Living the Lifestyle, Wildcard Friday! 10-21-2022

steve0mania

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: What surprised you?

What surprised you about weight-loss/management? This can be answered in any realm, such as the process itself, issues related to food, health, exercise, looks, clothes, identity, etc. You can also share multiple examples, if you'd like.

steve0mania

I had my routine annual check-up yesterday. The doctor said "we'll check your hemoglobin A1c, but given your healthy lifestyle, I don't expect there to be any problems." The idea that I am now in the category of someone with a "healthy lifestyle" is something that surprised me the first time I heard it from a physician. At yesterday's check up I was within normal BMI (even with shoes and clothes on!), my blood pressure was normal, my heart rate was 50, my labs were all good, I'm at low-risk for heart disease and other issues.

If you would have told me, before I started WW, that my routine check-ups were going to feel like victory laps, I never would have believed you.

crewahl

There are lots of surprises - but I think the largest is the non-linear connection between food choices, activity, and weight loss. It's as if Pavlov rang a bell, and then fed the dog three days later. What does the dog learn from that - that if the bell rings, they’re gonna be hungry for a while? Similarly, in weight loss the things you do today may show up today - or in three days, or two weeks. How do people learn what to do, and how do they get reinforcement for positive behavior when a day of good food choices is followed by a gain?

I think we expect our choices and our results to be coupled like a trailer connected to your vehicle using a frame hitch - a rigid and solid connection. Instead, it’s more like you’re towing a car with a very long bungee cord looped around your bumper. Both vehicles will ultimately move in the same direction, but at different paces and different times. The lead car influences but doesn’t control the vehicle being toward. That’s an adjustment that requires a certain degree of faith.

88olds

That I can do it. If you had told me on 12/24/94 that I would be like this some day, I would have called you crazy.

That it’s a matter of living with some reasonable limits. Not iron willed discipline. Not some secret magic eating plan. Just reasonable limits.

That I’ve never seen tracking as a burden.

That I don’t mind eating the same stuff a lot.

That I can go long periods without eating pizza or drinking alcohol.

That eating ice cream nearly everyday has resulted in weight loss. (Maybe there is a secret diet food after all.)

That for awhile I prided myself on being the best dressed guy at the office.

That I work at maintaining my weight to support my exercise plan, not the other way around.

That I was diagnosed with bladder cancer and didn’t blow up my plan.

That after 11 years at goal weight one day I thought, “Unless I lose my mind (possible) I’m not gaining it back.”