"You look awesome! Tell me how you did it?!"

Alicia_Monique

This is a little bit of a rant, so bare with me here for a moment.



It drives me CRAZY when I see people asking this question to others who have lost weight! I assumed since people on MFP were trying to control their calories and exercise that they would know how to do it!

I've lost 23 pounds and people at work are like, "PLEASE TELL ME HOW YOU DID IT! You look awesome!" It takes everything in my power not to respond with, "Oh, I don't know how, I just woke up one day after my fried cheese stick and coke binge and suddenly, as I was eating my eighth bowl of fruity loops, and a giant class of whole fat milk hot chocolate with whipped cream, I lost 23 pounds! It just fell right off me! Not totally sure what happened!!!"

DUH! How do you THINK I lost it?! The way EVERYBODY does! Hard work, eating better, and exercise! There is no secret on how to lose weight. It's sad because everybody knows HOW to lose weight, but they ask to see if there's some easy way out, some pill, some sort of magic as-seen-on-tv ad. It just drives me crazy!

Does anybody else feel this way?

tabi26

Hahaha! I think it's hilarious. Last year I lost a bunch of weight in winter, and when spring came around and I could take of my jacket my MIL exclaimed " Wow! Have you lost weight?" I said yes, with a huge smile of course and she said " HOW did you do it?" and I said "Eating healthy and exercise." she totally looked at me like I had just shared the most coveted secret in the world and said "Is that ALL?" Like I was keeping some small tidbit of information that was the REAL secret lol. Since then I've gained it all back and then some, but I'm trying, and I'm sure the response this spring will be the same haha.

This isn't rocket science (for most people). Eat healthy and move more. Plain and simple (again for most people, some that doesn't work for).

jemachharo

Hahaha! I think it's hilarious. Last year I lost a bunch of weight in winter, and when spring came around and I could take of my jacket my MIL exclaimed " Wow! Have you lost weight?" I said yes, with a huge smile of course and she said " HOW did you do it?" and I said "Eating healthy and exercise." she totally looked at me like I had just shared the most coveted secret in the world and said "Is that ALL?" Like I was keeping some small tidbit of information that was the REAL secret lol. Since then I've gained it all back and then some, but I'm trying, and I'm sure the response this spring will be the same haha.

This isn't rocket science (for most people). Eat healthy and move more. Plain and simple (again for most people, some that doesn't work for).

I'm glad you said for most people. I am one of those that the simple eating less and moving more did not work. It turns out I had a vitamin and a hormone deficiency as well as food allergies that were causing me to gain and making it very difficult to lose. Now that I take supplements for the deficiencies and have eliminated the foods I'm allergic to, it is as simple as eating less and moving more - the weight is falling off. IF you are one of those people who struggle no matter what - push your doctor to do blood work. There may well be an underlying issue.

cardbucfan

Yep, all the time. They are hoping there is some super secret way to do it that doesn't require any effort or sacrifice. I just smile and say "the old fashioned way, counting calories and watching what I eat". They always look crestfallen too!

The ones that get me now are my friends who are like "you're STILL counting calories?!" and "wow, you're doing such a good job of keeping the weight off!". Ummm, one causes the other?!

LaurenMichelle004

Because they are HOPING that you'll provide an EASY answer that they can use where they don't have to change what they are eating / how much they are exercising!

LorinaLynn

I wish I had a dollar for every time someone asked me, "What diet are you on?"

I don't buy name brand clothes and I don't buy into name brand diets. I ate the right amount of food, aiming to eat better foods than I did before, and exercised more.

The funny thing is that doing it this way, what some would call the Hard Way, is so much easier than any of the gimmicks!

CoryIda

I like telling people how I did it, but it does sort of irritate me when they immediately make excuses why they can't do it themselves.

Is it easy? No.

Is it worth it? Absolutely.

lizard053

Hahaha! I think it's hilarious. Last year I lost a bunch of weight in winter, and when spring came around and I could take of my jacket my MIL exclaimed " Wow! Have you lost weight?" I said yes, with a huge smile of course and she said " HOW did you do it?" and I said "Eating healthy and exercise." she totally looked at me like I had just shared the most coveted secret in the world and said "Is that ALL?" Like I was keeping some small tidbit of information that was the REAL secret lol. Since then I've gained it all back and then some, but I'm trying, and I'm sure the response this spring will be the same haha.

This isn't rocket science (for most people). Eat healthy and move more. Plain and simple (again for most people, some that doesn't work for).

I'm glad you said for most people. I am one of those that the simple eating less and moving more did not work. It turns out I had a vitamin and a hormone deficiency as well as food allergies that were causing me to gain and making it very difficult to lose. Now that I take supplements for the deficiencies and have eliminated the foods I'm allergic to, it is as simple as eating less and moving more - the weight is falling off. IF you are one of those people who struggle no matter what - push your doctor to do blood work. There may well be an underlying issue.

I'm the same! When you are doing "everything right" and the weight just does not come off, seeing the doctor is important. And if one can't help you, find another! It took me 5 doctors to find one that knew enough about metabolism and energy to test for the vitamin deficiency! Turns out I have B-12 anemia. I can't get it from food and vitamins. I have to get injections monthly to keep my levels up, more often if I'm sick or in the winter. I also am severely deficient in vitamin d! Amazing what you can find out when you find the right doctor!

BerryH

I tell them I used a phone app, which is both true and sounds like the magic wand they're hoping for!