Diet vs. Lifestyle Change

gaterbear

I have been on MFP since Nov. 1, 2010 and have lost 26 pounds. My weight loss has been very steady up until this week. I seem to have hit "the wall" and my weight has remained constant for a week. As a lifetime "fat-gene" fighter, I wanted to share a thought for others who face the same situation. If this were just a diet, hitting a plateau is enough reason to quit and go off the program, but as a lifestyle change hitting a wall with the weight reduction is not a reason to quit. Just remember that a lifestyle change is that: a life changing event. Stay with the program, eat healthy and you will see the results for the long term. Hope this is helpful especially for others facing "the wall.":happy:

Kirstie_C26

*LIKE* i wish more ppl wud realise this

best wishes
Kirstie xx

brenda_71

I haven't hit the wall yet but I know that day is coming!! And you are absolutly right, this is a life style change. Just eating healthy and exercising is enough to make me feel like I'm doing the right thing even if weight stops coming off for a while. Thanks for the encouragement!!

dlaplume2

You are so right.

pftjill

Great post. I remember two years ago I was out running-one of my fav all time things to do when I lived in Cali-and I thought to myself, I have to do this for the rest of my life. I guess I should change that to-I get to do this for the rest of my life. It was at that realization I learned to love exercise and have such a great passion for it that I have become a personal trainer. Thanks for posting this and keep it up. Maybe change up your workouts to see more results!!

katschi

It's taken me about 3 years to get this.
The way I eat now is for life and reducing my caloric intake is just a temporary measure to reduce the excess fat.
When I'm at my goal weight, the foods I eat will not change. Only the amount will change to suit my new caloric needs.

Once I figured this out, it took a great deal of pressure off me. I hated the diet mentality where you're either "on" or "off",
"good" or "bad".

I definitely used to view plateaus as failures and that combined with impatience doomed every attempt at weight loss.
I'm happy that I know better now.

Great post and thanks for the pep talk.

gaterbear

Thanks to you. Love your quote.

gaterbear

Thanks for the reply. Sounds as if you had a real life-changing experience for the possitive. That is great.
I am limited to walking for my exercise due to recent surgery, but I have been into some kind of exercise (running-when my body was much younger; weights, etc.) most of my adult life. I just feel so much better mentally when I do something physical on a daily or almost daily basis. Having had many surgeries (heart, back abdomen, eye...geez, gives me a headache to think about it) the walking is good for the whole body. Plus, it is so easy to do and maintain. I wish you the best.

PrairieRoseNE

I try to think of my eating less and exercising more as a means to become a more healthy person instead of thinking I need to be a thin person. I know alot of thin people that are unhealthy. I watch my calories & carbs & sodium because I have high blood pressure and there's diabetes in my family. And I exercise to help my heart and other organs. The losing weight and becoming thinner is just a bonus!!