who else isn't too worried about 'the rules'?

trudijoy

This sounds good but it just doesn't work for me. I don't feel like these new healthy behaviors (eating right, exercise) are a habit for me. I feel like I have to plan out my food, plan out my exercise, or else I just don't follow through. And I don't see results. I have to push myself if I want to make improving my health and changing my body a priority. That has been my personal experience. People can say I'm "obsessed" but honestly I'm just trying to not go back to the way I was (eating fast food and candy all the time and not working out ever).

fair enough. i log 99% of what i eat, but for me I do it because it helps me feel in control. I don't care what the makeup of the calories are, or get too worked up if i have to guesstimate.

I think my main point here'is 'do what works for you, not what randoms on a message board tell you SHOULD work for you

trudijoy

That's pretty much me. When I go to a restaurant and get whatever I want or I want to eat a damn piece of cake just because I'm craving it, I'm not gonna call it a "cheat day" or feel guilty about it. That's just not a healthy way for me to think about food. Especially when I stay within my calories all other six days of the week and regularly work out. I guess that's why I've actually been having fun with my lifestyle change and getting to my goal weight instead of being miserable about it like everyone I know doing diets haha.

it's not cheating, it's life. Eat the birthday cake, play the impromptu game of beach volleyball, buy the expensive shoes It's all about YOUR ideal

trudijoy

A totally awesome and positive post.

thanks

ydailey

Oh, heck yes! Other peoples' eating and exercise plans are their business, but I know myself pretty well and obsessing about every detail wouldn't work for me. My fitness choices may not meet every (ever-changing) rule out there but as long as I get the results I want, I feel good, and I can keep it up for the long term that's good enough.

Freidon

I stay within my calories, get an hour of exercise six days a week, and keep my protein up. That's it. College student lifestyle doesn't exactly allow for crazy diet routines.

I might be eating more tuna sandwiches and lean cuisines than anything, but you know what? If I feel like a slice of pizza, and it fits into my calories, I'm going to eat that slice of pizza. Rules be damned.

LiftAllThePizzas

I'm with you. I try to stay close to my calorie goals - but if I'm hungry, I eat more - if I'm not - I don't try and find stuff to eat. I try to exercise every day - if I can't make it to the gym, I'll put on a workout video at home (this week was a bit of an exception - I had gastro..ugghh..). If I go to a restaurant that's known for their burgers, I'll order the one I want, and eat half with a side of salad..

I'd go crazy focusing on the details...so, I try to look at the big picture..

'

i think (to me anyway) that this shows we're geuinely going to be in this long term, because we've found a way that works for us to get healthy and enjoy life - but sometimes i wonder if i should be trying the nitty gritty stuff.... really not keen though lol

The bolded part is ultimately the goal and the whole reason for all the convoluted rules that people try to come up with. Some of those things get so convoluted they forget about the goal. It's definitely the best way to start out, instead of the ridiculous restrictive things people try to do thinking that they're going to get healthy even though they hate it.

You might find once you are totally comfortable in your current setting and have gained more knowledge that you would enjoy tweaking smaller parts of what you're doing. Years and years of that might get you to a lifestyle you'd find unimaginable today. But I agree that the way to start is where you aren't torturing and depriving yourself all the time. Misery is not a virtue.

trudijoy

I'm with you. I try to stay close to my calorie goals - but if I'm hungry, I eat more - if I'm not - I don't try and find stuff to eat. I try to exercise every day - if I can't make it to the gym, I'll put on a workout video at home (this week was a bit of an exception - I had gastro..ugghh..). If I go to a restaurant that's known for their burgers, I'll order the one I want, and eat half with a side of salad..

I'd go crazy focusing on the details...so, I try to look at the big picture..

'

i think (to me anyway) that this shows we're geuinely going to be in this long term, because we've found a way that works for us to get healthy and enjoy life - but sometimes i wonder if i should be trying the nitty gritty stuff.... really not keen though lol

The bolded part is ultimately the goal and the whole reason for all the convoluted rules that people try to come up with. Some of those things get so convoluted they forget about the goal. It's definitely the best way to start out, instead of the ridiculous restrictive things people try to do thinking that they're going to get healthy even though they hate it.

You might find once you are totally comfortable in your current setting and have gained more knowledge that you would enjoy tweaking smaller parts of what you're doing. Years and years of that might get you to a lifestyle you'd find unimaginable today. But I agree that the way to start is where you aren't torturing and depriving yourself all the time. Misery is not a virtue.

yep but that makes it sound like this is a beginners approach to it - and it's not. i've done this this way before and been successful.

love2cycle

I'm not worried. When I signed on here to lose weight, MFP told me I needed to eat 1240 calories a day or something. I tried that for a while, and wasn't seeing any results...except the obvious result of being really hungry! I do exercise practically every day, and seek to eat back most of my calories. I decided to up my daily to close to 1500, and then I started losing weight. That was 6 months ago, and I have lost 15 pounds! A fluctuation once in a while, but I have made wiser choices, and don't care if I don't log in that I had a tablespoon of half and half!!! This is what worked for me at age 54. I feel really good, and my daughters tell me I look good, too, so that also has been very helpful Love those daughters!!

trudijoy

Oh, heck yes! Other peoples' eating and exercise plans are their business, but I know myself pretty well and obsessing about every detail wouldn't work for me. My fitness choices may not meet every (ever-changing) rule out there but as long as I get the results I want, I feel good, and I can keep it up for the long term that's good enough.

i find it fascinating that the rules constantly contradict each other....

trudijoy

I stay within my calories, get an hour of exercise six days a week, and keep my protein up. That's it. College student lifestyle doesn't exactly allow for crazy diet routines.

I might be eating more tuna sandwiches and lean cuisines than anything, but you know what? If I feel like a slice of pizza, and it fits into my calories, I'm going to eat that slice of pizza. Rules be damned.

sounds pretty healthy to me - pizza included

sPaRkLiNgLYFE

same here

simplydelish2

I look at this journey as a lifestyle. When it's life - there are no rules!

trudijoy

I look at this journey as a lifestyle. When it's life - there are no rules!

same here

NanaWubbie

I'm in this for the long haul, so I don't sweat the small stuff. If I try to meet my goals most of the time, this mimics my life, and I am happy!

trudijoy

I'm in this for the long haul, so I don't sweat the small stuff. If I try to meet my goals most of the time, this mimics my life, and I am happy!

and at the end of the day, lifes about achieving happiness imo

irishblonde2011

I'm making it up as I go along. Seems to be working. Shhh don't tell anyone. Lol.

DaniH826

I only follow 2 rules anymore:
1. Reasonable
2. Sustainable

Crazy and yo-yo need not apply.

Having said that, MFP is the reason I started lifting and is also the reason I finally (!!!!) found what I know is going to work for me. There might be a bunch of noise here, but there's some real gems here also that I've learned much from, and who confirmed things I already knew but didn't quite know how to put into practice, and I just needed that bit of a nudge to fully embrace what I've had in the back of my head for a long time, and just go for it and do it. Take control. Fully.

We all know how to eat (mostly) healthy and exercise regularly (and that includes resistance/strength exercise of some kind). That's the whole secret. There you go. It really goes no deeper than that, and you don't have to become an extremist to see long-term results. You just need to find your motivation, make the decision to go for it, and have some inspiration and support along the way.

trudijoy

I'm making it up as I go along. Seems to be working. Shhh don't tell anyone. Lol.

its between you, me and the internet

trudijoy

. You just need to find your motivation, make the decision to go for it, and have some inspiration and support along the way.

I love this.

You make good points - this IS a good source of info...

flatblade

Sustainable is a really good term. I had an initial goal that I was going to get to as soon as possible (that was 25 pounds ago) and then I wanted to modify my approach to be sustainable for the long haul. So far, so good.

trudijoy

Sustainable is a really good term. I had an initial goal that I was going to get to as soon as possible (that was 25 pounds ago) and then I wanted to modify my approach to be sustainable for the long haul. So far, so good.

yep. i'm breaking all mine into 'next steps'

Goal 1 was to get under 100kg
Goal 2 was to get to 20 lb lost
Goal 3 is to get to 95kg
Goal 4 will be 25 lb lost

by alternating and keeping it fresh i'm always working towards a little attainable goal.

Good on you for smashing initial goal and resetting

upgetupgetup

About a year or so after I lost my weight via strict - ok, obsessive - counting, I had a period of a couple of months where I basically went right off. Also recently I've been kind of relaxed, but it's because other things have taken priority.

But If I didn't go through that obsessive phase, I wouldn't have built the experience in adapting general principles to my tastes, eyeballing portions, mentally ticking off macros, etc, which are now part of my overall repertoire of eating strategies. And which I use even when I'm relaxed. (Not as strictly as that weight loss phase, but as others have said the aim is sustainability, not perfection.)

I've also had times of eating just too much, and being more rigorous at those times about counting helps keep me in check.

I intend to at least go back and forth like this for life. Counting consistently predicts success in long-term weight control.

trudijoy

Counting consistently predicts success in long-term weight control.

consistently - yes. but not down to every microgram of nutrient, not for me. Again, you've found a way that works for you and that is awesome. I'm saying that different things work for different people and noones way is 'wrong' if it's working

upgetupgetup

Counting consistently predicts success in long-term weight control.

consistently - yes. but not down to every microgram of nutrient, not for me. Again, you've found a way that works for you and that is awesome. I'm saying that different things work for different people and noones way is 'wrong' if it's working

Oh yeah, for sure, there are lots of ways, and people should do what's right for them. I just meant that compared to people who don't count calories, people who do, statistically, keep weight off longer, in lots of different studies. (The studies consistently predict that, is what I meant by consistency, but yeah also counting consistently is probably good.)

For me, it took a long time and lots of practice to relearn how to eat, and the counting and measuring weight and inches etc really helped give me feedback I personally needed. I started totally ignorant of what I was actually eating, vs what I thought I was eating.

Jessieee_huangggg

It took me a long time but definitely agree with you. I'm not going to beat myself up over a little dessert or heck even being over my calorie goal by a few hundred, better than binging on a few thousand. Harsh but true.

trudijoy

Counting consistently predicts success in long-term weight control.

consistently - yes. but not down to every microgram of nutrient, not for me. Again, you've found a way that works for you and that is awesome. I'm saying that different things work for different people and noones way is 'wrong' if it's working

Oh yeah, for sure, there are lots of ways, and people should do what's right for them. I just meant that compared to people who don't count calories, people who do, statistically, keep weight off longer, in lots of different studies. (The studies consistently predict that, is what I meant by consistency, but yeah also counting consistently is probably good.)

For me, it took a long time and lots of practice to relearn how to eat, and the counting and measuring weight and inches etc really helped give me feedback I personally needed. I started totally ignorant of what I was actually eating, vs what I thought I was eating.

ah gotcha

yeah i DIDNT count last time, and it took me 18 months to strip 25kg. I did it, but i clearly wasnt eating enough because i did pass out in the gym a few times, among other things.

This time i've got energy to burn - walked 2.5 hours today and also had a quick swim and a short circuit train, and feel like i could go again right now.... and i'm eating what feels like all the time! I know i can keep this up for life

trudijoy

It took me a long time but definitely agree with you. I'm not going to beat myself up over a little dessert or heck even being over my calorie goal by a few hundred, better than binging on a few thousand. Harsh but true.

lol i have a student with your name. yeah it's like that eh - and chances are that you were under by enough most days to make up for being over occasionally

LiftAllThePizzas

I'm with you. I try to stay close to my calorie goals - but if I'm hungry, I eat more - if I'm not - I don't try and find stuff to eat. I try to exercise every day - if I can't make it to the gym, I'll put on a workout video at home (this week was a bit of an exception - I had gastro..ugghh..). If I go to a restaurant that's known for their burgers, I'll order the one I want, and eat half with a side of salad..

I'd go crazy focusing on the details...so, I try to look at the big picture..

'

i think (to me anyway) that this shows we're geuinely going to be in this long term, because we've found a way that works for us to get healthy and enjoy life - but sometimes i wonder if i should be trying the nitty gritty stuff.... really not keen though lol

The bolded part is ultimately the goal and the whole reason for all the convoluted rules that people try to come up with. Some of those things get so convoluted they forget about the goal. It's definitely the best way to start out, instead of the ridiculous restrictive things people try to do thinking that they're going to get healthy even though they hate it.

You might find once you are totally comfortable in your current setting and have gained more knowledge that you would enjoy tweaking smaller parts of what you're doing. Years and years of that might get you to a lifestyle you'd find unimaginable today. But I agree that the way to start is where you aren't torturing and depriving yourself all the time. Misery is not a virtue.

yep but that makes it sound like this is a beginners approach to it - and it's not. i've done this this way before and been successful.

It's not about being a beginner or expert though. It's easy for most people to adjust their comfort zone a little at a time to get from point A to point B, so that they don't have to deal with discomfort to get there and don't have any reason to go back. When people try to immediately change everything, any time when they don't like it (and they are much more likely to have that happen) the only other option they see is going back to point A... basically giving up completely.

montlucia

I love this thread. I'm not very particular about logging my calories every day. I was doing that before but now I simply total it up as I go along, then I'll log it if I've eaten out and don't know what I've eaten. I needed to log them to begin with in order to recognise where I was going wrong. Now I've figured it out, exactness becomes less important. Even when trying to up my protein, I aim for overall balance as opposed to fitting a specific number.

I'm very keen not to ever eat a daily diet of less than 1400 calories. I know I could eat 1200 and lose weight but this is not something I want to be doing long term. I also know I could lose weight faster if I exercised hard every day of the week but I don't think I could keep up doing anything other than light exercise on some days. I want to lose weight in a sustainable way. I am trying to eat as clean as possible but I don't get into product obsession. When I've reached my weight loss target, I'll reintroduce some foods and be more flexible about cheating but have a fitness regime which allows me to eat more and maintain.

I couldn't ever be vegan or eat a raw food diet. I love food too much. I love the odd piece of chocolate and the odd serving of chips. And I want better muscle tone but I don't want to have 6 pack abs. That isn't for me. I want to have room to live a little.

leaderzzz

This should be renamed as the 'common sense approach to diet'..... So many people put them selves under so much pressure....well done to you.