How much of this is mental?

jacksonpt

People often complain about having cravings or not liking certain foods or not having time to work out or whatever else, but I've long believed that being healthy (whatever that means to you... eating better, losing weight, getting strong, getting faster, etc) is almost all mental, or more precisely commitment.

Until you decide that being fat is worse than eating well is inconvenient... you're going to stay fat.
Until you decide that being lazy is worse than exercising is hard/boring/whatever... you're going to stay lazy.

Am I wrong? Am I wrong when I look at people and tell them that they can find time to exercise if it's really that important to them, or that they can try different foods and recipes and find things that are healthy AND taste good?

Make the commitment or shut up.

javamonster

I agree 100%!

ashnm88

I agree 100%!

Hellbent_Heidi

I'm not sure how much of it is mental, but since I've started eating healthy and losing weight, my 'cravings' have dropped off almost completely (even during certain hormonal changes), and if I decide to have a 'little bite' of something I used to love, it doesn't even taste very good anymore, so I have to believe there are some chemical changes related to eating better that will change your cravings and taste senses change. I don't feel like I'm depriving myself of my favorite things at all because my body (and brain) doesn't even want them.

However, I have to agree100% with you about making a committment (put up or shut up, right?).

neanderthin

Agreed as well.............there's no lack of excuses though for the people that can't commit.

rebysue

YUP! I find that I am only as successful as I am MENTALLY committed. When my mind isn't in it, I do horrible. But when I get the correct mindset, nothing can stop me!

gdortiz

75% is mental ... i think for some, because of their body, losing weight can be a lot harder, but in the end it is all about will power.

AppleADayAmber

Make the commitment or shut up.
[/quote]

U are right!!!

alyssamiller77

I think you've taken it to the extreme, but your points are very VERY valid. Ultimately it does come down to a mental thing. Mentally we ALL must overcome certain physical/physiological challenges that work against us. We ALL must conquer certain educational barriers in our understanding of our bodies. We ALL have to battle through scheduling blockades that work against us. But I agree that in the end, none of these is insurmountable and the key to defeating all of them is a mental commitment to doing so. The hard work isn't the eating plans, exercise or scheduling, it's having the motivation and mental fortitude to stick to that lifestyle and make it THE priority in your life.

MissMaryMac33

I agree for the most part --- but regarding exercise -- until you find one you LOVE doing, you're not going to stay commited to it.
It took me a long time to find something I look forward to doing, and actually plan my day around it --- before then, I would use just about any excuse to skip doing something I hated.

Even the eating healthy thing -- until you find healthy foods you love, and new recipes or learn how to make your own perfect protein shake or how to cook with quinoa --- you're not going to stick with that either. It's a lot of work.

Also, for many people --- it is nearly impossible to lose weight. Try doing it with 2 different insulin resistant diseases sometime. There are other reasons people have trouble

MissMarthaGrace

Totally agree!! It's always been a mental battle for me....used to have every excuse in the book not to work out or eat properly. I still have that inner battle w/myself from time to time (who doesn't!) ~ but am proud to say I have a much better handle on it!

CasperO

As a person who has succeeded at this, then backslid a little, and is now struggling to get back on track - I'm inclined to say it's more ,,, what's the word. Spiritual?

The thing is that fat never sleeps. Those evil little gremlins that say "Come on,,, it's just a cookie",,, they never shut up. Right now I'm doing great 23 hours of every day and then being stupid when I'm hungry in the evening. So--- I'm doing 23/24ths of what I need to do to succeed.

It's completely mental, or spiritual or something. I know what to do, and I'm struggling to do it. I'm pretty sure that I'm deluding myself when I look in the mirror, telling myself that I'm "Not that fat (again)",,, when in reality I am or damn close.

Thinking of firing up the elliptical in the mornings again. My foster kid moved out, so I have the space again. Maybe that'll get me going. Hmmmm.

cmriverside

Agree it is 99% mental commitment.

Good luck changing the nay-sayers. :flowerforyou:

H_Factor

at least 50% is mental. its a reason I wrote my will power blog...to help folks with the mental side of things.

at the same time, making the mental commitment to doing what needs to be done isn't easy.

kiahpyr

I agree! Before I decided to loose weight my dh cooked most dinners. He's a cheese and carb addict. So I decided even though I hate to cook I'm going to have to do it. I've found many sites with tasty recipes. Now I cook all the time. It can be done!

jacksonpt

Oh, I'm not saying this is easy. But there's a big difference between having a weak moment/meal/day and saying, "I don't like to run, pass the Ben & Jerry's."

TheRoadDog

I think you're right. I give up.

alyssamiller77

I agree for the most part --- but regarding exercise -- until you find one you LOVE doing, you're not going to stay commited to it.
It took me a long time to find something I look forward to doing, and actually plan my day around it --- before then, I would use just about any excuse to skip doing something I hated.

Even the eating healthy thing -- until you find healthy foods you love, and new recipes or learn how to make your own perfect protein shake or how to cook with quinoa --- you're not going to stick with that either. It's a lot of work.

Also, for many people --- it is nearly impossible to lose weight. Try doing it with 2 different insulin resistant diseases sometime. There are other reasons people have trouble

I'd argue that this isn't true. As I said earlier in this thread, there are a lot of challenges in our way (finding exercises we love or sticking to ones we don't, physical challenges like insulin resistance, etc) but none of them simply CAN'T be over come. The way I see it, we all have challenges but in the end we have to have the mental fortitude and commitment to do the hard work it takes to overcome them.

As I said, I think the OP takes it to the extreme by focusing on laziness and such, but in the end his point is still correct. You can only overcome these challenges when you're truly mentally committed to doing everything it takes. What's that old cliche, where there's a will there's a way? I firmly believe that.

BTW, for the record, I don't enjoy using the elliptical or lifting weights at all, yet I do it 5 days a week religiously because I have the mental commitment to look a certain way and that's the only answer I've got right now.

CorrieV1976

I used to make excuses all the time -- The kids needed me, the house needed to be clean, -- I hate water.....I could go on and on, then one day I changed. I made up my mind.....MENTALLY , SPIRITUALLY, I wanted to change....and now things dont stop me.
The dishes will be there when I get home, as will the laundry. The kids survived an hour without me.....

There are still times I have to skip the gym or i'm too tired to go, but then i hit the Wii....I bought games that I could play with the family and still get exercise in. We play biggest loser, just dance, zumba or Wii fit...and making it a family event pushes me to get off my butt.....

It is 100% (or 98%) mental and I used to be one of those whiny people that would cry and say I hate being fat but i have no time, It's funny, cause I'm still way over weight, but i dont complain about it at all, because mentally I am so in tuned with what i am doing and so dedicated that i know eventually I wont be fat anymore -- I had to push really hard the first couple weeks I went to the gym, I wanted to make excuses, I think i even drove all the way there and managed to talk myself out of going in and left a few times, but day by day i stuck to it.....and that mental change is worth every second of the pain it was starting to get into a routine....
Now i looove going to the gym or working out at home!!

Lizmhoughton

It's completely mental and physical at the same time. I am one of those that is either totally on top of it or I am sinking. I was really on track and it was easy until one day I wasn't. Ever since then it's been so hard to get back into it all.

The hardest part is definitely the 1st day, especially if something comes up. For instance, I will decide it's day 1 again. I end up being completely tied up at work only had a cup of coffee and oatmeal in the morning. Then it's 4PM and I realize that I didn't eat lunch and there's pizza left over from a meeting. Mmmm, it's free and there is no work for it to be ready right away and I am so starving. So I eat the pizza, but half an hour later I am starving all over again. I end up working late and then I am way too hungry to work out and eating before a workout never goes well with me. So I eat another slice of pizza because there's still some left. I end up hating myself but then I am still so hungry. So when I get home I make dinner and I don't get to eat until maybe sometime between 9-10 and go to bed at 11. You have to make sure you don't get yourself to that point that you are so starving that all you want is high calorie foods. I really think my body craves these bad, high calorie foods when I don't get the chance to stay stable all day on my intake. Although a few days ago I took 4-5 hours to eat my lunch because I could only fit in a few bites here and there. At the end of the day I felt like I hadn't eaten anything all day, when in fact I had literally eaten all day long. I was miserably hungry that day and didn't make it to the gym.

I made it to the gym Sat and Sun this weekend and I plan on making it there today. I'm considering this day 3 so I think I'm in the clear

moonshadows72

I think that most of it is mental,

However its not just a simple "if you want it do it!" To us it may feel like thats all it takes. The decision to start is easy to make. The desire to not be fat or lazy is easy.

Its the drive, will, determination, motivation that for many people is very hard to find! Something has to "click" inside each of us that sets our prioritys, gives you drive, and gives you the motivation that you have been looking for!

Ive spent many yrs wanting to not be fat, wanting to not be lazy, ive even made decesions to change that, but i did not have the fire behind it. I had to find that first. Once I finally found what I needed for myself, I started pushing myself hard! Then it started to work... I saw the progress and how it IS possible! For most of my life, Ive never believed it to be possible for me to have the body Ive always wanted.


Also human mentality is controled by chemical reactions in the brain. These chemicals are naturally produced by the body. The production of individual chemicals and hormones required for these reactions are all influenced by various factors:
Age, weight, active/sedentary, DIET, something physically wrong with body, or Illness.

If levels become to high or too low, it can SIGNIFICANTLY change a persons mood, emotions, reactions, the way we think and even social interaction.

(clinically diagnosed DEPRESSION, Mental illness, social disfunctions)

For some its physically extreemly difficult to find the drive behind your goals when your own body is literally working against you!

My own levels were WAY out of wack when i was checked. After treatment with my doctor, my entire life changed! (all before I started losing weight)

wannababyH

Mental attitude affects way more of our lives than we would ever imagine.

stubsy1968

Totally agree. If you don't have your mind in the game you won't be IN the game. People make excuses all to easily rather than making the time to put themselves and their health first.

If you have time for Facebook - you have time to exercise!!!

Kathy

CanuckLove

*love* Agree completely.