Dieting

michaelphares

What are some struggles you guys have with dieting and exercising and etc mine is temptation and sticking with the diet

Clobern80

As you'll soon find out, the term "diet" is one problem. Diet implies you only plan on doing it until you get somewhere, then you quit. You can't do that. You need to make a lifestyle change, change your relationship with food, and realize it really isn't THAT hard.

As far as my struggles right now... honestly nothing. I still eat what I enjoy, exercise in ways I enjoy and have only gone over my MFP goal once by about 70 calories. The biggest struggle I have is trying to GET all of my calories anymore because I have changed the way I view food.

melonaulait

You may have to give in to temptation every once in a while, if you want to stick with your "diet" and healthy lifestyle change. It's more sustainable if you can include your favorite foods.

KJ4health

I agree with the above....I have changed my thinking from "dieting" to eating healthier. I still find I am able to eat the foods that would be considered "bad" on a "diet". Giving myself permission to eat these not so healthy foods, helps me feel better about not eating them so often. I can eat them, I just choose not to as often.
I also have been becoming more mindful of what I am eating and how much, I concentrate on nutrient dense foods, but pay more attention to my "hunger", take my time eating and enjoy it!

Exercise is another story, I do not love to exercise, not much at all! I am learning too. I have a calendar with my workout schedule on it and it feels good to put a big check mark on it when I am done

This is all a process and a work in progress. I remind myself of that so I don't fall back into my "all or nothing" thinking about health and nutrition.

tara_means_star

I struggle more with exercise than with my eating patterns because I'm inherently lazy and my favorite activities include a warm blanket, a comfy chair, and a good story (written or dramatized). Eating wise, it's not such an issue because I made sure to work in all the foods that I love at some point in time. I obviously can't have a bagel and pizza and chips and cake all on the same day but I can usually work several into my week and don't find it difficult to do so. Eating like this makes it feel like I can do it long term and I don't feel deprived.

Need2Exerc1se

Mine are a general dislike of "exercise" (activity for the sole purpose of getting more activity) and general love of food and wine.

The arguments over the term "diet" always make me roll my eyes. News alert: If you are eating in a manner that you hope will yield weight loss, you are on a diet.

tara_means_star

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

Mine are a general dislike of "exercise" (activity for the sole purpose of getting more activity) and general love of food and wine.

The arguments over the term "diet" always make me roll my eyes. News alert: If you are eating in a manner that you hope will yield weight loss, you are on a diet.

really, if you are eating you have a diet. Some people just seem more sensitive to the connotation of the word diet but I don't. When I think of "my diet" I dont' think deprivation and yucky foods, I just think of food in general. I think in terms of "my diet is composed of x,y,z" rather than "I'm on a diet and can't have x,y,z." I don't know if that makes sense but I look at the word diet as in I have a diet which is all the food I eat rather than I am on a diet.

Verdenal

I struggle with eating the right food and the right amount. I can't eat much because of my height, age, and injuries.

I get a little impatient with people who insist too much on the lifestyle change v. diet distinction. If you are eating significantly less food than in the past and excluding foods you enjoy it's a diet.

Need2Exerc1se

taracan25 wrote: »

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

Mine are a general dislike of "exercise" (activity for the sole purpose of getting more activity) and general love of food and wine.

The arguments over the term "diet" always make me roll my eyes. News alert: If you are eating in a manner that you hope will yield weight loss, you are on a diet.

really, if you are eating you have a diet. Some people just seem more sensitive to the connotation of the word diet but I don't. When I think of "my diet" I dont' think deprivation and yucky foods, I just think of food in general. I think in terms of "my diet is composed of x,y,z" rather than "I'm on a diet and can't have x,y,z." I don't know if that makes sense but I look at the word diet as in I have a diet which is all the food I eat rather than I am on a diet.

Yes, everyone that eats has a diet. That is a different but just as correct definition of the word.

If you are eating for weight loss you are on a diet, or dieting.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diet
Definition of diet
1
a : food and drink regularly provided or consumed
b : habitual nourishment
c : the kind and amount of food prescribed for a person or animal for a special reason
d : a regimen of eating and drinking sparingly so as to reduce one's weight <going on a diet>

2 : something provided or experienced repeatedly <a diet of Broadway shows and nightclubs — Frederick Wyatt>

tara_means_star

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

taracan25 wrote: »

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

Mine are a general dislike of "exercise" (activity for the sole purpose of getting more activity) and general love of food and wine.

The arguments over the term "diet" always make me roll my eyes. News alert: If you are eating in a manner that you hope will yield weight loss, you are on a diet.

really, if you are eating you have a diet. Some people just seem more sensitive to the connotation of the word diet but I don't. When I think of "my diet" I dont' think deprivation and yucky foods, I just think of food in general. I think in terms of "my diet is composed of x,y,z" rather than "I'm on a diet and can't have x,y,z." I don't know if that makes sense but I look at the word diet as in I have a diet which is all the food I eat rather than I am on a diet.

Yes, everyone that eats has a diet. That is a different but just as correct definition of the word.

If you are eating for weight loss you are on a diet, or dieting.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diet
Definition of diet
1
a : food and drink regularly provided or consumed
b : habitual nourishment
c : the kind and amount of food prescribed for a person or animal for a special reason
d : a regimen of eating and drinking sparingly so as to reduce one's weight <going on a diet>

2 : something provided or experienced repeatedly <a diet of Broadway shows and nightclubs — Frederick Wyatt>

Yeah, I guess it helps me to look at the word diet as more "habitual nourishment" rather than saying I'm on a diet where I am "eating and drinking sparingly." It's a psychological thing but so many people magnify the "deficit" part of the latter definition and it becomes psychologically too much to handle and they binge. I don't associate that definition with the word although it a correct way of interpreting it and I think that helps me to not feel deprived when I am "eating and drinking sparingly" lol

Clobern80

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

Mine are a general dislike of "exercise" (activity for the sole purpose of getting more activity) and general love of food and wine.

The arguments over the term "diet" always make me roll my eyes. News alert: If you are eating in a manner that you hope will yield weight loss, you are on a diet.

Much like "bad" food, it is something that some people feel strongly about, amirite?

Most people feel that the term diet means you will eventually stop, but not everyone. The only thing I will eventually change is I will eat the same food I've been eating for years but in higher quantity to maintain. I won't be getting off a low carb diet or a low fat diet or a keto diet.

Need2Exerc1se

clobern80 wrote: »

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

Mine are a general dislike of "exercise" (activity for the sole purpose of getting more activity) and general love of food and wine.

The arguments over the term "diet" always make me roll my eyes. News alert: If you are eating in a manner that you hope will yield weight loss, you are on a diet.

Much like "bad" food, it is something that some people feel strongly about, amirite?

Most people feel that the term diet means you will eventually stop, but not everyone. The only thing I will eventually change is I will eat the same food I've been eating for years but in higher quantity to maintain. I won't be getting off a low carb diet or a low fat diet or a keto diet.

LOL Except that 'bad food' is just a made term and "diet" is a word that's long been defined.

Dieting for weight loss should stop at some point. If not, wouldn't you die from it at some point?

NikiChicken

clobern80 wrote: »

As you'll soon find out, the term "diet" is one problem. Diet implies you only plan on doing it until you get somewhere, then you quit. You can't do that. You need to make a lifestyle change, change your relationship with food, and realize it really isn't THAT hard.

As far as my struggles right now... honestly nothing. I still eat what I enjoy, exercise in ways I enjoy and have only gone over my MFP goal once by about 70 calories. The biggest struggle I have is trying to GET all of my calories anymore because I have changed the way I view food.

I have to concur. Once I got out of the "diet" mentality, I had so much more success and things became so much easier. I have heard the argument that it's always a diet because that's what you eat and, yes, that is true. However, the connotation of the word "diet" is that it is a short-term measure to lose weight and once you get to goal, you don't have to "diet" any longer. The truth is that to lose weight and, more importantly, keep it off, you have to eat this way for the rest of your life - as in, you can't do something for a short term to lose weight and then chuck everything out the window when you get to goal and expect to keep the weight off. If you look at it as a short term sacrifice, you will always find excuses to "cheat." in order to not feel restricted and deprived and have the desire to cheat, I make sure all my favorite foods are included in my diet. If I want chocolate, I figure out how to fit it in. When I want pizza, same thing and so on and so forth. As long as I do this, there is no such thing as "cheating" because it's all there. When I eventually get to goal, the only thing that will change is my total daily caloric intake, which will increase slightly to maintenance levels, but I'll still be eating the exact same things.