Vent - this is a LIFE STYLE not a DIET!

sarabear

I also find this a little amusing. Our culture has so demonized healthy food that people think if you eat healthy you must be dieting. People still ask me "how did you do it?" I just try to smile and say "I changed how I eat, I started to eat only healthy food for all my meals. Oh and I exercise 6 days a week." They look at me like I have three heads.

Why do people think eating healthy is so hard? I don't find it hard at all. Sweets and junk should be an occasional treat you give yourself, not an every day occurance. Once people realize that, they won't have to ask how it's done anymore. Its not like healthy food tastes bad. Sure it takes a little longer to prepare, but that just makes it more worth the effort.

I know, most of my family is over weight, my dad died when I was 10 of a heart attack, he was 50. Now my family is like what are you taking to take off the weight? Well the magic pill is good food and exercise!

sonjavon

This thread has given me so much to think about.

I'm blessed with a husband and family that have been really supportive... despite all the times I have started a diet and failed. I think that they too, realize that this time is "different". I've had non-family members be not so supportive - but I've come to realize, it's because they're not yet educated about what I'm doing.

The unfortunate part is that there is SO MUCH misinformation out there! My friend doesn't understand why I would make the choice to have REAL SOUR CREAM in the house instead of FAT FREE. My reason? I like it more and I'd rather have less of the real thing than more of something I don't like. And in my house, NOT having sour cream would be like not having eggs. LOL!

Ya know, 2 months ago if someone had told me, "Sonja, it's easy - all you have to do is calculate your BMR, subtract 500 calories a day for each pound a week that you want to lose, exercise regularly and count your calories." I'd have looked at them like they were crazy... easy... yeah right. But honestly, this has been the EASIEST thing I've ever done. Eating right isn't hard. I'm not starving myself and I'm not eating anything that I don't like. I've had ice cream several times ... real ice cream - just not a cereal bowl full.

I love MFP because it makes the "hard" things seem easy... and there's something exciting about being able to log in your food and exercise.

sarabear

I agree, I know there is stuff in my house people are prob like omg that's how she got that way! But now that I've started this, I can control myself to have a serving of ice cream, a piece of chocolate. I don't keep much on it in the house because I still do have probs with when I'm stressed, that chocolate could become supper!:laugh:

Marla64

This thread has given me so much to think about.

I'm blessed with a husband and family that have been really supportive... despite all the times I have started a diet and failed. I think that they too, realize that this time is "different". I've had non-family members be not so supportive - but I've come to realize, it's because they're not yet educated about what I'm doing.

The unfortunate part is that there is SO MUCH misinformation out there! My friend doesn't understand why I would make the choice to have REAL SOUR CREAM in the house instead of FAT FREE. My reason? I like it more and I'd rather have less of the real thing than more of something I don't like. And in my house, NOT having sour cream would be like not having eggs. LOL!

Ya know, 2 months ago if someone had told me, "Sonja, it's easy - all you have to do is calculate your BMR, subtract 500 calories a day for each pound a week that you want to lose, exercise regularly and count your calories." I'd have looked at them like they were crazy... easy... yeah right. But honestly, this has been the EASIEST thing I've ever done. Eating right isn't hard. I'm not starving myself and I'm not eating anything that I don't like. I've had ice cream several times ... real ice cream - just not a cereal bowl full.

I love MFP because it makes the "hard" things seem easy... and there's something exciting about being able to log in your food and exercise.

Yes, I love this post-- everything you said and more!!!!! It isn't as hard as we had ourselves psyched out to believe for so long-- I'm eating 'real' food, too-- just counted and logged and planned into my day.

chulie

I must admit everyone around me has been really supportive, but I have to laugh about people who arent my immediate family, my FAVORITE thing about losing weight. I have become pyschic....I know that when someone asks me if I have lost weight, that as SOON as I respond with a yes, their first words out of their mouth are going to be..."really..what did you do?" hahaha..Like I have some magical answer, because each and every time I reply with, well, I eat healthier, have started exercising and just taking better care of myself, it's like they are dissapointed, like that wasnt the answer they were looking for. They would have preferred I tell them about some magic diet pill that "fixed" me and they can go out and get it...hahaha..and when I dont it's like they immediately lost interest...so I have to giggle at that.

Phoenix_Rising

I must admit everyone around me has been really supportive, but I have to laugh about people who arent my immediate family, my FAVORITE thing about losing weight. I have become pyschic....I know that when someone asks me if I have lost weight, that as SOON as I respond with a yes, their first words out of their mouth are going to be..."really..what did you do?" hahaha..Like I have some magical answer, because each and every time I reply with, well, I eat healthier, have started exercising and just taking better care of myself, it's like they are dissapointed, like that wasnt the answer they were looking for. They would have preferred I tell them about some magic diet pill that "fixed" me and they can go out and get it...hahaha..and when I dont it's like they immediately lost interest...so I have to giggle at that.

I get the same disappointed response when I tell people I lost weight by eating right, counting calories, and exercising.

I think from now on I'll simply tell them I lost weight from practicing voodoo. The reactions will be more amusing.

chulie

I must admit everyone around me has been really supportive, but I have to laugh about people who arent my immediate family, my FAVORITE thing about losing weight. I have become pyschic....I know that when someone asks me if I have lost weight, that as SOON as I respond with a yes, their first words out of their mouth are going to be..."really..what did you do?" hahaha..Like I have some magical answer, because each and every time I reply with, well, I eat healthier, have started exercising and just taking better care of myself, it's like they are dissapointed, like that wasnt the answer they were looking for. They would have preferred I tell them about some magic diet pill that "fixed" me and they can go out and get it...hahaha..and when I dont it's like they immediately lost interest...so I have to giggle at that.

I get the same disappointed response when I tell people I lost weight by eating right, counting calories, and exercising.

I think from now on I'll simply tell them I lost weight from practicing voodoo. The reactions will be more amusing.

Hahahaha...omg...could you imagine??? that's hilarious, or something equally ridiculous like, Oh i carry a watermelon around in my bag now...dropped 20lbs like that!!! Watermelon sales everywhere rocket!hahaha

naugustyniak

I must admit everyone around me has been really supportive, but I have to laugh about people who arent my immediate family, my FAVORITE thing about losing weight. I have become pyschic....I know that when someone asks me if I have lost weight, that as SOON as I respond with a yes, their first words out of their mouth are going to be..."really..what did you do?" hahaha..Like I have some magical answer, because each and every time I reply with, well, I eat healthier, have started exercising and just taking better care of myself, it's like they are dissapointed, like that wasnt the answer they were looking for. They would have preferred I tell them about some magic diet pill that "fixed" me and they can go out and get it...hahaha..and when I dont it's like they immediately lost interest...so I have to giggle at that.

I get the same disappointed response when I tell people I lost weight by eating right, counting calories, and exercising.

I think from now on I'll simply tell them I lost weight from practicing voodoo. The reactions will be more amusing.

Hahahaha...omg...could you imagine??? that's hilarious, or something equally ridiculous like, Oh i carry a watermelon around in my bag now...dropped 20lbs like that!!! Watermelon sales everywhere rocket!hahaha

OMG.....I am so gonna use the watermelon thing. My family hasn't seen me since Christmas. I have only lost 4 pounds but I have toned up a lot and look much different. I am gonna do it. I always carry a HUGE purse anyway so it shouldn't be to hard to keep a straight face.

sonjavon

I must admit everyone around me has been really supportive, but I have to laugh about people who arent my immediate family, my FAVORITE thing about losing weight. I have become pyschic....I know that when someone asks me if I have lost weight, that as SOON as I respond with a yes, their first words out of their mouth are going to be..."really..what did you do?" hahaha..Like I have some magical answer, because each and every time I reply with, well, I eat healthier, have started exercising and just taking better care of myself, it's like they are dissapointed, like that wasnt the answer they were looking for. They would have preferred I tell them about some magic diet pill that "fixed" me and they can go out and get it...hahaha..and when I dont it's like they immediately lost interest...so I have to giggle at that.

I get the same disappointed response when I tell people I lost weight by eating right, counting calories, and exercising.

I think from now on I'll simply tell them I lost weight from practicing voodoo. The reactions will be more amusing.

Hahahaha...omg...could you imagine??? that's hilarious, or something equally ridiculous like, Oh i carry a watermelon around in my bag now...dropped 20lbs like that!!! Watermelon sales everywhere rocket!hahaha

OMG.....I am so gonna use the watermelon thing. My family hasn't seen me since Christmas. I have only lost 4 pounds but I have toned up a lot and look much different. I am gonna do it. I always carry a HUGE purse anyway so it shouldn't be to hard to keep a straight face.

The thing that makes me sad is I WAS that person... like 2 months ago. I was that person who wanted to know that if I didn't eat corn I'd lose weight. That if I ate watermelon while standing on my head and humming the alphabet - I'd lose weight. Because honestly? I thought I HAD tried to lose weight "the right way"... and it didn't work. I DID Weight Watchers... and I gained weight... 30 lbs to be exact....now the question is, why didn't I stop before I gained 30 pounds, I manage to quit everything else... why didn't I quit Weight Watchers??? LOL!

I wish that I could find the "right" words to explain to people that it's not hard... it's not an "easy fix" either... it's not deprivation, it's not eating the same thing day in and day out... but I guess if I could find the right words - I'd be heads and tails over an entire industry, hu?

MyKids04

Diet is a 4-letter word in my house.....I use the term healthy eating plan. My hubby is VERY unsupportive and when he says "Oh we can't go out to eat cause your mom's on a diet!!!" I always say "Sure we can, it's not a diet but a healthy eating plan...but I am not paying!!!":devil:

I am so very sorry some of you are going through this. I actually have a very supportive husband and my co workers are great. My husband does a lot of our cooking because he loves to cook and I do the re heating of it and last night made a week on the plan and he was in the kitchen making me a salad with tons of great veggies and oil and vingar on the side and he went shopping and bought me all these different healthy snacks it was great.

Then today my office got great news that can really boost our profits this year in a very bad economy and we were like yeah. and my boss was like dunkins on me. I told him you are killing me I am really trying to get this wt off. So he went out and got the office a veggie tray and a fruit tray. It was great and no one complained.

Sorry you had a bad day you can always vent and I will listen.

magnolia1077

I am so happy for this post! My husband and I decided together to get healthy. Yesterday I'm in the grocery store and see a friend of mine who says to me "why do you have all the healthy crap in your cart? Are you on some kind of crazy diet or something?" :noway: This coming from a person who has been skinny all her life by eating oreo's. (you know the type) I'm not on a diet. I'm just finally doing right by myself for a change! Then I have had the issue with family members who say they are glad I'm finally eating right. wtf :explode:

Delaina1

Oh wow, never mind. It's in there...

Nutrition Facts
Fried Alligator Tail :sick: Servings: of 85 g 1 g
Calories318Sodium196 mgTotal Fat5 gPotassium0 mg Saturated2 gTotal Carbs62 g Polyunsaturated1 g Dietary Fiber5 g Monounsaturated1 g Sugars4 g Trans0 gProtein9 gCholesterol7 mg Vitamin A0 %Calcium0 %Vitamin C0 %Iron0 %

I had some this weekend - wasn't bad - tastes like chicken

I LOVE alligator! I used to have it once a week or so...I'm trying to cut down bc it is usually fried. So good though!

naugustyniak

I am so happy for this post! My husband and I decided together to get healthy. Yesterday I'm in the grocery store and see a friend of mine who says to me "why do you have all the healthy crap in your cart? Are you on some kind of crazy diet or something?" :noway: This coming from a person who has been skinny all her life by eating oreo's. (you know the type) I'm not on a diet. I'm just finally doing right by myself for a change! Then I have had the issue with family members who say they are glad I'm finally eating right. wtf :explode:

Your skinny friend who eats Oreos probably has some really nasty looking arteries....just keep that in mind. :bigsmile:

naugustyniak

Diet is a 4-letter word in my house.....I use the term healthy eating plan. My hubby is VERY unsupportive and when he says "Oh we can't go out to eat cause your mom's on a diet!!!" I always say "Sure we can, it's not a diet but a healthy eating plan...but I am not paying!!!":devil:

I am so very sorry some of you are going through this. I actually have a very supportive husband and my co workers are great. My husband does a lot of our cooking because he loves to cook and I do the re heating of it and last night made a week on the plan and he was in the kitchen making me a salad with tons of great veggies and oil and vingar on the side and he went shopping and bought me all these different healthy snacks it was great.

Then today my office got great news that can really boost our profits this year in a very bad economy and we were like yeah. and my boss was like dunkins on me. I told him you are killing me I am really trying to get this wt off. So he went out and got the office a veggie tray and a fruit tray. It was great and no one complained.

Sorry you had a bad day you can always vent and I will listen.

Thanks but it really isn't a biggie... I just do my thang :laugh: He's probably just worried I will get all hot and run off with some one MUCH younger and much better looking than him :happy: He is a 2-pack a day smoker and an alcoholic so I don't pay him much mind.....my kids are supportive and that's all that matters.

Shanta1983

Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Food Diary

I know wat you all mean im new here and i read everything is so true I FIND MYSELF EVERYDAY AT WORK TELLIN PPL IM NOT ON A DIET IM SIMPLY CHANGING THE WAY I EAT, THEY KEEP SAYIN IM ON A DIET AND MAKING REMARKS LIKE SHE WILL CRACK LOL SOON SO DISAPOINTING:sad: