How ads and expectations can sabotage us
Enigmatica
Posts: 879 Member
I'm really starting to question whether it's that much harder to lose weight when you're older. Okay, maybe it's a bit harder but maybe over the years we just got used to sitting on our butts and eating whatever we wanted. And one day we realized it had caught up and passed us and we figured we could do a bit of this and that and SHAZAM all would be right in a jiffy!!
We got used to being comfortable and everything in our culture is sold on "comfort" and "convenience". Look at all the ads demonizing "exertion" and "deprivation" of any kind. You can have anything you want! (Unspoken: if you can pay for it!) We've been fed a line of hooey about how we can have it ALL and never be inconvenienced or denied anything we want. (Unspoken: sometimes you PAY for it in unexpected ways...)
Look at all the fads promising you can buy this video or eat this food or pop this pill and the weight will just melt off of you. Ads with models who've never seen 120 on scale, even fully clothed, wearing their boots, and with their purses slung over their shoulders. Please. They all make it look so EASY. So much FUN!!!
Then when people try it themselves they find out it isn't so easy, and the promise of FUN soon fades to the simple reality of WORK, and they start thinking something is wrong. "There must be something wrong with me. Why is this SO MUCH HARDER than I thought it would be???" Oh of course, "getting old" is one of the biggest sins in American culture. We're supposed to be forever young! So let's blame our age!!
I think the reality of having to work to lose weight and tone up is harder when you've been led to believe it will be quick, easy, and nothing but pleasure. I've seen so many people do this and quit. They buy the best exercise equipment, great videos, join gyms, buy into a diet... and after a few weeks they feel like it's not working so they wander off to something else. It's sad.
My own experience has taught me that it's important to find foods and activities that you enjoy and that will allow you to achieve the calorie deficit you need in order to lose weight. No one told me how to do this. I made my choices based on research along the way, and changed plans whenever it made sense to, and slogged along out of sheer determination.
Maybe I didn't think in terms of "how hard" it was because there was no one there to tell me it would be easy, lol. I expected it to take some effort to shed that 90 pounds. I knew I'd have to change (and limit) what was allowed into my mouth. No one was there to tell me how long it would take. My only option was to tune into my body, figure out how far and how fast I could push it, and make a game out doing *what I could* instead of "the least that I could" to achieve my goals.
Anyway, if you start feeling discouraged, maybe look with a more critical eye at all the advertising and expectations surrounding us, and consider THEIR goals vs YOURS. Their goal is to sell you something, and the people who buy into it psychologically are trying to SELL you something too, even if they don't get any money from it. They're trying to get you to jump on their particular bandwagon because it reaffirms their own decisions, which they may be privately doubting. Look at what you actually need to do for YOU and watch out for the sales pitches.
Losing weight and getting fit take work. I've watched plenty of younger people have to work much harder at it than they expected, too. Here's to learning to enjoy the journey!
We got used to being comfortable and everything in our culture is sold on "comfort" and "convenience". Look at all the ads demonizing "exertion" and "deprivation" of any kind. You can have anything you want! (Unspoken: if you can pay for it!) We've been fed a line of hooey about how we can have it ALL and never be inconvenienced or denied anything we want. (Unspoken: sometimes you PAY for it in unexpected ways...)
Look at all the fads promising you can buy this video or eat this food or pop this pill and the weight will just melt off of you. Ads with models who've never seen 120 on scale, even fully clothed, wearing their boots, and with their purses slung over their shoulders. Please. They all make it look so EASY. So much FUN!!!
Then when people try it themselves they find out it isn't so easy, and the promise of FUN soon fades to the simple reality of WORK, and they start thinking something is wrong. "There must be something wrong with me. Why is this SO MUCH HARDER than I thought it would be???" Oh of course, "getting old" is one of the biggest sins in American culture. We're supposed to be forever young! So let's blame our age!!
I think the reality of having to work to lose weight and tone up is harder when you've been led to believe it will be quick, easy, and nothing but pleasure. I've seen so many people do this and quit. They buy the best exercise equipment, great videos, join gyms, buy into a diet... and after a few weeks they feel like it's not working so they wander off to something else. It's sad.
My own experience has taught me that it's important to find foods and activities that you enjoy and that will allow you to achieve the calorie deficit you need in order to lose weight. No one told me how to do this. I made my choices based on research along the way, and changed plans whenever it made sense to, and slogged along out of sheer determination.
Maybe I didn't think in terms of "how hard" it was because there was no one there to tell me it would be easy, lol. I expected it to take some effort to shed that 90 pounds. I knew I'd have to change (and limit) what was allowed into my mouth. No one was there to tell me how long it would take. My only option was to tune into my body, figure out how far and how fast I could push it, and make a game out doing *what I could* instead of "the least that I could" to achieve my goals.
Anyway, if you start feeling discouraged, maybe look with a more critical eye at all the advertising and expectations surrounding us, and consider THEIR goals vs YOURS. Their goal is to sell you something, and the people who buy into it psychologically are trying to SELL you something too, even if they don't get any money from it. They're trying to get you to jump on their particular bandwagon because it reaffirms their own decisions, which they may be privately doubting. Look at what you actually need to do for YOU and watch out for the sales pitches.
Losing weight and getting fit take work. I've watched plenty of younger people have to work much harder at it than they expected, too. Here's to learning to enjoy the journey!
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Replies
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BRAVO! I agree.0
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I most certainly agree! Thank you for sharing and you look awesome! Such an amazing feat for you! Just awesome! ~smile0
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Great post.0
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Thank-you so much for posting this! I have been having a hard time this week & have been frustrated by having my mom visiting & her continuously brag about her weight lose when she has been doing it for longer then I have. I know she is just proud of herself & I am proud of her too I just feel like why aren't I losing more??? Thanks again!0
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makes a lot of sense!
btw i love your avatar! gosh, are you in one part of the jeans? amazing!0 -
makes a lot of sense!
btw i love your avatar! gosh, are you in one part of the jeans? amazing!
Not in that photo but after reading your post I went and tried it and I can fit both legs into one on those old jeans, LOL0 -
Great Post...and agree 100%
thanks for posting0 -
Thanks, Love your post!!!0
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I don't blame the ads at all. In fact most of the time I'd say they do exactly what is advertised. The people who they show having these amazing results put in the time and effort needed. But people these days are lazy and want instant results. It's unrealistic to expect a pill to just help you lose weight. Especially when you are stuffing your face with McDonalds every other day.0
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great post! I totally shy away from "diet" quick fixes - to me it's not a quick fix but a way to adapt a healthy lifestyle to prolong my life and health!0
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