When someone asks for your 'secret'

135

Replies

  • Madwife2009
    Madwife2009 Posts: 1,369 Member
    I just tell them it's a secret because they aren't really interested in the truth; it's too much like hard work for most people who ask me :)
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    I tell them I ride my bike a lot and eat well.
  • melodysf10
    melodysf10 Posts: 35 Member
    I tell people I lowered my calories and started exercising. They loose interest almost immediately. I guess that doesn't sound like a fun way to loose.
  • fit_chickx
    fit_chickx Posts: 569 Member
    I have friends that are fitness/health minded and friends that struggle with weight. It's ok that some of my friends are not ready or don't want to make changes.

    When asked, I don't mind talking about my lifestyle. I am a cheerleader for anyone who wants to get healthy.
  • BruinsGal_91
    BruinsGal_91 Posts: 1,400 Member
    Theo166 wrote: »
    fried slugs, blended with slimfast, that's what I I'll tell them.
    It'll make CICO look more interesting.

    Yeah, but how much oil do you use to fry the slugs? Wouldn't baking them be lower calorie?
  • tabletop_joe
    tabletop_joe Posts: 455 Member
    I hate it when people comment about my appearance, period. Especially about weight stuff--people get so weird and chirpy about it.
  • tabletop_joe
    tabletop_joe Posts: 455 Member
    Down-market escargot. B)
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Remoth wrote: »
    Theo166 wrote: »
    fried slugs, blended with slimfast, that's what I I'll tell them.
    It'll make CICO look more interesting.

    Yeah, but how much oil do you use to fry the slugs? Wouldn't baking them be lower calorie?

    Doesn't work. You need to fry them quickly while still alive(kinda like boiling a lobster). Otherwise they just crawl around all over the oven. ;)

    But they don't need oil. Enough natural slime that they don't stick to the pan.

    Other option is just treat them like Oysters and down them raw.

    Have you ever handled the little suckers?!?! That slime stuff is sticky! I was scrubbing with a hard-bristle brush and Dawn dish detergent, and practically had the skin off my hand before the slime residue was gone!

    (I'm serious. I wasn't cooking them for weight loss, I was trying to get them the (baby feline) out of my garden.)

    Slugs carry liver flukes. Do not handle them. Ever. Please, even in jest. I'm getting super-grossed out just thinking about this.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    kitkatlp wrote: »
    xmichaelyx wrote: »
    "Eat less; move more."

    I really struggle with this. It's not about eating less (quantities of food that keep you satisfied) which is a concept I have always rejected and knew it would be impossible for me (and I suppose for a lot of people too).
    Feeling hungry all the time is a no-go. And that is why MFP is all about I think.

    It's about making choices of food that will keep you satisfied but will not exceed your daily calorie intake.
    It's also about learning the calories associated with food. I used to believe in all the crap we hear i.e. don't eat this if you want to lose weight, etc...
    Now, I know that from a weight loss perspective, all food is good as long as you create that calorie deficit.

    So, as a conclusion I would definitely rephrase "Eat less, move more" by saying:

    "Eat fewer calories than you burn in a way that you would be always satisfied".

    That might be what you originally meant but that's definitely not what people hear.

    This makes that assumption that such a thing is possible for everyone. I've talked to quite a lot of people who can and will still be hungry, even exceeding their caloric intake on energy sparse foods, like lean meats and non-starchy vegetables.

    I on the other hand, have to go obscenely low in calories before hunger becomes even remotely problematic. Hell, I didn't even know what real hunger was, until I started running PSMFs for cutting.
  • Morgaen73
    Morgaen73 Posts: 2,817 Member
    Urgh that vacant stare ... I just normally say I'm taking super secret experimental medication. It makes more sense to most people than "eat less move more"
  • mir1104
    mir1104 Posts: 101 Member
    They do that at work here, I usually tell them they chain me in the basement overnight so I cannot leave and most definitely cannot eat. Proof is that I'm in so early every morning!
    They chuckle and the embarrassing moment is over!
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    JaneiR36 wrote: »
    kitkatlp wrote: »
    xmichaelyx wrote: »
    "Eat less; move more."

    I really struggle with this. It's not about eating less (quantities of food that keep you satisfied) which is a concept I have always rejected and knew it would be impossible for me (and I suppose for a lot of people too).
    Feeling hungry all the time is a no-go. And that is why MFP is all about I think.

    It's about making choices of food that will keep you satisfied but will not exceed your daily calorie intake.
    It's also about learning the calories associated with food. I used to believe in all the crap we hear i.e. don't eat this if you want to lose weight, etc...
    Now, I know that from a weight loss perspective, all food is good as long as you create that calorie deficit.

    So, as a conclusion I would definitely rephrase "Eat less, move more" by saying:

    "Eat fewer calories than you burn in a way that you would be always satisfied".

    That might be what you originally meant but that's definitely not what people hear.

    I pretty much agree with @Gallowmere1984 , but I've also been wondering along these same lines you've expressed. I wonder if people's eyes glaze over because they know they need to eat less [calories] and move more. But maybe what they're really asking is, "hey, you were a couch potato like me, what suddenly got you off your butt and working out regularly; how did you accomplish that? You liked all the same high calorie stuff I do in indiscriminate quantities like we used to eat, how did you manage to switch over and reduce calories?" When we don't provide these answers, they perhaps figure were not in a chatty mood and elect not to bother us anymore. I wonder if that's why many dieters are more likely to buy the shakes etc, it's something actionable they could do TODAY that could hopefully help them where they need to go.

    I would ask if they really want the answer. I'm won't go into a long spiel about what I've done if the person isn't really that into it, but just start with "I'm eating less and if you really want I can go into more details". I've got a couple friends who really should listen, but they are not interested so I don't go farther.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,131 Member
    tomteboda wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Remoth wrote: »
    Theo166 wrote: »
    fried slugs, blended with slimfast, that's what I I'll tell them.
    It'll make CICO look more interesting.

    Yeah, but how much oil do you use to fry the slugs? Wouldn't baking them be lower calorie?

    Doesn't work. You need to fry them quickly while still alive(kinda like boiling a lobster). Otherwise they just crawl around all over the oven. ;)

    But they don't need oil. Enough natural slime that they don't stick to the pan.

    Other option is just treat them like Oysters and down them raw.

    Have you ever handled the little suckers?!?! That slime stuff is sticky! I was scrubbing with a hard-bristle brush and Dawn dish detergent, and practically had the skin off my hand before the slime residue was gone!

    (I'm serious. I wasn't cooking them for weight loss, I was trying to get them the (baby feline) out of my garden.)

    Slugs carry liver flukes. Do not handle them. Ever. Please, even in jest. I'm getting super-grossed out just thinking about this.

    It was accidental. Believe me, I was not trying to get that stuff on my skin, I'd been using tools to smoosh them, accidentally got skin contact with slime, and washed immediately.

    Good to know about the liver flukes, though. I hope that doesn't mean one's garden lettuce, in the presence of slugs, is contaminated with liver flukes - if it does, many people are exposed.
  • Macy9336
    Macy9336 Posts: 694 Member
    Remoth wrote: »
    Theo166 wrote: »
    fried slugs, blended with slimfast, that's what I I'll tell them.
    It'll make CICO look more interesting.

    Yeah, but how much oil do you use to fry the slugs? Wouldn't baking them be lower calorie?

    Doesn't work. You need to fry them quickly while still alive(kinda like boiling a lobster). Otherwise they just crawl around all over the oven. ;)

    I use a beer trap to catch my slugs, that way they are premarinated for when I fry them. I found a nice dark stout tastes best. ;)
  • yskaldir
    yskaldir Posts: 202 Member
    Just tell them you have the laws of thermodynamics on your side.
  • Staceygram
    Staceygram Posts: 147 Member
    My secret was a LOT of stress at the same time as an illness...not being able to keep solid food down kinda taught me to not eat for a bit. I don't get the glazed look though. But then I dropped 4 sizes in about 2 months.
  • Lizzypb88
    Lizzypb88 Posts: 367 Member
    Hi Guys! So I've lost close to 12 kg around 26 lbs, and at a point where everyone is noticing! I've had a few people ask me what my 'secret' is and I don't know why but it makes me a little uncomfortable? One girl asked if I am on a very strict diet and I told her that I don't find it strict I just limit my calorie intake and exercise more, and then I get the glazed looks lol I dunno anyone else feels the same way?

    Depending on how it's phrased- I hate when someone asks implying or flat out saying it looks easy for me- I have come up with an answer for everyone

    Hard work, lots of exercise, lower calories and much healthier food choices; more exercise, less food.
  • fredgonzini
    fredgonzini Posts: 77 Member
    You want to see a lot of good dirty looks. Just tell people they need to learn how to suffer. I was looking for the magic pill to. Who takes an extreme amount of commitment to do it nobody wants to hear that. 400 logged. MyFitnessPal has been a big part of it.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    You want to see a lot of good dirty looks. Just tell people they need to learn how to suffer. I was looking for the magic pill to. Who takes an extreme amount of commitment to do it nobody wants to hear that. 400 logged. MyFitnessPal has been a big part of it.

    I actually caught a warning over that once. Punching people in the feels is generally frowned upon around here. "How dare you insinuate that I did this to myself, earned this pain, and need to suck it up and deal with it?"
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Ditto to the others' replues - most people are either looking for some magic they can adopt without actual effort, or a story so extreme that they know they can't achieve it (so they have an excuse).

    As an alternative, you could just mess with 'em: "I drink a quart of apple cider vinegar every morning, then eat whatever I want"; "I learned to do headstands, and that made all the difference", "Eat only apples on Mondays, berries on Tuesdays, Cabbage on Wednesdays, . . . .", etc. (I'm joking! Joking!)

    Pine cones from my yard. They were a challenge to get used to them, but If I coat them in peanut butter they slide right down. Also, if you are going to tell people this, please make sure they know you are joking, because no doubt someone will try it.

    Yep, like my sister in law came so close to doing.
    Long story short: We convinced her that eating a pine cone was a Christmas tradition of the household. She would have taken a bite from one if we hadn't yelled "NO!".

    Seriously....

    Love it!