Does anyone else think losing weight is easy?

kimjutjor

MFP and logging my food and exercise has made all the difference in the world to me. It has educated me on calories and nutrition -- vital information to healthy living that I just didn't have before. Now wherever I am, I can make better choices that make a difference on the scale and I do not feel that I have done without anything. Never before in my life did I have this sense that I was not missing out on life when I was on a diet/trying to lose weight. Knowledge and accountability are key for me.

qtgonewild

i feel the exact same way you do. something just clicked. i want it bad enough.

Chevy_Quest

Losing Weight is not "easy", but the path to losing weight and getting fit is clearer more than ever before!

I have tried to lose the same 40 lbs for 3 years in a row. I actually used another calorie counting site fitday.com for the first two years. The problem was that their methodology for exercise was pretty complicated. I would lose 25-30 lbs both years and gain it all back.

I finally "got" MFP a few months ago and started really reading how this all works. The forums are a wealth of information and I am learning more about TDEE etc. every day.

The concept of being able to eat back some or all of my exercise calories has finally made me feel like I am control and not in an obsessive "box".

I have lost about 17 lbs and have about 33 do go (depending on bodyfat).
However, I have finally learned that "slow and steady" wins the race! I am happily losing about 1-3 lbs per month!
My goals are all fitness related - The weight is just a great "side effect"

Counting Calories is like learning the alphabet and phonics

Applying it with tracking patterns, meals, cravings, exercise, BMR and TDEE is like learning to speak a whole new language - one that I am gladly learning!

Kabiti

Well, all you guys just suck. LOL

Yup this.

I'd trade places if I could! :blushing:

SLLRunner

I've been on many diets and often tried to lose weight, but this time around it's been the easiest by far. I consistently lose 2lb a week (since June when I started) I haven't had any binges, cravings or put on any weight and when I've had a "cheat day" it's been within my allowance and not hindered my loss at all. I've enjoyed every meal and all the exercise. If you knew me, you'd know normally I'm lazy and love my comfort and junk food.
I honestly think this site and logging food has a lot to do with it. When you see what you're eating it really helps. Has anyone else found it easy?

I don't know if losing weight is easy or not, but I do know it takes motivation and perseverance to succeed. The tools here at MFP are a lifesaver because they help me stay accountable for my own health. What I am doing now is a way of life not a diet. In fact, I had to discard that whole diet mentality in order to realize that what I have been doing these last several months is a way of life. If I have to log in exercise and food for the rest of my life to keep my weight off, I will do it.

deathend

I think it is both easy and hard. Easy if you have an active lifestyle, things to keep your mind preoccupied and actual reasons to lose weight. Hard if you aren't that social, don't have much to do other than work (or school) and just want to lose weight to 'look better' rather than multiple reasons.

StheK

Losing it is easy. Starting to lose it is almost impossible and keeping it off is another story all together. But the part in the middle? The actually losing it part? Easy.

SoDamnHungry

It's easy for me once I get into it. But when I'm having emotionial issues and binging like a mofo, it is incredibly difficult.

exmsde

I am finding it surprisingly easy (and I do mean easy, not just simple) this time around. For me the difference from past attempts is four-fold:

1) I'm much more focused on broad health then on just losing weight. I have victories on an almost daily basis, and that takes me away from fretting about things like plateaus. A couple of days ago my BFP dropped out of the obese range for the first time in decades. Last week I did a 10 mile hike for the first time in 40 years. I've eliminated a daily medication. My BP looks great. I've never been able to run, at all, but I'm trying out the C25K program. I went to fundraiser last week and had to get out a suit that was a few years old because my most recent suits are way too big. Realized I have no shorts that fit should we decide to go on a beach vacation this winter. Etc.

2) I'm making my "diet" work for me like never before. I don't feel like I'm denying myself much of anything, just being better about how I build it into the rest of what I eat. I'm a bagel fanatic, which in the past I avoided when dieting. This time I've worked in a few a week with no trouble at all. I mostly eat whole grains, but that bagel is an exception that keeps me on track. I work in cheat meals when they REALLY mean something to me. I was in NY last week and had a Corned Beef sandwich. It checked my NY Deli box, allowing me to eat relatively healthy the rest of the week without feeling I was missing out on anything. In fact I think I had fish for all but one other meal. I know my weak points and I feed them! Craving for steak? It costs me a bit of $ but a small Filet Mignon fits into my calorie budget without making an unusual dent. Chocolate craving? I always have (and rotate) one of the controlled portion chocolate snacks in the house. Salt craving? I often eat unsalted nuts, but keep some salted ones around as a healthy alternative to chips. And then I keep a lot of favorite fruits around too. Slowly but surely when I get a craving my brain is actually saying things like "Very Cranberry Snack Squares" or "Pistachios" instead of "Snickers". I'm also making sure not to go too long without eating something, so mid-afternoon snacks and something mid-evening are always in the plan. But mostly I'm eating good healthy food in reasonable quantities so that I'm both enjoying them and they are making me feel full, all within my calorie budget.

3) The tools have improved dramatically in the last few years, MFP being a good example. Before MFP the closes equivalent you could get was paying for Weight Watchers. WW works, but (despite a lot of improvements over the last few years) is neither as adaptable to the individual nor as fitness focused. Devices like the Fitbit and their ability to integrate with MFP and other tools. Ditto for Runtastic. The tools are not only making it easier, but making it more fun.

4) I've become obsessed with the exercise part of the equation. I can't sit in front of the computer for long. Even this long reply has me edgy to get up and do something. The amount of increase in activity has its own three benefits. Burning more calories and thus letting me eat somewhat more than if I was just doing a couch potato diet. Eliminating idol time that tends to send one looking for a snack. And I could swear it is reducing my hunger pangs.

So for me losing weight this time has been easy. But that's only because it really has been a dramatic lifestyle change. One that I hope, but can't be certain, will last long past meeting my weight goal.

stealthq

I've found it easy, but I was never clinically overweight to begin with, and have never had an emotional issue with food. I just got lazy, and in the habit of eating past being full. It didn't take long to get accustomed to eating a more appropriate amount, and the rest was just being patient and finding a way to fit in some sweets so I don't feel deprived.

Now I'm just being patient, which is easy enough, but tedious. And seriously considering upping my exercise to move things along. At my current rate of loss, it'll be another eight months to get to my 2nd goal, having just reached my 1st.

stealthq

dp

Gee_24

Its certainly SIMPLE!

Was on 1200 cals for 2 months. Not easy. Not easy at all. BUT, I lost 2lb a week and I was happy in general.

Then on 1400 for a month. That was easy and wonderful! Lost 2lb a week easy peasy.

But now Im 2lbs away from goal it seems the scale is just quivering about the same 3lb range for 2 weeks. Pissing me off. Now, its frustrating and stressful. ( And I will keep re-adjusting cals to see what works )

NonnyMary

this is funny - but -- its easy.

i mean really, its easy for me.. and im a food addict.

i finally found the way to do it.. calorie deficit.. and i can eat the food i enjoy, i just have to budget it .. and i can squeeze in food i like, just not all the time every day.

the only hard part is - sometimes it would be easier just to walk down to the corner and get some fast food, sometimes the extra work of having to go to the store and have food on hand because im kinda lazy is the hard part - and sometimes i'd really like to eat Taco Bell more often.. however, if i have my refrigerator stocked with enough food - then its quite easy.

my appetite is under control and my food cravings are pretty much under control. except for this -

i get once in a while a heap of mom guilt like the other day and i still find that i self medicate with a dessert with frosting. thats my medication for some reason. weird! but you know, i still was able to budget a big piece of Bakers Square carrot cake and it didn't even hurt me. ha! so even a splurge did not hurt. thats about it.

botaylor1166

Well, all you guys just suck. LOL

I agree with her! lol

LuckyMunky

I find it easy too. Not just simple, but easy. I have had no problems sticking to my diet and on the occasions where I can't (or don't want to) I have an easy time forgiving myself and getting back at it.

I think that, for me, having my diet reduced to numbers helps a lot. I'm very good with numbers so to see a simple formula for my health was like.. a gold mine of happiness. I'm completely serious. Also, I have a disability and have been forced to live at a lower quality of life. Having the ability to change some of my discomfort (due to excess weight and tight joints) has given me a high I can't describe. For once I have control over part of my health and it feels amazing. It's like a big F*** U to my disease haha!

kimmymayhall

It has been pretty easy for me. I think it's because I didn't have that much to lose and I was eating pretty well before, I was just eating and drinking a little too much of everything. With MFP its been really easy to fix that problem. I did start off with a calorie goal that was too low, but I was never really restrictive with my foods. If I really want something I had it. If it put me way over on my calories I might see a slower loss, but that doesn't mean I CAN'T do something. It's all about choices, cause and effect. I exclusively ran for exercise to lose the weight so now I like running when I used to hate it. And this year I started lifting which I really love. If I would just get my butt back to the gym. Again, choices.

hgycta

It honestly all depends.
While the concept is easy (burn more than you consume and you will lose), the application can sometimes be tricky, depending on how you go about it.
If you were to consume calories through junk food, most likely you'll be left hungry and craving more.
If you were to consume more natural foods (vegetables, fruits, lean meats, nuts, etc.) you'll most likely be more satisfied and your cravings will be suppressed.
So it all depends on the day for me.
Some days it's certainly easier than others, since some days I do very well and others I succumb to the temptation of junk food and have to somehow work that into my calorie allowance for the day.
It all depends on the person and their lifestyle, really

Fabfitgirl5

bump to hgycta

Iwishyouwell

Simple, yes?

Easy? Sure, some days.

After years of struggling I just realized that the vast majority of the difficulties surrounding weight loss were based in emotion.

I've learned to stop filtering my eating through emotions. And I don't even mean being an "emotional eater", I mean dealing with the emotional and psychological fall out of not being able to eat the way "normal" people in the US do, and coming to terms with saying "no" and not rebelling against that concept.

Losing weight itself requires perseverance and patience, and keeping it as simple as possible does make the journey much easier for me.

Chevy_Quest

What @Iwishyouwell wrote

I mean dealing with the emotional and psychological fall out of not being able to eat the way "normal" people in the US do, and coming to terms with saying "no" and not rebelling against that concept.

That was the first time I have heard it put that way! Excellent

A lot of the people where I live eat:

1. Biscuits and Gravy and Hash Browns for Breakfast
2. A donut for a break
3. Burger and Fries or Barbeque and Hushpuppies or Chinese buffet for lunch
4. Chips for afternoon snack
5. Huge Dinner

It's called "comfort food" and that is how I ate. For me that was nearly every day and I was getting fatter and fatter because I routinely ate 3500-4500 calories per day (gusting up in to the 6000s regularly)

I always "dieted" by eating 1200 calories per day (I am a 5'7" male starting at 203 lbs) .. would last a few weeks and crack and the armageddon of binge eating would start over again! And when I worked out I would go all out and make myself sick because I could not pace myself.

---

Fast forward to MFP days.

Reading about BMR, TDEE etc....

1. I know that I can't eat exactly like I used to.
2. But, I don't have to starve myself.
3. The concept of eating back some or all of my exercise calories is like the "holy grail"
4. I can eat all of the foods above.. .just not at the same time! (I had great pizza today)