Things people who are trying to lose weight say that bother

BAMFMeredith

Yeah, it's so frustrating!! And it's like, you just want to help but if they don't want it, they just won't listen!

I had this friend who lost a bunch of weight in a REALLY unhealthy way. Eating less than 1000 calories a day, and doing only cardio (walking like 45 mins a day). She was also on adderall, which naturally suppresses your appetite and any doctor will tell you to really monitor your diet and calorie intake to make sure you're eating enough. Anyway, she got down to like 105 lbs, at 5'3". She looked anorexic, but she was SO proud of how skinny she was. At the time I outweighed her by 50 lbs, yet I was in better health than she was.

She would gain like 10-20 lbs back, then go back to eating practically nothing for a while if she had some event coming up she needed to lose for. I would tell her, just eat healthy and do balanced exercise, but her response would be "i know what works for me. "

So many people do NOT understand that skinny does NOT equal healthy! I'd rather lose weight really slowly and be able to keep it off and be HEALTHY, than drop 40 lbs over night and still be in crappy health. You can't make em listen! You can only offer advice once and let them decide if they want to take it.

nitepagan

When I exercise on a regular basis, I lose weight. When you exercise on a regular basis, you also need to eat properly to support the exercise routine.

jwilliams213

Your friend's in denial and deflecting her frustration to everyone who's EXACTLY RIGHT - Eat the right foods in the right quantities, treat yourself NOW AND THEN, and exercise regularly and vigorously (sex counts as exercise, by the way!), and you will be fit. It took me a while to get over the entitlement I felt to eat out whenever I wanted, and stuff my belly with whatever tasted good at the time, but now that I'm doing it right, I'm 40 pounds lighter and four dress sizes smaller. I have 30 pounds to go, and I have no doubt I'll get there by doing exactly what I'm doing today. Your friend will never be healthy until she gets her head in the right place.

gaberieger

Hey You! ~thinking of getting healthy?...
Try these tips:

#1) you have to be fed up....(sick n tired of being sick n tired)
#2) you have to do it for yourself
#3) you have to make a plan and stick to it
#4) start with baby steps if you have to ....
#5) take it one day at a time
#6) mix it up ( your diet and your exercise )- so you don't get bored
#7) have accountability partners (MFP!!!)
#8) set short term and long term goals
#9) make Yourself, Your Life, Your Health, a Priority

Well Done You!!!

This.

And it is as *simple* as eating less and moving more. However, it is not always *easy* to do just that.

bap2011

For people with medical issues, sometimes you can't just "eat less and exercise more". When I just did "eat less exercise more" after my last baby, I was able to lose 20 lbs but could not lose an ounce more - I still had 40 lbs to go before I was a normal-for-me weight. I have never been able to get that off, and my last baby just turned 10. Have some compassion. It is so disheartening to really be eating 1200-1500 cal/day and exercising 5 days a week and not losing an ounce. No wonder they go back to the old way of eating. If you could eat 1200 cal a day and weigh 200 lbs, or eat 3000 cal a day and still weigh 200 lbs, which would you choose?

snaus70

eating multiple meals a day is not bs it helps you fight hunger

I was just telling my sister's that yesterday...
for six weeks now I have been eating constantly and losing weight...

250-300 calorie meals/ 3x a day
100-150 calorie Snacks/ 4x a day.
lots of water + exercise 3-4 days a week = -24 lbs in 6 weeks....
This ain't no diet....this is a lifestyle I can LIVE with =D

can I get an Amen?

Amen!! :flowerforyou:

jenlee_74

Its sad. One that bothers me is people that are trying to lose weight that may be doing some things right, but go out drinking- consuming massive amounts of calories/sugar. And believe me, No one wants to hear that message. I'm thinking about becoming a personal trainer and dietitian so people will Want to listen to me LOL.

MaximalLife

It troubles me when people snivel and cry about lack of fast results, then bemoan the whole challenge and talk about how they want to just quit.:sad:

Further, we have the usual toxic types destined to fail:
....pill and supplement junkies looking for the easy path to success...:laugh:
.....crash dieters who bounce from one scam to another...:laugh:
.....serial blamers with every excuse under the sun: my genes, my SO, my job, ect....:laugh:
.....uneducated, over opinionated know-it-alls who argue in one forum while they cry the blues in another about how they can't earn results:laugh:
......long-term members of MFP with tickers showing little progress, yet they refuse to follow MFP recommendation...:laugh:

That about covers it.....:drinker:

Buddhasmiracle

a co-worker at work and I started losing weight together a couple years ago. I did MFP while she's done just about every single diet you can think of. Dunkan, Paleo, Jorge Cruze, 17 day, etc etc. I've been losing steadily. the most she's lost is 50 lbs. infact she was within 25 lbs. of reaching her goal weight. however she isn't consistent and has gained it all back.

she blames her age. she is in her early 50's. I told her no and shown her pictures of folks her age on here that succeed. I tried to get her to join MFP but she doesn't want to track calories. Says it's too hard and it won't work. I point out it works for me and she counters with me being young. I point out the older people on here that lose just fine and keep it off and still refuses to try it. She has collected tons of diet books and she'll be good for a few weeks following their guidelines but then she'll go back to her old habits and whatever she lost, she gains again. she blames boredom. She'll get bored with it and stop. I have tried over and over to get her to sign up to MFP but she doesn't want to. I just kind of gave up with her. I'll still go on walks with her, hit the YMCA together etc etc but when it comes to the diet part it's like hitting my head against a wall.

". . . but she doesn't want to track calories." It is a shame, isn't it? Keeping a food journal, particularly electronic, whether it's MFP or another source, is worth its weight in gold. Even if you are at maintenance weight, the benefits of documenting your food intake (with the macros distribution) is tremendous. You are being a good friend -- don't hit your head too hard!

jadedone

"..screw you all who said eat right and workout, if it were that simple wed all be healthy fit beautiful models."

To be honest, I think this is true. I have been eating pretty healthy for the last 8 years, it had absolutely no positive impact on my weight (Health wise, sure, it probably has helped me not get impacted by diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure). I even changed my commute to a 3-4 mile walk daily for a year and gained 10 pounds.

Adopting healthy behaviors may not lead to weight loss for everyone. But it will lead to health improvements.

Losing weight on the other hand takes a lot more than just getting in some activity in and eating right. You need to count your calories and work hard in your workouts in order to hope for progress on the scale. Some people have it easier than others. They can just add some activity and cut a few calories and the pounds fall off.

My body on the other hand just laughs. It just adapts and pretends that new "activity" didn't happen. Steady state cardio does absolutely nothing for me on my weight loss journey. As I result, I only see results with intense exercise like intervals. I wish the formula was simple, but the human body is pretty complex, and weight loss isn't one size fits all.

Bentley2718

Not to sound like I'm defending your friend, but I'm sympathetic to the response in this sense: assuming you have a normal physiology, there is truth that controlling caloric intake will lead to weight loss; but IMPLEMENTING these changes is far harder than many people (particularly in MFP) seem willing to acknowledge. Real and successful weight loss requires major behavioral change, the implementation of which is never easy. I've always found it platitudinous to wave the "eat less and exercise more" banner without simultaneously discussing and acknowledging the complex behavioral change that must ensue.

I suppose the short version of my point is this: people who say eat less and exercise more very frequently present this as a simple solution...which it is anything but. (Note I'm speaking as someone who's made the modifications successfully for 10 months and is approaching goal. I'm not defending excuse-making; I'm pointing out how difficult this really is.)

Very well said, thank you! It's not easy to change habits. I too have managed to change mine, but that doesn't mean it was easy.

MyFeistyEvolution

::facepalm::

"It's too expensive to eat healthy".

I use to say that too but once I educated myself I realized it can be done.

That's all it is in most cases...a lack of knowledge.

XXXMinnieXXX

Yeah. Sometime's people need to hit their rock bottom before they can commit to changing their way of life for good.

could not have said it better myself

I agree. I did too x

MaximalLife

Not to sound like I'm defending your friend, but I'm sympathetic to the response in this sense: assuming you have a normal physiology, there is truth that controlling caloric intake will lead to weight loss; but IMPLEMENTING these changes is far harder than many people (particularly in MFP) seem willing to acknowledge. Real and successful weight loss requires major behavioral change, the implementation of which is never easy. I've always found it platitudinous to wave the "eat less and exercise more" banner without simultaneously discussing and acknowledging the complex behavioral change that must ensue.

I suppose the short version of my point is this: people who say eat less and exercise more very frequently present this as a simple solution...which it is anything but. (Note I'm speaking as someone who's made the modifications successfully for 10 months and is approaching goal. I'm not defending excuse-making; I'm pointing out how difficult this really is.)

^^^^^^^
THIS
The laws of thermodynamics are not selective.

Losing weight and getting fit is very simple but very hard.
It requires hard work, discipline and perseverance - 3 qualities most people just lack.

chachita7

Hey You! ~thinking of getting healthy?...
Try these tips:

#1) you have to be fed up....(sick n tired of being sick n tired)
#2) you have to do it for yourself
#3) you have to make a plan and stick to it
#4) start with baby steps if you have to ....
#5) take it one day at a time
#6) mix it up ( your diet and your exercise )- so you don't get bored
#7) have accountability partners (MFP!!!)
#8) set short term and long term goals
#9) make Yourself, Your Life, Your Health, a Priority

Well Done You!!!

^^^ Simply Love it!!! -

On the topic: it is hard work to do what we do, hence reason why most of us are on MFP looking for support from total strangers. See what happens is most people's goal is not necessarily to be healthy, it is to simply lose weight -- there is a huge difference in the two. Healthy is a lifestyle <--- it requires breaking old habits and establishing new ones; setting realistic goals such as losing 1 lbs per week instead of striving for 10 (exaggeration), requires commitment and acknowledgement that failure is part of the journey and what really matters is continuing the race.

kit_katty

I have a best friend who's upset with gaining weight, doesn't like the way she looks, etc. Unfortunately the economy forced her to move back in with her parents. They don't eat healthily. I have mentioned this site, but she doesn't feel like she can start until she can control the food... it's frustrating, you can still control what you put in your mouth, ie portion control. Unfortunately she wont listen. However, hopefully she will once she's able to move out. Sigh.

jenlee_74

People can be reluctant to give the health eating/exercising thing a go because it's too slow. A fad diet promises to drop 10lbs a week and people love the sound of those kind of results. It's supposed to be easy. You eat x or don't eat y for a week and the wait will fall off. You tell them it'll take 5 weeks to drop those "same" 10lbs and they won't do it.

The ironic thing is once you get into the swing of watching your calories it really is very easy, but this is the kind of 'diet' that people are only going to take up if they want to change their lives, and not just drop some immediate weight.

So true. I think it took me 6 months to lose the first 10 pounds! Then I realized it was working and lost another 30 in that next 6 months. I have lost 43 pounds and it took 15 months! (so far, another 7 lbs to go!)

becoming_a_new_me

1. What bugs me is when people tell me that I can't possibly understand how hard it is to lose weight. I am still overweight but used to be MASSIVELY overweight...I think I am empathetic to the issue

2. "I'm too poor to eat healthy." Um really? Because my grocery bill is about half what it used to be. That $30 you just spend binging on pizza? That would feed me for a week.

3. "My family is all overweight, so I don't have a chance." I had this excuse for a long time too. Granted genetics does play a role as does learned behavior; it takes harder work but it can be done.

4. "I could never give up my cookies/donuts/latte/et cetera" I had this mental barrier too. Think is you don't have to give up, it is about making better choices most of the time so you can occasionally have a cookie or donut, etc. Just because you have a cookie doesn't mean you need a box.

5. "I'm too busy to try to lose weight/eat healthy/get active". Again, something that I overcame. I found that when I learned to manage my time better and prepare healthy meals and snacks in advance, it saved time. I work full-time, go to school full-time, am a single mom, and have several volunteer projects. I still manage to fit healthy living into my life.

amymarie8709

A friend on my fiancee's FB was complaining that she just can't lose weight and keeps gaining it back from the fad diets she keeps trying. A few people in the comments posted and said 'just eat right and exercise and it will stay off'. Her response was..

"..screw you all who said eat right and workout, if it were that simple wed all be healthy fit beautiful models."

I understand that people have to be ready to lose weight, but really? I guess it's hard for me to understand how people just expect the weight to come off magically and stay off while you're still eating junk.

Sounds to me that she probably shouldn't be posting stuff like that if she can't handle to responses! I feel bad...kind of....but , what did she think was going to happen?

MaximalLife

"I'm too busy to try to lose weight/eat healthy/get active". Again, something that I overcame. I found that when I learned to manage my time better and prepare healthy meals and snacks in advance, it saved time. I work full-time, go to school full-time, am a single mom, and have several volunteer projects. I still manage to fit healthy living into my life.

BINGO!
Forgot this one!

Nobody ever came to me and said they had extra time on their hands, so they'd
like to get fit.

Nobody has time.
But everybody has time.

Here's the disconnect. People either make the time or they do not.
Your fitness goals are either a priority or they are not.
And if they are not, then failure is asured.

That's reality.
Make the time.