)

Now, I am not the most dedicated person (working on that) but I do work hard(-ish) for my body and health. I love feeling energized and strong. I am learning new things about nutrition and health every day. I research. I read forums. I keep track of the effects of intake and output on my body. I try to eat healthy most of the time...

I am sick of people telling me that I'm lucky! I am blessed to have had a mom that taught me self discipline and nutrition and sparked a passion for it in me as a teen, but I work hard to be healthy and stay in shape. It is by no means "luck."

How about you all? Are you lucky? Or do you just work your butt off? Am I the only person this bothers? Maybe I'm just *****y today...:blushing:

eep223

Seriously! I feel like I'm alone in this sometimes, but I always feel super inspired when someone loses weight and when they are asked how say something like "oh, I just started eating better and and I run four times a week," or "I cut out alcohol and I lift at the gym" or whatever. Food and movement. If *YOU* can do that, *I* can do that too!

choface

Yeah, I've had friends in the past say "I wish I could just lose weight like you."

They haven't been there when I was hungry, or sweating, having crazy cravings, or choosing salad over fried chicken.

Or sat at Denny's watching my guy friends pig out while I was drinking water.

I have one friend that has actually joined me and now we have lost about the same amount of weight (almost 30 pounds)

jenifr818

I'd give anything but my daily Coke. I swear, sometimes that's the only thing keeping me sane.

I hear ya though. If only losing weight was so easy as popping a pill

karl39x

That's good that you take care of yourself and try to help others; I personally don't believe in luck, but I do know that people are lazy fat *kitten* that always look for excuses. That is why I work out 6 days a week and eat healthy.

helyg

Only yesterday one of my colleagues told me I was "so lucky" because the weight just "fell off" me. Yup, that's right, 65lbs just fell off with no effort at all <rolls eyes>.

She is apparently giving up Weight Watchers and trying Slimming World instead as she isn't losing. I'm not sure she understands that you have to do more than just pay the weekly subs to lose weight...

HappyElizabeth

So true!!! It seems that some people will do pretty much anything to lose weight, except of course, diet and exercise.

mandeenicoleb

LMAO you speak the truth! I actually don't ever want to be called "lucky" when I feel like I work hard for what I have, It kind of takes away from the work you put in. Everyone wants the magic solution.

howekaren

I hear you. During the course of a costume discussion for a play I was in, someone mentioned how "lucky" I was that I had lost weight and my black blazer no longer fit. I nicely told her it wasn't luck, but hard work. I was definitely irritated though. Most people's eyes glaze over when you respond to their "how did you do it?" question with "watched what I ate and exercised". If it isn't a pill you pop to wake up thinner, they don't want to hear about it.

pjp1125

So true. It's not rocket science. People are generally pretty damn lazy.

gr8xpectationz

I totally understand why people would say "I would give anything..." except an hour at the gym and healthy food choices. Some people can put in the effort to "eat right and exercise", but for others, this leaves out a HUGE part of the equation.

Being disciplined in eating and exercising are, of course, important. BUT, for some people, the emotional piece is much bigger. Some people use food to "self-medicate" or fill emotional voids or symbolically insulate themselves from other people. Some use food as their only coping mechanism to sooth internal shame or self-loathing or abandonment or whatever. I think the reason many diets fail is because "healthy diet" advice rarely addresses issues of emotional food issues. And for some people, until they find or develop better ways to address these kinds of deeper needs, sticking to diet and exercise is more than they can handle.

However, I agree that it's NOT okay for anybody to dismiss the all the lifestyle changes and all the hard work as merely "luck". You have every right to be proud of an accomplishment you've worked hard for, and if someone told me I was "lucky", I'd want to smack them. But instead I'd just say something like "It's not luck, I've been working very hard, every day, for a long time to reach these goals, and if you're interested I can help you, too."

funforsports

I love this story. You speak the truth 100%. I have been there and been told that a million times.

alisaprince1

I love that I am losing the RIGHT way. I hate the word lucky as well, hard work pays off that's all out boils down to. When I skip out on exercise and am loose with my diet there is a difference,I didn't start dropping weight by chance ,I made up my mind enough was enough and I did the only LASTING thing I could do, I changed my lifestyle, byte bye junk food and laziness hello healthier me:) I have a ways to go but I am determined and I WILL get there by the gave of God:)

GretchenReine

Conversation with a friend today...

Friend: "Your sooo lucky to have an "athletic" body. I would give ANYTHING to have your body."
Me: "Really? Ok. You can have my body. Just give me 1 hour in the gym of your very best effort and follow a simple, healthy diet I'll help you develop and it's all yours."
Friend: "ummm...."
Me: "No seriously, One hour a day and eat right. You wont be hungry or anything. Diets don't have to equal suck and after a little while, working out becomes addictive. I promise. We will work out together...I'll start easy on you ."
Friend: "I'm thinking about starting weight watchers. And I heard about this Raspberry stuff that makes you lose fat..." * turns away ending the conversation.
Me: :ohwell: What about giving ANYTHING?!? One hour a day and proper eating is too much?? ( I didn't say this...I just shrugged and told her let me know if she changes her mind.)

Now, I am not the most dedicated person (working on that) but I do work hard(-ish) for my body and health. I love feeling energized and strong. I am learning new things about nutrition and health every day. I research. I read forums. I keep track of the effects of intake and output on my body. I try to eat healthy most of the time...

I am sick of people telling me that I'm lucky! I am blessed to have had a mom that taught me self discipline and nutrition and sparked a passion for it in me as a teen, but I work hard to be healthy and stay in shape. It is by no means "luck."

How about you all? Are you lucky? Or do you just work your butt off? Am I the only person this bothers? Maybe I'm just *****y today...:blushing:

This is beautiful beautiful beautiful! I am not blessed. I don't have an athletic body. I have struggled with weight. I struggle with food. I would give ANYTHING though. I have people that ask my secret to my weight loss and they are only interested until I mention my training to run and my watching what I eat. It sucks when you don't mention a magic pill!

alisaprince1

Grace*

caterpillardreams

LOl
too funny but so true. You just keep doing you. Hopefully they will see and learn.
a long time ago a high school friend wanted to get fit over the summer, I said lets go running and walking through the week. Ill come over in the morning and we will have fun together. She said "ok sounds good."
The next three days I knocked on her door, she was asleep every time. She was not ready.
Now 15 years later she is working out and taking care of herself.
Be an example, and people will see. Can not force it on people, good on you for being patient with her.

jessilyn76

What she meant to say is that she would give "anything" if she didn't have to put any effort into it, could perhaps wrap herself up with saran wrap with herbs on it and lose the weight overnight, and still continue to eat the way she has been...........but mostly, anything......

irishscootz

This is awesome! I work so hard in the gym, and at the table, and reading your story, I have been that friend on the other end of the conversation. The one praying for some sort of instant magical transformation. Losing wight seemed so difficult and confusing, when in reality it couldn't be simpler! Just put in the work people!!

EmilyOfTheSun

Nailed it!
"Weight loss is just easier for some people!"
No....no it's really not.

LaSutopia

What she meant to say is that she would give "anything" if she didn't have to put any effort into it, could perhaps wrap herself up with saran wrap with herbs on it and lose the weight overnight, and still continue to eat the way she has been...........but mostly, anything......

yes...I JUST said something similar to this to someone else today. People want to just wake up tomorrow looking like models and not have to have done anything to get it or keep it....THAT is what they would give anything for.

mjoshua87

Good For you! I wish I was raised that way as well but im learning now so that i can be that for my daughter. Just the other day someone i haven't seen in a while said "wo you lost a bunch of weight .. how'd you do?" I said well i work out 5-7 days a week and track calories on MFP. shes like "Ugh I was afraid you'd say that" ... :S seriously if you want it your gonna have to work for it !