There is no silver bullet or magic pill - it takes work

sandybeach11

Great job! Thanks for sharing.

JudyL5305

What an Awesome post!!!! Love this. Every word is so true!

PepeGreggerton

I hear you . . . any tips for lack of motivation?

When I lack motivation I look at pictures of myself when I was 65lbs heavier, or going to Walmart usually makes me want to punch people and I go home and take it out on the heavy bag.

raines1011

well said!!

stacyann1001

Great motivation for a Monday morning! I love the honesty and truthfulness in the post. Nothing worth achieving ever comes easy!!!

teeley

Harsh title but I felt it is needed. Perhaps its that this is the time of year when people decide to be healthier because it's magically a new year, but it frustrates me to watch a truckload of people show up with unrealistic expectations and then give up a week later.

So here's the thing... you want to lose weight? You want to get in shape? You want to look better? Here are some realistic expectations for you:

1) there is no silver bullet or magic diet that will allow you to shed pounds while doing nothing. Sorry. It doesn't exist. And the lazy road is what got us to where we are now. So its time to get OFF of that road.

2) You didn't gain all of your weight in a month, why do you expect you're going to lose it in a month?

3) Excuses are the paving stones to unhappiness and being out of shape. Coddling yourself will get you no where. You are here because you want to lose weight and get in shape? Time to get on the road to do so. Warning: that road is paved with blood, sweat, and tears. Are you ready?

What is realistic? It depends on your body. If you are largely overweight you will lose quickly at first and then slow down as your body "catches up".

This whole starvation craze? Garbage. Utter garbage. You are hurting yourself trying to get fast results. Would you swallow drain cleaner? Eat poison? No? Why not? Starving yourself is like that, it just takes longer to kill you.

If you want to lose weight, you need to workout. That doesn't mean you have to be working out at the level of elite athletes. You have to start somewhere. Walking is a great place to start. Strength training is vital. You need to-get-up-off-your-butt-and-sweat.

SWEAT.

SWEAT MORE.

Does it hurt? Yes. Is it uncomfortable? Absolutely. Does it suck? At first. You start to develop a craving for physical activity after a while. Your body thanks you. Dieting by itself is not enough for most people, and starving yourself because you think you are going to lose quickly so you can go back to your bad habits is not only destructive, but POINTLESS as you will just gain the weight back and then some.

Lifestyle change. If you aren't ready for it, truly ready to change your habits, you will frustrate yourself with failure. You can't diet and exercise for a couple months and then go back to what got you fat in the first place.

Do you want things real or candy coated?

Losing weight and getting in shape takes time. It takes effort. It takes more than trying to trick your body because your body will win every single time.

You must sweat. A lot. You must feel the burn. A lot. You have to want to not be fat more than you want to lay around and eat poorly. So here it is. How bad do you want it? Show yourself how bad you want it. Be realistic.

The road to fitness is not an easy one If it were, nobody would be fat. Tempered through fire the strongest steel is, and the fire here is measured by the blood, sweat, and tears you shed along this road.

If you are ready, get on that road and begin your journey. Temper your steel through the fires of your willpower.

this is perfect, I have been around for a year (at the end of the month) and this is something I can print and put on my fridge, bathroom mirror and front door!!! Thanks for the great words!

hottiemommie

I really enjoyed reading your post. You are so right. I am new to this healthy lifestyle, and I absolutely had to wait until my mind, body, and soul were ready to do this. I am finally getting on track and am determined to stay the course! Thanks for the blunt but honest motivation!

sammywil

I think it was the realisation that its taken me 41 yars to get like this - so why would i expect it to take such a little time to get to where i want to be. Simple! Next it was how the hellhas that taken me 41 yrs to figure out!!??

For the 1st time in my life i am ready to take that road & even though i am only 3 months into my journey, Im enjoying the ride!

Laziness is what got me here, so it stands to reason ill have to give that up to get me someplace else.

cloud2011

For me, the work isn't physical, it's mental and emotional. Sweating, working out, that's all easy for me. It's not even hard for me to eat healthfully in general. It's just the extras that creep in. So for me, just logging my food is a major thing. I am no longer buying into the no-pain, no-gain (loss) concept. It's all common sense; do what works.

Creeping calories are what have gotten me...I don't chow down at McDonald's. I don't eat seconds and thirds at mealtimes. No, it's more the snacking of seemingly low-calorie treats here and there. A candy bar when I want something sweet. A soda a few times a week. It's the idea that I wasn't paying attention. So maybe for some of us, the journey is about mindfulness and not necessarily knocking ourselves out with exercise.

ganesha303

+1. And glad you mentioned strength training!

mandylooo

Great post - deserves to be kept bumping up - or made into a sticky!

JPayne53

Well said! :drinker:

supergirlie00

So glad I read this! Excuses are a person's biggest limitation.

Kcham817

Excellent post!!! Very encouraging it takes time and tremendous efforts but it is WORTH it in the end.

ZombieKillaPrincess

i wish more people would realize this! great post!

auticus

For me, the work isn't physical, it's mental and emotional. Sweating, working out, that's all easy for me. It's not even hard for me to eat healthfully in general. It's just the extras that creep in. So for me, just logging my food is a major thing. I am no longer buying into the no-pain, no-gain (loss) concept. It's all common sense; do what works.

Creeping calories are what have gotten me...I don't chow down at McDonald's. I don't eat seconds and thirds at mealtimes. No, it's more the snacking of seemingly low-calorie treats here and there. A candy bar when I want something sweet. A soda a few times a week. It's the idea that I wasn't paying attention. So maybe for some of us, the journey is about mindfulness and not necessarily knocking ourselves out with exercise.

That's all valid and fine. For most people it is because they just don't want to work out. You don't have to knock yourself out with exercise. You have to get off your rear and sweat a little. If you are doing that but overeating, then adjust what you are eating, but my post is targeted at the very large majority that I read on my newsfeed or in the forums trying to eat 800 calories a day and are upset that they only lost 1 lb and when asked if they workout they say no.

If you are genuinely working out and burning calories (I'm not going to set a limit but for me 30 minutes a day is an absolute minimum and by that I don't mean 30 minutes of walking around a gym and texting on my phone, I mean actually working out) but are overeating, then simply be mindful of what you are putting into your body, and this post is not targeted at you.

traceracer

Fabulous post!! :flowerforyou:

dollienj

As the saying goes....slow and steady wins the race. It's a life change, not a temporary fix. Thank you for sharing.

mcadams1

Well said, but if that "Magic Pill" ever does get invented, please sign me up for a boat load full, until then, it is up to me to work out and eat right

kemeko

Well said, auticus! Great post!