Living the Lifestyle-November 6, 2019
GavinFlynn1
Posts: 1,664 Member
We meet here to explore, share, celebrate and (sometimes) agonize over how we do (or don't) incorporate weight loss guidelines into our daily lives. "It's a lifestyle, not a diet" is easily and often said, but sometimes not so simply put into practice.
This is a thread for everyone. If you're new to GoaD, or to weight loss, your questions and comments are always welcome. If you're maintaining, or a long-term loser, your thoughts on the topic may be just what someone else needs to hear. If you're reading this, join in the discussion!
Each weekday, a new topic is offered up for discussion. Thread starters for September are below:
Monday -88olds (George)
Tuesday - Imastar2 (Derrick)
Wednesday - gavinflynn1 (Gavin)
Thursday - misterhub (Greg)
Friday - Al_Howard (Al Howard)
Today’s topic: Competition - is it a part of your lifestyle toolbox?
Speaking only for myself, are used to hate the idea of competition. I grew up with five older brothers, and “competition” to me meant getting
embarrassed by my older brothers. I didn’t want to be the kind of person who did that to other people. So when ever someone asked me if I was competitive, I said “oh no. Not me.“
In my adulthood, I eventually learned that I am very competitive, but with myself. It doesn’t matter much to me if someone else is better or worse than I am at something. It matters very much to me, if I am better than the Gavin of yesterday.
Lately, I have struggled to use the healthy self competition that works for me. These last few years I have learned that it still matters to involve others. Competing against myself with no one to share the results leaves me listless. In my first weight loss journey with weight watchers, I shared the journey with my wife and to some extent with my son. However, neither of them has been interested in weight loss or a healthy lifestyle for quite a few years now. I find it hard to motivate myself without their engagement.
At the same time, if I’m being brutally honest, I have not let myself fully re-engage in the support that GoaD and WW offers. Because I regained the weight I had lost, I have shamed myself out of sharing freely. That’s silly, but it’s true. I don’t follow the advice I would give to someone else who had success and then “relapsed”.
I’m sharing this to challenge myself about my own level of commitment and accountability.
This is a thread for everyone. If you're new to GoaD, or to weight loss, your questions and comments are always welcome. If you're maintaining, or a long-term loser, your thoughts on the topic may be just what someone else needs to hear. If you're reading this, join in the discussion!
Each weekday, a new topic is offered up for discussion. Thread starters for September are below:
Monday -88olds (George)
Tuesday - Imastar2 (Derrick)
Wednesday - gavinflynn1 (Gavin)
Thursday - misterhub (Greg)
Friday - Al_Howard (Al Howard)
Today’s topic: Competition - is it a part of your lifestyle toolbox?
Speaking only for myself, are used to hate the idea of competition. I grew up with five older brothers, and “competition” to me meant getting
embarrassed by my older brothers. I didn’t want to be the kind of person who did that to other people. So when ever someone asked me if I was competitive, I said “oh no. Not me.“
In my adulthood, I eventually learned that I am very competitive, but with myself. It doesn’t matter much to me if someone else is better or worse than I am at something. It matters very much to me, if I am better than the Gavin of yesterday.
Lately, I have struggled to use the healthy self competition that works for me. These last few years I have learned that it still matters to involve others. Competing against myself with no one to share the results leaves me listless. In my first weight loss journey with weight watchers, I shared the journey with my wife and to some extent with my son. However, neither of them has been interested in weight loss or a healthy lifestyle for quite a few years now. I find it hard to motivate myself without their engagement.
At the same time, if I’m being brutally honest, I have not let myself fully re-engage in the support that GoaD and WW offers. Because I regained the weight I had lost, I have shamed myself out of sharing freely. That’s silly, but it’s true. I don’t follow the advice I would give to someone else who had success and then “relapsed”.
I’m sharing this to challenge myself about my own level of commitment and accountability.
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Thanks! @GavinFlynn1 for a good topic. Deep down I'm a pretty competitive person but at 72 years old and obese that competitive spirit in my case has seemingly gotten buried beneath the rubal in my life or head or somewhere.
I know that competition is a good thing and no one wants to loose deep down inside but I just have lost that edge for whatever reason. My competition is between me and the darn scales. However I feel something is missing and I know I want to get it back.
For awhile I tried to bring back the Accountability Challenge and no one participated I guess because it's pretty boring. I may try it again if for no one else but me. I know Greg @misterhub has faithfully posted about MTBC and while it's not a competition thing it is an accountability post. There are thousands involved in other challenges on MFP and WW but it just doesn't do it for me.
Anyway bottom line I'm up to some friendly competition if there's a way to do it that can benefit those who want to participate and leave those who participate with an uplifting spirit and not walk away feeling like a loser or something like that. Afterall it's all about loosing weight or maintaining and not gaining weight. 😄👍
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@GavinFlynn1 I'll post the accountability challenge and you can see what you think. WW has changed their system some but it's basically the same.1
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Not competitive in weight loss. Now, who's up for cribbage.0
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I sometimes felt myself competing (in my own mind only) with the other members at my original meeting 13 years ago. I eventually got over that and started competing with the scale (again in my own mind) Finally I moved on to competing with myself (still in my head). Today I can only compete with what I weighed in at least week0
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@imastar2 Thanks for restarting the accountability thread. I’ll take that challenge.0
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Not really competitive as I find “comparison is the thief of joy”1
