Why simply be normal, when you can be a freak?
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I've kept 60lb off for two years and I still eat slabs and slabs of chocolate. 1 a week, AT LEAST.0
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I'm 9 months in. Just at a party last night and everyone was shocked at how I looked. I'm already hooked and no chance I'm stopping. I do eat yummy food still but at a deficit. I love to lift and work out. It amazes me what my body can do now. I can't wait to see my body in another 3 months. I totally agree with your post.0
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I have good days and bad days. So long as every day doesn't revert to being a bad day then I'm okay to keep plodding along.0
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When I wrote this last night, I thought...if I reach 5 people..it was worth it...5. Well, looks like it was worth it.
For those of you who don't want to take the plunge and stay normal, fine. But how many of you I wonder have swam with sharks, went black water rafting, handgliding...ran up Diamond Head in 20 mins...why? Just because you could.
Sure, walking into a room and knowing you are the fittest person there isn't appealing? Ok
Having strangers stop you in the mall to ask health advice seems a bother. I get it.
Having your significant other bushwack you at every chance because you are now the dream person. Ya I know, that isn't appealing either.
You want to walk down the street and not be notice. Then pls go over to the how to lose weight section cuz chances are you don't have the drive to make it stick. Sure you could be in that 10% that hit a goal and maintain. But I think you may be fooling yourself.
When you get to be a freak on the other hand..you have totally changed your lifestyle..you hit a goal and actually get depressed...why...because you think someday you may actually run out of goals.
And obtw...I've been there done that. Go look at my profile...I have a pic of the before. 2.5 years ago I could have been someone reading this.
So those who signed up..let's do this. For others...good luck.0 -
wow0
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lol......... in0
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This is a great post! I wish more people on MFP weren't so satisfied with the status quot (which, if you live in the States, is being overweight and considering donuts to be a food group).0
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Might not agree with giving up everything you mentioned but I totally agree with the sentiment.
I've repeated the lose weight, gain it back two or three times now but never again! I'm not getting any younger =D. I was never interested in fitness when I was younger, I was just always naturally slim and healthy. Add time and that is no longer the case.
Discovering lifting is the best thing that ever happened to me and I have never been fitter or happier. Add in bulk/cut cycles (just finished my first) and I'm set for life.
I have every intension of being a freak - a huge muscle bound one - even if it takes me till I'm 50 or 60 :happy:0 -
At first I thought you were promoting a strict, but nonetheless successful way (for some people) to reach your goals.
Alrighty then.
I have no drive at all, clearly. Have lost over 30% of my body weight, kept it off. Work full time. Have a wonderful family that includes an autistic son. 3/4 of the way through a law degree and on track to get a first, whilst coming from a family that makes those from 'Shameless' look tame and sane. Worked and recovered from a serious illness that has landed me in hospital on several occasions. I have no idea what determination and will power is, none at all.
I don't know about running out of goals - not ending up as arrogant as you could be one I could keep in mind and always strive for.
Also, having time, money and inclination are the main things needed to headbutt a shark or go handgliding, so anyone can do those things, not just the 'greatest motherf*cker you are ever gonna meet'.0 -
but I like pie & bourbon 0 -
I gave up ice cream and crack. feeling better now.0
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OP, if that's what makes you happy by all means go on with your bad self. Clearly you have accomplished much and for that you have my admiration and respect. But that is not everyone's goal. Being a "freak" will not make me happy. What makes me happy is being in good enough shape to :
Be attractive to my wife
Play with my kids
Be considered healthy
Be able to enjoy physical activities
Those are the things that I value, that motivate me, keep me going to the gym. Giving up all those things you mentioned for a year would most likely make me miserable, which would actually be counter to my goals. Because ultimately my goal is to be happy, and miserable is the opposite of happy.
Good for you though. I sincerely hope you have accomplished what you had hoped to accomplish.0 -
I'm already in that 10% of successful long term maintainers. There's no need for all that overly macho swimming with sharks style motivation, nor any need to compare yourself to others or prop up your ego by believing that you're the fittest in the room or whatever........ Not everyone is motivated in the same way.... if that's what motivates you then good for you but just because many people are not motivated by the same things as you are does not mean that they'll fail.
Also, you don't have to be perfect, you just have to eat less than you burn off and stick with that long term....... making things more difficult than they need to be decreases your chances of succeeding. There is no need to give up alcohol or all your favourite foods to succeed at fat loss... you just need to learn portion control and keep them within your calories and macros.0 -
When I wrote this last night, I thought...if I reach 5 people..it was worth it...5. Well, looks like it was worth it.
For those of you who don't want to take the plunge and stay normal, fine. But how many of you I wonder have swam with sharks, went black water rafting, handgliding...ran up Diamond Head in 20 mins...why? Just because you could.
Sure, walking into a room and knowing you are the fittest person there isn't appealing? Ok
Having strangers stop you in the mall to ask health advice seems a bother. I get it.
Having your significant other bushwack you at every chance because you are now the dream person. Ya I know, that isn't appealing either.
You want to walk down the street and not be notice. Then pls go over to the how to lose weight section cuz chances are you don't have the drive to make it stick. Sure you could be in that 10% that hit a goal and maintain. But I think you may be fooling yourself.
When you get to be a freak on the other hand..you have totally changed your lifestyle..you hit a goal and actually get depressed...why...because you think someday you may actually run out of goals.
And obtw...I've been there done that. Go look at my profile...I have a pic of the before. 2.5 years ago I could have been someone reading this.
So those who signed up..let's do this. For others...good luck.
First, after a broken neck and lower spine surgery I'm graced to be walking, let alone running so I could care less about running up Diamond Back. I just want to go for runs with my boyfriend.
Second, I walk into the barn where my horse is kept and many show places and I am the most fit person. Do I care? Not really. I just want to be a strong rider for my horse and myself. It is nice to be able to ride a dressage test or a jump course and not be gasping for air like everyone else and be able to ride a 25 or 50 mile endurance ride and be able to run the next day or lift the next day.
Third, I don't want to be noticed on the street or stopped in the mail to give health advice, I'm not a doctor, nutritionist or personal trainer and I don't know that person or their history so that would be quite dangerous now wouldn't it.
Yes, I've changed my lifestyle by incorporating better habits and daily activity, what many call moderation on here. And no, I'll never run out of goals because once I achieve one goal I'll come up with a new higher and harder to achieve goal. You see, one goal I'll always have is to never regain the weight that I've lost once I reach maintenance.
ETA: My boyfriend already thinks I have a fabulous body so any improvements from here on out are bonuses.0 -
When I wrote this last night, I thought...if I reach 5 people..it was worth it...5. Well, looks like it was worth it.
For those of you who don't want to take the plunge and stay normal, fine. But how many of you I wonder have swam with sharks, went black water rafting, handgliding...ran up Diamond Head in 20 mins...why? Just because you could.
Sure, walking into a room and knowing you are the fittest person there isn't appealing? Ok
Having strangers stop you in the mall to ask health advice seems a bother. I get it.
Having your significant other bushwack you at every chance because you are now the dream person. Ya I know, that isn't appealing either.
You want to walk down the street and not be notice. Then pls go over to the how to lose weight section cuz chances are you don't have the drive to make it stick. Sure you could be in that 10% that hit a goal and maintain. But I think you may be fooling yourself.
When you get to be a freak on the other hand..you have totally changed your lifestyle..you hit a goal and actually get depressed...why...because you think someday you may actually run out of goals.
And obtw...I've been there done that. Go look at my profile...I have a pic of the before. 2.5 years ago I could have been someone reading this.
So those who signed up..let's do this. For others...good luck.
Check my profile pic OP, I'm in WAY better shape now then I was in that photo. And yes, part of my motivation to get in and stay in better shape is so that I can continue doing the things I love. It was no fun (and not very safe) needing help hauling my butt back in to the boat after my dive. It was no fun being the slowest person hiking up table mountain and having all the little twits still in their 20's standing around waiting on me.
BUT, I've been doing this for over a year WITHOUT resorting to extreme restrictions. I eat what I want and just try to make sure I hit my calorie and macro goals. I lift 3 - 4 days a week and throw in some running when I can. I'm in better shape now then I was as an athlete in my early 20's. I still have some fat to work off, but I can run farther, lift more, and for the first time in my life am about to do unassisted pull ups, which at 5'8" and the higher end of BMI, is no small feat for someone my size.
It's great to have goals to work towards, but I don't need or want YOUR goals, I have my own.0 -
I guess I'm the opposite of everyone else. I know it sounds vain and selfish, but part of my motivation is vanity. I keep going because I want my body to look better. Of coarse, I care about all the other things like running around with my kid, being strong and healthy for my family, like everyone else mentioned. But a lot of my motivation is just as simple as I want a nicebody. So yes, it sounds vain but I'm just being honest.
So even though I don't agree with every aspect of the post (like I mentioned earlier, I eat pasta and bread in moderation) overall,I think it's a good post. Not everyone will have the same goals or the same motivation to reach those goals, but that's absolutely okay.0 -
Also, I'm asking you to give up those things that you love the most...possibly bread or pasta and this one is going to hurt..no booze. For one year, go dry.
No. Here's why.
1. Its unnecessary. 3 or so years ago my husband and I got real about losing weight and getting in shape. I lost around 30lbs. Then I got pregnant, had a baby and lost back to my pregnancy weight. I maintained there for the last 2 years. Now I'm working on losing about 15 more pounds. I haven't given up anything. I drink, I eat cake and pizza and ice cream. I just learned to do those things in moderation and added some exercise to my life.
2. I did the freak thing in high school and college. I was a committed athlete. Pratice at 5am, weight training, conditioning, the whole thing. I loved it and when it was over, I grieved its loss. But I'm not in that place any more. There are great memories there, but to be brutally honest, I have no intention of working that hard on my physical condition ever again.
I have other priorities now, my husband and kids, friends etc. My goals now are too be healthy and enjoy my life, to do the best job I can raising my kids to be kind, generous, productive, motivated people etc.
My weight loss is important to me, but it needs to be something that won't take over my life and steal focus from my family. The way I've found to make it stick so far isn't the drastic "give up tons of stuff and work really hard" method you're challenging people to adopt. I've done much better making a series of small, manageable changes that eventually add up to big change.0 -
When I wrote this last night, I thought...if I reach 5 people..it was worth it...5. Well, looks like it was worth it.
For those of you who don't want to take the plunge and stay normal, fine. But how many of you I wonder have swam with sharks, went black water rafting, handgliding...ran up Diamond Head in 20 mins...why? Just because you could.
Sure, walking into a room and knowing you are the fittest person there isn't appealing? Ok
Having strangers stop you in the mall to ask health advice seems a bother. I get it.
Having your significant other bushwack you at every chance because you are now the dream person. Ya I know, that isn't appealing either.
You want to walk down the street and not be notice. Then pls go over to the how to lose weight section cuz chances are you don't have the drive to make it stick. Sure you could be in that 10% that hit a goal and maintain. But I think you may be fooling yourself.
When you get to be a freak on the other hand..you have totally changed your lifestyle..you hit a goal and actually get depressed...why...because you think someday you may actually run out of goals.
And obtw...I've been there done that. Go look at my profile...I have a pic of the before. 2.5 years ago I could have been someone reading this.
So those who signed up..let's do this. For others...good luck.
Well first, I have no desire to do those activities because I can't swim and am afraid of heights :laugh:
I think I'm doing fine just the way I am. I'm improving my health and enjoying the foods I love (you will never take my ice cream away). It's all about making the right choices for you. If your way works for you, fine, but that's not for everyone.0 -
No way will I give up alcohol.or pasta...or bread..besides I don't need to!
Actually I'm not a yo-yoer, the only times I have been overweight is due to pregnancy....but I have lost all the weight all 3 times
The only thing I do differently now is workout so much more, I love it, it's part of my life.0 -
I agree that you shouldn't stay "normal" in things you love! We all have different priorities though. So each one of us wants to become a "freak" in different things.
I see this thread as an invitation to everyone here, to chase their goals for a year without slacking. I'm in for that!
BTW I want to become a physics' freak :bigsmile:0
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