The funny... "how are you doing it"? questions

fayefayee5

I have lost almost 25lbs now since january 21st and am feeling great, more determined and motivated than ever.

I post my weekly loss stats to facebook, and It makes me laugh how every time someone will comment

- "how are you doing it"
- "what pills do you take"
- "what else are you doing"
- "whats your secret"
- "I tried that, it didnt work, why is it working for you"

To which I always reply counting calories and exercising 6 days a week. People always assume there is some big secret, or a secret weapon in the form of magic fat burning pills etc. It makes me giggle, because honestly a year ago I kinda had that mindset.

Sure I 'tried' to lose weight, but once I fell off the wagon id tell myself id 'start again on monday', then fail on tuesday. I never stuck with it. The first 2-4 weeks were definitely the hardest, creating a routine, changing old habits, and creating a new lifestyle. I feel like im really in the swing of things now, and am feeling great.

It just really makes me giggle when people think im hiding something. Then there's the people who tell me I need an appetite suppressant or fat burning pill to boost my loss. I am a firm believer in the fact that I alone gained the weight, so therefore I alone can lose it. I didnt consume fat pills, so im sure not going to use an artificial supplement to help me lose it.

Anyone else have those friends who congratulate you, but then comment in disbelief that it really can be 'that simple' ?

This is not an easy change, Breaking 8 years of bad habits is definitely hard, forcing myself to go the gym everyday and push through the dripping sweat and pain takes alot, having just one square of chocolate is torture, but I know its what needs to happen.

I didnt mean for this to become a rant of sorts, It is just a combo between amusement and annoyance I guess. Im staying strong and accountable, and yes it really can be "that simple" to lose the weight, but behind the decreasing scale numbers and melting away inches there is a boat load of hard work, cravings and determination. I guess people never really know until they each begin their unique journey.

(p.s sorry if this is the wrong board) :oP

Cherimoose

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKs0oEIVOck

:bigsmile:

seltzermint555

Yeah, I totally get it. I am far less public about my loss...mostly just talking about it on MFP and with a handful of close friends/family. But judging by most of the people I see posting about their "journeys" I would not impress anyone with my 0.4 and 1.7 lb losses which is funny since it adds up to roughly 70 lb in a year...most people seem to want some magical drastic diet that will cause them to drop 20 lb+/month and then go right back to eating the same way they always have.

Mostly I get friends and acquaintances asking me how I'm doing it and how I've lost so much (113 lb over several years) and when I mention MFP the response, 99% of the time, is "That is just too much effort!!" or "Yeah but that doesn't really work".

WAT...

One girl in particular works out like a fiend (hours per day) and eats chain restaurant food 2-4 times every day, and is so upset that she has only lost 4 lb in 3 months but she claims that counting calories would never work for her because it's so tedious. Whatever man. I'll be over here with my Cadbury egg and nature hike, counting cals.

UrbanLotus

Well for a 25lb loss in 6 weeks, I'd be asking how you're doing it too!

seltzermint555

Well for a 25lb loss in 6 weeks, I'd be asking how you're doing it too!

hmmm I did not take note of that. I concur.

fayefayee5

The first few months I knew it was going to be faster, for as heavy as I was (255lbs starting weight), Now im seeing it slowing down, and really starting to understand a bit better. I am creating a spreadsheet of every time I weigh and my weekly lbs lost/inches lost. The first few weeks its was 5, now its slowing down to 2-3.

My main struggle is making sure im eating enough, I dont weigh and im sure I underestimate some things, so I dont normally eat back my exercise cals, which means a net of 1200-1300, So im trying to work on upping that. My food intake is 1500-1600, and it seems okay, but on the days I workout and burn 400-500 my net is low

RoseTears143

I hardly ever talk about my fitness/nutrition/weightloss efforts on my personal FB page. But when people see me or when I do make the occassional comment about my progress they ask those questions, expecting some miracle answer instead of talking about all of the hard work that goes into your results.

Keep on keepin' on! :glasses:

fayefayee5

I hardly ever talk about my fitness/nutrition/weightloss efforts on my personal FB page. But when people see me or when I do make the occassional comment about my progress they ask those questions, expecting some miracle answer instead of talking about all of the hard work that goes into your results.

Keep on keepin' on! :glasses:

I havent posted my starting or current weight on my fb, but I do post my weekly losses, mostly so my family back home in england can see, as they wanted to keep up with my journey

Im way more open on MFP though hehe

walkinthedogs

My friend was commenting on my weight loss and then proceeded to tell me that I HAVE to HAVE salads for lunch in order to lose weight or you won't lose anything. Mind you, I had already lost 20 and pretty much without a salad in sight, let alone a salad for lunch. I told her I don't eat salad because by the time I'm done making my salad taste good, it has more calories than a burger . She was adamant that the only way to lose it was to eat salad (she was also drunk, so arguing was a mute point). Now I'm down 27 total since I started seriously trying in June (started tracking in July on MFP) and still haven't had a salad for lunch. The thing I find the most funny is how people who aren't losing tell other people who are, how to do it and what they are doing wrong. I had another friend tell me she cut out red meat to lose 10 lbs. I said "don't you like red meat" and she said "I love red meat" and I said "why would you cut that out then?" "So I can lose weight", she said. Durf. And I said, "but it's really just about eating at the "right" calorie level for your body and exercise level, not eliminating food you like". She didn't believe me. Wow, I just realized it sounds like I have a bunch of stupid friends.

toronto_j

I have women in my family who have lost weight through shakes and programs and the like, only to gain it all back. I look forward to the next family reunion and telling them how I've done it.