Tired of all the "real dieters"

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

I'm so tired of seeing people on MFP talking about how they are trying really hard to lose weight "HEALTHILY" or they are so tired of yoyo dieting but then you look at their diaries and you see:

A) they're eating 1200 (or fewer) calories and working out intensely

eating rabbit food everyday and then complaining that they can't fit in more than 1200 calories

C) haven't changed their eating habits at all. Still eating copious amounts of food with little to no redeeming qualities

D) they neglect physically activity and complain that they don't like their body after reaching goal (because they've likely lost or failed to maintain LBM throughout the process)

I want to be strong, fit, and healthy. To me this means that YES you can have dessert..fast food..starbucks..whatever your vice is but you have it with moderation. This means that you fuel your body properly and not attempt to starve the weight off.

Most importantly it means that YOU DO NOT "DIET" ...you learn how to make changes that will stick with you for a lifetime. You find activities you love, food that tastes great but isn't detrimental to your progress, and you incorporate treats occasionally. Food is not to be feared and progress is not to be rushed.

Plates559

How do you feel about people eating 4,000 calories everyday trying to gain weight, and then they complain that they lost 2 pounds over the weekend?

eatcleanNtraindirty

Bump fo later

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

How do you feel about people eating 4,000 calories everyday trying to gain weight, and then they complain that they lost 2 pounds over the weekend?

if they ran a marathon and ate 4000 calories with the intention of gaining weight then I'd say they aren't really trying. lol. I'd also say...hmm...give it another week, if you've lost weight AGAIN then it's time for a calorie increase. bring on the healthy fats!

Plates559

I think it was dave date who said something along the lines of "if you are drowning your pizza in olive oil you aren't trying"

kristenstejskal

AMEN SISTER! THANK YOU FOR SAYING EXACTLY WHAT I'M THINKING!

People on here seem to pride themselves on eating as few of calories as possible, while exercising 3 hours a day and somehow that makes them the real deal....How long is that going to be sustainable?! How long until you're yoyo dieting again?? I hate the word "diet"...I do not diet. I choose to live a healthy lifestyle, meaning that this is not temporary for me and I'm not going to make myself miserable for the rest of my life fighting hunger and cravings. FOOD = FUEL, not the enemy. It is completely possible to live healthy, generally eating healthy and taking care of your body while STILL enjoying the foods you love.

I hope these "real dieters" that you speak of realize that they are just setting themselves up for a lifetime battle against food....and a healthy, sustainable lifestyle does NOT have to be that way!

You look fabulous in your pic by the way

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

AMEN SISTER! THANK YOU FOR SAYING EXACTLY WHAT I'M THINKING!

People on here seem to pride themselves on eating as few of calories as possible, while exercising 3 hours a day and somehow that makes them the real deal....How long is that going to be sustainable?! How long until you're yoyo dieting again?? I hate the word "diet"...I do not diet. I choose to live a healthy lifestyle, meaning that this is not temporary for me and I'm not going to make myself miserable for the rest of my life fighting hunger and cravings. FOOD = FUEL, not the enemy. It is completely possible to live healthy, generally eating healthy and taking care of your body while STILL enjoying the foods you love.

I hope these "real dieters" that you speak of realize that they are just setting themselves up for a lifetime battle against food....and a healthy, sustainable lifestyle does NOT have to be that way!

You look fabulous in your pic by the way

AWWW thanks. you're a sweetheart. I can't believe that people 2x my size are eating 2/3 as much and claiming to be stuffed--It's completely antithetical to what I would view as a sustainable, healthy, and lifelong approach to weight management. Maybe these people really can eat 1200 calories forever, but I honestly doubt it. At some point I think MOST people snap and that's when the weight comes piling back on. I just wish people could be a bit more patient..take one meal at a time, one workout at a time, one day at a time until they reach goal and then continue doing the things that got them to the finish line.

BaileyBoo13524

Totally agree its not a diet it's a lifestyle!

Lift_hard_eat_big

How do you feel about people eating 4,000 calories everyday trying to gain weight, and then they complain that they lost 2 pounds over the weekend?

Hey, you talking about me? Lol!

jenihullett

It seems like a lot of 1200 per day people gained a lot of their weight back after reaching their goal weight and returning to a "normal" amount of calories eaten per day. I was at 1200 calories per day for about 2 months (due to not knowing any better) but I burnt out and plateaued. Now I'm eating correctly, I have SO much more energy. If I'm going to lose weight, I need to do it in a sustainable way that I can keep up with for the rest of my life. For me, 1200 calories just didn't fit the bill.

KaleidoscopeEyes1056

When I first joined, I would read the stories on the "success stories" part of MFP, and almost every single time I would look at the persons' diary, they would eat around 600-800 calories a day. I didn't know anything about how many calories your body needed to function, so I thought that was about normal, and I ate that low for a long time. It wasn't until I read something about eating more and losing weight that I upped my calories to 1700/day and actually started losing.

alienrite

I am trying very deligently to eat in a sustainable manner. This is a diet only in the aspect that I am cutting a measured number of calories from my daily intake to help cut weight. My only rule is that I log everything that goes into my body, but my goal is to eat sensibly with the mindset to develop healthy habits which will carry over past my weight loss phase. I know from experience that if restrict myself too quickly or workout too hard too soon that I am just making progress which will last a few days or weeks. I am only interested in creating lasting habits which take 90+ days just to start. My heart goes out to all that try too hard too fast and without any real long term goals. I try and help them find balance but mostly I am patient and wait to help them when they hit that sad wall I have hit way too many times in the past.

monicalosesweight

I would love to see one of you guys post a success story showing what you really eat and do. It would be very inspirational for someone like me whose just starting out. I'm doing my best to not starve myself and eat right and it does make a big difference. I can't imagine going hungry if my body needs it. Either way, would love to see a success story by someone who eats lots and exercises too. :happy:

lleesmann

AWWW thanks. you're a sweetheart. I can't believe that people 2x my size are eating 2/3 as much and claiming to be stuffed--It's completely antithetical to what I would view as a sustainable, healthy, and lifelong approach to weight management. Maybe these people really can eat 1200 calories forever, but I honestly doubt it. At some point I think MOST people snap and that's when the weight comes piling back on. I just wish people could be a bit more patient..take one meal at a time, one workout at a time, one day at a time until they reach goal and then continue doing the things that got them to the finish line.

I absolutely agree with this part of your statement, "take one meal at a time, one workout at a time, one day at a time..." I definitely need to keep this in mind when I see people who seem like they're losing weight so much faster than me. I'm not here to crash (and then burn) like some people. I'm in this for the long haul. If I hit my goal weight, sweet. If I just actually get the tone I'm looking for, even better. Thanks for this post!

mortyfit

Bump for later. Amen to your original comment.

itsme_timd

It took me a lonnnnnng time to realize that a permanent change to a healthy lifestyle was the answer to lifelong change. What may seem obvious to some may just not click for others, even if someone were to tell them the proper way to do things it may not work.

To add to that, this is really the first generation where people are being taught to live a healthy lifestyle. Way back in the 70's we had Mayo Clinic diets, grapefruit diets and cabbage soup diets.... we were told THAT was how to lose weight and live better. Even today you see the SlimFast shakes as meal replacements. Hell, it tells you right on the can that it's the way to get slim fast.

I guess I'm much more tolerant of people because I can relate. Simply living a healthy lifestyle didn't seem to be enough IMO. In order to lose weight I had to eat only celery and drink water and Jazercise 5X a week. I didn't even try many times because I knew I couldn't do it and then when I did try I failed.

At 40 I've finally grasped that I can eat great food, not starve and even have some of my favorite treats. I went to a big party this weekend and had a 3/4 pound Wagyu burger with bacon, egg and cheese and drank a boatload of beer. But the great thing is I know I can do that now, as long as it's very seldom. The other 95% of the time I watch my calories and make sure to work out.

So give those folks you see a break, it may just not have clicked with them yet.

mortyfit

It took me a lonnnnnng time to realize that a permanent change to a healthy lifestyle was the answer to lifelong change. What may seem obvious to some may just not click for others, even if someone were to tell them the proper way to do things it may not work.

To add to that, this is really the first generation where people are being taught to live a healthy lifestyle. Way back in the 70's we had Mayo Clinic diets, grapefruit diets and cabbage soup diets.... we were told THAT was how to lose weight and live better. Even today you see the SlimFast shakes as meal replacements. Hell, it tells you right on the can that it's the way to get slim fast.

I guess I'm much more tolerant of people because I can relate. Simply living a healthy lifestyle didn't seem to be enough IMO. In order to lose weight I had to eat only celery and drink water and Jazercise 5X a week. I didn't even try many times because I knew I couldn't do it and then when I did try I failed.

At 40 I've finally grasped that I can eat great food, not starve and even have some of my favorite treats. I went to a big party this weekend and had a 3/4 pound Wagyu burger with bacon, egg and cheese and drank a boatload of beer. But the great thing is I know I can do that now, as long as it's very seldom. The other 95% of the time I watch my calories and make sure to work out.

So give those folks you see a break, it may just not have clicked with them yet.

Interesting perspective and good points to consider. I do think there are a good number of people on sites like this who post things like that just to get attention, however.

chelleb1974

I, too, believe in this being a lifestyle change not a "diet" in the traditional sense.

I have been following Weight Watchers for almost two years, and have lost 100lbs. I recently started tracking with MFP because I am interested in balancing my fat/carbs/protein calories to support a new found love of cycling. With it's nutrition requirements, I find MFP easier to use than the WW tracker and their Points.

I have been eating about 1500-1600 calories a day (more on days I ride) and have not really changed what I've been eating that much in the last few months. I'm not sure if my Diary is public, but will go check that. I haven't been that good at tracking lately, but am trying to get better at it.

~Chelle

LoveMy3CutiesLBH

Amen!! These changes have to be a permanent lifestyle change. Under 1,200 calories or obsessively eating junk food is not a healthy or sustainable "change".

Cheri_Moves

Spoken like a PRO!!! Love this!!!

I will remove friends who dont eat at least their BMR. 1200 is so terrible, for soooo many reasons... and you listed most of them!

AMEN!!! :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:

dap1217

People are commenting on the fact that 1200 isn't enough... That's the amount that MFP set mine at. I do have a lot of weight to lose... 86lbs. I have been staying within the 1200 and haven't been hungry. Eating healthy foods, cooking, weighing every thing and the biggest change has been portion control.. Wow, It has been a wake up call on some of the foods I had been eating. I have also started a bit of walking...has been a problem since I have very bad knees, but I am taking it slow and going a little further each time. I would like some input on the 1200...

Maggpie702

Hi everyone , this is my first day on MFP.. let me see if I get it wright we are suppose to eat up to 1200 calories a day and be active like work out , but only eat that many calories and no more and thats how you loose the wieght?

birdieaz

Reading this thread as I eat my nightly ice cream hehe

Chrisswa

The way i think of MFP is its a food tracker and as long as you are having a caloric deficit then your body will shed weight. I am actually amazed at how much i get to eat and how i can incorporate everything into my day. I am a gym junkie and love a great workout and wear a Polar FT7 to keep track of of calories burnt etc. I am overweight (but that will change over time) but i also know i am pretty fit. When did food become our enemy (love that saying on the WW ad). I have dieted way too many times to know DIETS dont work. Every day eating does work as long as you know what and how much is going in and what is going out etc.

cappri

Totally agree with you! Sustainable for a lifetime is how I aim to eat and exercise. Yes I want to be thin, strong and healthy, but I also want to enjoy pizza and cupcakes sometimes too.

jayliospecky

I would love to see one of you guys post a success story showing what you really eat and do. It would be very inspirational for someone like me whose just starting out. I'm doing my best to not starve myself and eat right and it does make a big difference. I can't imagine going hungry if my body needs it. Either way, would love to see a success story by someone who eats lots and exercises too. :happy:

This isn't MY success story, but it's a good one.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/709987-how-wrong-i-was-600-days-of-mfp-lotsa-pics

subcult

Totally agree with you! Sustainable for a lifetime is how I aim to eat and exercise. Yes I want to be thin, strong and healthy, but I also want to enjoy pizza and cupcakes sometimes too.

making cupcakes for my sons birthday this year instead of going on a two day cake making frenzy. Do I do chocolate filled with a light chocolate mousse or is there something more outside the box and better?

windycitycupcake

many people on here are just learning to take care of themselves, and if you have a weight problem there is a good chance you always have had one and you have experienced varying degrees of eating disorders. i don't find it productive to get angry at people who are "doing it wrong", people have enough emotional distress surrounding food as it is.

we should be encouraging people to eat more vegetables, nutrients and whole foods not obsessing over their caloric intake.

Many people don't even understand how to feed themselves properly, and have never gotten used to eating good food.

my brother refused to eat a single vegetable until he was 27, yet dieted off and on. I didn't yell at him or berate him, just made suggestions. It just took him a little longer to figure it out on his own, and now he eats salad all the time.

RainHoward

You know what I hate reading on MFP? Angry, condescending posts my like you.

Helloitsdan

I like to take the thinking out of it and just eat below TDEE daily.
I cut maybe 15-20% off every day except lift days.

The fat comes off as the strength goes up.

You look great BTW!

For others who dont like the 1200cal bird food challenge, try this on for size!
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

OregonLaurel

I guess we can't be friends since some days I don't net 1200... but I have lost 125 pounds (and kept it off for 7.5 years) eating well and getting active with a variety of athletic pursuits. I have 3 kids (2 with mild special needs), a puppy, I'm starting home school for the first time with 2 kids and I have a ton of doctor/therapy/counseling appts I take kids to not to mention running a house, taking care of my own needs, a husband and everything else that comes with "life"... so yeah, some days (like today) I don't net 1200... but that's ok with me and thankfully, its ok with the people who have made me their friend in the past 10 days since starting MFP.