don't lose sight of the big picture

jacksonpt
jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I see so many threads where people argue over the finest points (sometimes, I'm one of them). Should I eat before I work out? Should I eat 6 times a day or 2 time a day? Should I workout at night or in the morning? Is fruit sugar different than refinded sugar? Should I have cheat days? Should I workout in a certain HR zone? Should I run before I lift or lift before I run? So I thought I'd take a minute to remind people:

Don't lose sight of the big picture.

There are 1000s of tiny details you can be consumed by and spend hours upon hours trying to figure out. But why? 90% of your progress is going to come from the very few major aspects of being healthy. You want to be successful and NOT drive yourself crazy? Pay attention to the big things and let the little things fall where they may.

DO FOCUS ON:
- a reasonable and healthy daily calorie goal
- a reasonable macro breakdown
- a reasonable amount of exercise
- a reasonable amount of sleep each night
- the long term sustainability of your plan/routine
- being patient


DON'T OBSESS ABOUT:
- what time you do or don't eat
- what time you do or don't workout
- if this type of calorie is different than that type
- if paleo is better than vegetarian
- if high carb is better than high protein
- if you're getting too much protein
- if your HRM is more accurate than the machine
- if the scale fluctuates daily
- if yoga is considered strength training
- if kickboxing is better than 30ds
- if low reps is better than high reps
- what elite athletes are doing
- what Dr. Oz says
- etc etc etc


.

Replies

  • RockinSkiBunny
    RockinSkiBunny Posts: 152 Member
    Very good points. I was doing great my first few months. Everything I did was simple. Then I loaded my kindle with diet tip books and I really thought I was going insane! Eat this not that! No fat! No cereal! ONLY eat this but then you have to take three of these! I have hit a frustrating point and have done m y best to go back to when it was simple
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    Less logic, more discussion of how much weight you'll lose with tae bo
  • ashlielinn
    ashlielinn Posts: 920
    Amen!
  • lauren3382
    lauren3382 Posts: 372 Member
    All VERY valid points! I tend to get wrapped up in so many of the miniscule details, because I'm perfectionist and very detail-oriented, so this is a great reminder for me. I need to get back to the basics and stop reading much of the junk on here and in magazines, websites, etc. I'm smart enough to know what I need to do and that's where I need to focus.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    Where's the LIKE button!
  • lpeacock56
    lpeacock56 Posts: 11
    What does macro mean? Great advice.. i agree where is the like button?
  • butterfly_wishes
    butterfly_wishes Posts: 2
    LOVE this post!

    I am new to the whole healthy eating and trying to lose weight thing and have been obsessing a bit but then I thought to myself why worry about all the different conflicting pieces of information we get given or read ... we are all individuals and different things work for us all ... the most important thing is simply finding the things that work for you and then sticking to them :)
  • JSheehy1965
    JSheehy1965 Posts: 404
    Thanks for this! Excellent post. :)
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    What does macro mean? Great advice.. i agree where is the like button?

    Macro is short for macro nutrients - the nutrients we need in higher quantities... fat, carbs, protein.

    (as opposed to micro nutrients)
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    I'm smart enough to know what I need to do and that's where I need to focus.

    pure awesomeness.
  • megalin9
    megalin9 Posts: 771 Member
    I needed this today. Thanks:flowerforyou:
  • guppy1697
    guppy1697 Posts: 148 Member
    I like the one about Dr. Oz..... haha nice post!
  • jjj1988
    jjj1988 Posts: 97 Member
    Love this! Thank you!
  • qtiekiki
    qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
    Great post.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    Less logic, more discussion of how much weight you'll lose with tae bo

    I agree.

    The forums are no place for talking sense, goddamit!
  • EmiVReyes
    EmiVReyes Posts: 118 Member
    awesome post! I need to focus more on the big picture! thanks for sharing.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    agreed. too many people want to know which ar the best shoes, the best HRM, etc etc.

    a friend of mine was asking about how to manage the transitions to improve on her time for a sprint triathlon. i reminded her that she couldn't run 3 miles yet, couldn't swim without her head sticking out of the water, and hadn't been riding a bike, and that she should concentrate on all of that., because her triathlon would not be broken in the transition.

    i'm surprised she didn't unfriend me.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    I vaguely remember not agreeing with you at least a few times in the MFP forums...

    ...but this is not one of those times.
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
    But, but.... I don't *like* it when reason prevails! :grumble:
  • laurasimmons
    laurasimmons Posts: 575 Member
    Great post!
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    Totally bumping this...very well said.

    :flowerforyou:
  • _Mimi_
    _Mimi_ Posts: 233
    :heart:
  • survivor1952
    survivor1952 Posts: 250 Member
    Great post. We all need to realize what works for one of us does not mean it works for everyone. I used to get frustrated because I would follow what one of my friends did, they'd lose fast & a lot & I wouldn't. Now I just look at "this is me, this is how MY body works" and I am much happier. Everybody-Keep up the good work!!! We are in this together.
  • careyannal
    careyannal Posts: 161
    Great post!!

    Reading through the forums, I often find myself obsessing about all the little things I *might* be doing wrong, it is very easy to beat myself up and forget about everything I am doing right, and all the positive changes I have already made.

    THANK YOU :flowerforyou:
  • reenielovesthebeach
    reenielovesthebeach Posts: 98
    I'm at a plateau and even sometimes gaining a few pounds and I do get frustrated. I won't quit, but when I go from no exercise to three to five days a week of burning up the treadmill for three to five hours/week, no sugar hardly, low sodium, no junk foods hardly, no soft drinks- it does get aggravating at times. It is nice to have a reminder about keeping the big picture in mind. It's kind of like the old saying about opinions and everybody has one. HAHA

    Everyone you talk to has different opinions and ideas. I like brainstorming with people and the support and knowledge on here is awesome! Thx for the nice reminder! Good post!
  • StartingOver12
    StartingOver12 Posts: 40
    I wholeheartedly agree with this logic. About 10 years ago, I lost 80 pounds and was in the best shape of my life. All I did was eat better and walk every day for 30 minutes. I did not worry about EXACTLY how many carbs or grams of fat or freak out about every little detail or obessess about how others were losing weight faster than me. Then at one point I became over the top obsessed with working out and percentages and I gained a bunch of weight back because every time I wasn't "perfect" I would throw in the towel and decide to start over again the following week.

    My dad always used to tell me to apply the KISS method to everything when I was growing up (keep it simple stupid). I should have listened.

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