Living The Lifestyle Thursday 8/18/22

imastar2

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.

Monday - crewahl (Charlie)
Tuesday – Flintwinch (Tim)
Wednesday - misterhub (Greg)
Thursday -imastar2 (Derrick)
Friday - Wildcard

Today's Topic: Living with the battle of gaining, loosing, maintaining and everything in between. Throughout your adult life have you found it easy to fight the battle of the bulge? or like so many who have had a difficult time dealing with dieting and fought weight gain and loss most of their adult life. Then lastly why do you think so many people simply give up and except their fate and stay obese.

imastar2

I'm no stranger to obesity from 12-21 and leveled off for about 20 years at 185-200lbs then boom creeped up gaining a little at a time. Then sleep Apnea and insatiable appetite till 400. Then bipap treatment helped to take a hundred off but even after that it's been a struggle.

When I get in the zone I do well but when I'm out of the Zone it's simply disastrous.. Everybody is different and one fix doesn't work for all. Even with that being said do people sadly seem to just not care but Im just not one of those.

I was sitting outside in my car later yesterday evening waiting on DW to pick up some pharmacy items and was watching people go into the store. It just struck me and amazed me how many obese men and women went and came out of the store. I think most obese people think things taste good keep eating the why not or what the heck I just don't care.

In any case I certainly wonder what the average overweight obese person has running through their brain. I am not judging them because if I were walking into the store they probably are wondering what is that fat old man thinking.

Al_Howard

At a high (as God sees me) I was 335#. In March of 2010, Doctor said, "Al, you are now a diabetic." I said "Oh *kitten*!",and proceeded to diet. Had a little computer program, that worked well for me, until technology passed it by, and it would no longer run. Finally rejoined WW (goal in 1979) with TOL in 2014. Reached doctor proscribed goal last September.
Now, I'm finding maintenance the hardest. No rewards for constant weight drop. As I am wont to say, "it a death march". Just keep on keeping on. Cannot lose vigilance.

crewahl

I’m not sure I'm in a position to generalize about what other people think, but I suppose it’s possible that my experiences and thought processes aren’t unique.

I’ve slowly reached a conclusion that one of the biggest struggles in weight loss is the issue of delayed gratification. I can choose a delicious candy bar today, or I can choose to be healthier in six months - maybe. There’s no guarantee that I will, if fact, be healthier, so prioritizing that means placing my faith in the science/people/literature that tells me less sugar and fat is good for me. Every food decision that results in indulgence results in immediate gratification, while deferring that indulgence results in some degree of frustration at the choice. And how many times have we heard “a bird in the hand . . . “? What’s that if not pushing us to select immediate gratification over delayed gratification?

So why do people give up on weight loss? For me in 2014, it wasn’t a conscious decision, but rather a reflection of changed priorities. Essentially, I lost my faith that the game was worth the candle, that the juice was worth the squeeze, that giving up pleasure today was worthwhile as an investment in my future self. It’s easier to say “I’ll lose weight tomorrow”, or Monday, or next month when some “temporary” issue has passed. And, of course, we then move on to the next temporary issue - the Super Bowl party, or Sally's birthday, or the Memorial Day cookout, or . . . . _________. I believe weight loss works when it’s a priority, and fails when it is not.

steve0mania

I was a fairly normal weight (and I'm using the term "normal" on purpose...keep reading) for much of my early life and into early adulthood. After marriage, I put on a few extra pounds, but then a medical issue led to multiple pulses of steroids, and with each pulse I'd gain weight, and after each pulse I'd lose weight, though not as much as I had gained. Over time (a couple of years), I put on a bunch of weight. I tried wishing the weight away, but that didn't work so well, and over time I got progressively used to feeling like a fat guy. I think that is one component of the challenge: your weight is in some ways a part of your identity. Changing your identity is hard.

When I felt like I hit rock-bottom, or maybe more accurately, the tippity-top, I crossed the line from overweight to obese. That was a major wake-up call, and that finally got me off my rear-end to do something about it. I joined WW, and I lost 50 pounds quickly and easily (in about 6-7 months). I couldn't believe how easy it was, and thus I struggled to understand why it was such a challenge for others.

Obviously over time I've learned many lessons, and I've got a healthy respect for all of the other factors that go into weight loss (and maintenance). As we say, weight loss is simple, but it's not necessarily easy.

Changing identity is one issue. I had gotten used to being a fat guy, and it took awhile to get used to seeing a skinny guy in the mirror.

A second issue was highlighted above: humans aren't so great at delayed gratification. WW taught me the value of patience, perseverance, and tolerating delayed gratification. This was a lesson that I applied to many other areas of my life.

Another issue that seems to be more important for younger folks is the cultural shift we've seen. We're no longer really allowed to consider ideas like "normal" and "abnormal." The most obvious issue today seems to be gender identity. It wasn't that long ago that we had a psychiatric diagnostic term (in the DSM 4R) of Gender Identity Disorder. Now we call it Gender Dysophoria, and it's no longer considered a disorder, but rather something that is accepted (or maybe celebrated?) in society.

Similarly, we're not really supposed to consider someone as having a "normal" weight, because that would suggest that it's abnormal to be overweight or obese. As such, there is less societal push to get to a healthy weight. Of course I agree that no one should be discriminated against or made to feel badly about their weight. At the same time, though, it seems important to recognize the health benefits to having a "normal" weight.

Anyway, weight is such a complicated thing that transcends the simple number on the scale!

crewahl

steve0mania wrote: »

Similarly, we're not really supposed to consider someone as having a "normal" weight, because that would suggest that it's abnormal to be overweight or obese.

Interestingly enough, if you believe Healthline, being overweight/obese is “normal”, since 69% of the adult US population is overweight or obese. Of course, that includes me, since even when I get to goal I’ll be eleven pounds into the overweight category.

But I take Steve’s point about using the term “normal” in terms of weight. That’s why I frequently refer to my current and targeted weight as being at a “socially acceptable weight”. I don’t (think I) look overweight, and suspect most people would agree. It’s completely separate, of course, from being at a healthy weight.

88olds

Our bodies are not designed for our current circumstances. Mother Nature did not anticipate this much food. When operating on our most basic level, our eye says food and our brain says eat. Long way to say its fairly easy to gain weight in the times we live in. An extra 100 calories per day, that’s a drink, a couple of cookies, a bit of candy, and we gain about 10 lbs in 1 year. What about 3 drinks and a pizza?And the office donuts? 5 years and we’ve gained 50. Not hard.

Because it comes on relatively slowly, we adjust as we go. In about 10 years, I went from 185 lbs to 285 lbs. I’ve said before that as I got bigger, my life got smaller. But it wasn’t until my ability to walk was threatened that I really took a look at how limited I’d become. And the limitations I noticed were the physical ones. I didn’t think about the social limitations until later.

Then I got into the business of losing weight. I got down to about 220, about 45+ more than I weigh now. But life was good a 220 lbs. I worked out. I was obese but reasonably fit. My Dr loved my BP. I think the answer is that for a lot of people 25, 30, 40 extra lbs isn’t much of a problem. Then when we turn 60 the Dr, “out of nowhere ” says we have a weight related health issue.

Why do people give up? Repeated failure. Mostly failure to wrap our brains around how long it takes to lose a significant amount.

Normal? My last ML lost about 150lbs I think. I also think she said it was about the 5th time she had lost over 100 lbs on WW. The women in that meeting loved her. I liked her a lot. Then one day she started talking about what was “normal.” Oh, I guess I should mention she was about 6’2”. When she got started worrying about what was normal, she started gaining. Last time I saw her I bet she had put back 100 lbs. Broke me heart to see it.

imastar2

@Al_Howard , @crewahl, @stevOmania, @88olds
Guys.... Those were some of the most interesting post in awhile. I found my self obsorbing every word of each post..
Steve somehow I just can't imagine you being a fat guy and losing 50lbs. Here I've thigh you were just a skinny guy and worried about gaining 1-2 lbs.

Anyway it was very interesting guys. Kinda reminded me of some of the old days where threads would last 2-3 pages and sometime that many days or more. Great! thought provoking post.

Jimb376mfp

Guys,
Thanks for your life stories.

Most of my life I was overweight and knew it. Year 2000 took a job near St Louis while my DW and son stayed in Ohio for nine months to get him through HS . On my own I drank and ate uncontrollably and gained a lot. My new Dr told me O was obese and would die.
Around 2006 lost 80#
2012 Hit max weight 376 and began WW AGAIN! Five years of successful efforts to get to Goal weight 184 May 2018. Two years maintenance was good.
2020 PANDEMIC
No water aerobics, not as much walking and was determined to not gain. But quit eating my WW food. Now gained 10 pounds and inches at waistline.
Never got COVID but quit my WW lifestyle.
I log in here to remind me NEVER QUIT!
Now at 74 yo it’s tough, but have to keep going.
Jim

crewahl

Jimb376mfp wrote: »

Now at 74 yo it’s tough, but have to keep going.

I would say it’s tough at any age, Jim, but you’re right - we have to keep going. 👍

Al_Howard

Jimb376mfp wrote: »
Now at 74 yo it’s tough, but have to keep going.

78 also!

crewahl

@Al_Howard @Jimb376mfp Thanks for the inspiring look into my future, guys. 😉

imastar2

Ha! Charlie I'm 75 so I guess your one of the youngsters on here. We're not going to wait on anybody though, time won't let us lol!.