the way people are trying to lose weight

I have been on the journey to lose weight. But i decided to do it the right way. count calories and exercise. And people seem to find it hard to believe this is all im doing. And yes im going to brag that its all about getting off your butt and moving! But its crazy the things im reading and seeing on tv. Juice diets? Eat special K and lose weight in 2 weeks! Take this supplement but yet its not evaluated by the FDA. Do this workout. Buy this membership or this piece of exercise equipment. And another that gets me is these food programs. How does that teach you how to live? It may work for some people. But do you want to be 60 and still converting your meals into points? Why is it that some people cant face reality that weight loss takes work, And why is it so hard to believe that you don't have to diet so to say. That you cant learn to eat normal everyday foods in a healthier way. And its so funny going through the weigh tloss sections of stores and seeing these drinks and bars that pack more calories then if you were to prepare the meals to begin with. it took time to learn habits and its going to take time to fix them. okkk. venting over!
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Replies

  • Arwaxx
    Arwaxx Posts: 113 Member
    exactly
  • ejha77
    ejha77 Posts: 63
    Astonishing, isn't it? People will go to huge lengths to believe that there's some magic easy method to weight loss.
  • Rays_Wife
    Rays_Wife Posts: 1,173 Member
    The truth in your post is refreshing.
  • Ayla70
    Ayla70 Posts: 284 Member
    :flowerforyou:
  • PurpleTina
    PurpleTina Posts: 390 Member
    Agreed. People are always desperately disappointed when they ask me how I have lost weight and I reply 'eating less and moving more'. They want me to tell them about some 'magic' weightloss idea!
  • Everybody has a story or two about using alternative methods. We all have something in common we are either going to continue to stay on that crazy merry go round or not.. I'm here to be a loser! Lol

    No judging just losing is the goal.
  • Love this posting and oh so true. I went into the kitchen at work to get my healthy low fat cottage cheese out of the fridge and to fill my bottle with water. In the Kitchen were two of my work colleagues one of them was mixing up a slim fast shake and the other was adding hot water to a lighter life meal of some form of soup. Its not real food!!! why carnt people see these are not long term future changes, they are just band aids.

    I agree with the other peoples comments eat less move more, its the way forward.

    :flowerforyou:
    Amanda
    x
  • LouE
    LouE Posts: 19 Member
    Totally agree, however yesterday i experienced the nasty side of this site with people making unkind comments about people having hypnosis to HELP THEM EAT LESS CALORIES. You do it through sheer willpower. I cant, does that make my way of eating less calories wrong? No!
  • losing weight is diffcult, and however an individual chooses to do so, is up to them, as long as it is not dangerous and doctor approved. I had help with Phenedren to get 20 pounds off, Im keeping it off by myself. so I applaud you on doing what works for you, just keep it safe and realistic.
  • lambertj
    lambertj Posts: 675 Member
    Everyone is always looking for the quick fix, especially after the holidays but the only way to learn how to eat properly is to do it. I've learned so much this past year on MFP that I wouldn't trade it for the loss of a few quick pounds for anything. I think people look for a quick fix because they want the weight loss to come easy and fast and they don't look at learning anything about nutrition and being healthy. My biggest pet peeve is the diet shakes, as though drinking a shake teaches you anything about healthy weight loss.
  • bdamaster60
    bdamaster60 Posts: 595 Member
    Everyone knows how to lose weight and be healthy. It's a not new phenomenon that people are completely oblivious to. It's the damaging mentality and influence of the media that deceive people into believing they can reach their goals without hard work.
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
    True, its not rocket science
  • halffullpgh
    halffullpgh Posts: 74 Member
    We all have different bodies and I do not see the value in judging or putting one another down for our methods. Counting calories and exercise is what I choose at this time but that does not mean that what another chooses is not right or that it cannot work.

    The internet is a very convenient way to throw out passive aggressive comments and not have to be held accountable for them. Perhaps we should just try to support one another and be proud of our accomplishments rather than looking down our noses.
  • DaveHuby
    DaveHuby Posts: 175 Member
    What a refreshing post!

    I use the line "no I'm not dieting, I'm doing basic mathematics"

    Weigh it, log it.

    Read the label, log it

    Eat it, log it

    Move it, log it.

    Simple sums made easier by this app.
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,923 Member
    People want a "Quick Fix" and everyone knows it. I see countless forum posts a day from people already on MFP asking about every "diet helper" under the sun. And when you say "no one needs that, just eat less and move more" everyone gets all up in your face about it. People believe from commercials and magazine articles that they need something "jump start" their weight loss. No. Really you need need to strap those old sneakers that are hidden the back of your closet on your feet and leave the house for an hour. Go through your pantry and pitch all the junk food and replace it with lean protein, veggies, fruit, low fat dairy and whole grain products. Weigh your food and eat logical sized portions. Eat until you are full, not until there is no food in front of you.

    But I whole heartily believe weight loss has to be a mental thing before it can be a physical thing. You need to figure out how you get to be fat in the first place so that you don't end up back there. Fix the bad habits, because maintenance is harder than losing, I kid you not!
  • People want easy solutions and want others to do the work for them (i.e., create a pill, have all the meals ready and prepackaged and ready to go, etc).
  • kingofcrunk
    kingofcrunk Posts: 372 Member
    Slimfast type meals make me laugh because for the calories they are most people could make a meal that would actually be satisfying.
  • lambertj
    lambertj Posts: 675 Member
    Slimfast type meals make me laugh because for the calories they are most people could make a meal that would actually be satisfying.

    That's how I feel about the Body by Vi shakes, till you add all the crap to make them taste good you could have a full meal.
  • I guess all that matters is whatever the method these "quick fix" people are using for now is a start. It means these people have seen that they can be healthier and want to change. They just havent found what works for them yet or what is truly healthy and good for them. No one should be laughed at or judged for trying, no matter how hard or not so hard.
  • Totally agree, however yesterday i experienced the nasty side of this site with people making unkind comments about people having hypnosis to HELP THEM EAT LESS CALORIES. You do it through sheer willpower. I cant, does that make my way of eating less calories wrong? No!

    Hypnosis is NOT the same as a magic bullet giving people false promises. I firmly believe in hypnosis as a form of helping us with behavior modification.

    Most of us on here need to lose weight because we had bad lifestyle habits, i.e. eating too much and exercising too little. There's no magic pill or magic shake. It's work to lose weight and keep it off. The key is that it doesn't have to feel like work or like a chore, there are many healthy fun ways to eat healthy and to exercise. A shake or a pill doesn't help us with the behaviors that got us here in the first place.
  • sandyinsc
    sandyinsc Posts: 70 Member
    I was recently stunned by a good friend's post on Facebook about a Wrap Party where they go get their waists wrapped and "lose up to 6 inches" blah blah blah. Someone called BS, and the person selling this snake oil came back and said that the methodology "shrank fat cells".

    You're right...it's very amazing that people want to lose weight so badly that they're willing to throw money at it, but not enough to put in the effort. Thankful to MFP and all the support here to help me get where I am today!
  • _TEMPEST_
    _TEMPEST_ Posts: 205
    I find it really ironic that Sharon Osbourne is a spokesperson for the Atkins Diet....when she admittedly had lap band surgery (and then had it removed). What message does THAT send!?!
  • MaddameKat
    MaddameKat Posts: 200 Member
    OP - this is what i was after today!

    Peoples ideas of quick fixes really bug me, i makes me feel cheated that i am doing it the long and slow way.

    I am learning what to put in my mouth and how to move about and how to play.

    Others get to go nothing but push go on the microwave and are expecting me to congratulate there loss.

    Once they reach goal the go back to square one.. they know nothing about how their body works, what to eat and how to be healthy.

    One girl i work with has had a big loss using one of these programs and i snubbed it. She knows nothing about cooking , hates the gym and is all a bit clueless.

    It feels like a smack in the face sometimes.
  • linz1125
    linz1125 Posts: 441 Member
    Everyone knows how to lose weight and be healthy. It's a not new phenomenon that people are completely oblivious to. It's the damaging mentality and influence of the media that deceive people into believing they can reach their goals without hard work.

    No, we don't. Or we wouldn't have an obesity problem in America. The science is not new - but all these "miracle fixes" are and people think that they work. I don't think there is adequate education on nutrition (at least in US schools). I admit being a college graduate and not knowing basic nutrition. So I am working with a nutritionist to educate myself. If I had done this years ago I would have saved myself a lot of trouble. Not only do people not know about nutrition, they no longer know how to prepare simple meals. Cooking is not something that is a basic course in most schools, and if your parents didn't really cook then chances are you won't either.
    Eating healthy is not rocket science - but if you never had any guidance on how to eat healthy, its incredibly confusing and intimidating. And all of the crazy marketing techniques now really make it very difficult to make healthy choices.
  • rgohm
    rgohm Posts: 294 Member
    I was recently stunned by a good friend's post on Facebook about a Wrap Party where they go get their waists wrapped and "lose up to 6 inches" blah blah blah. Someone called BS, and the person selling this snake oil came back and said that the methodology "shrank fat cells".

    You're right...it's very amazing that people want to lose weight so badly that they're willing to throw money at it, but not enough to put in the effort. Thankful to MFP and all the support here to help me get where I am today!

    Shrink fat cells?! I am so there! Where's my wallet? Oh wait it is empty I guess I will just have to try to watch what I eat and move more. . . stupid lack of money!
  • Qskim
    Qskim Posts: 1,145 Member
    I can sympathsise with someone wanting the quickest route to weight loss. The only thing I've ever tried like this is shakes..that lasted a week. My hand hovered over pills at the chemist at one stage because of someone I know losing weight that way. I didn't agree with it but boy I wanted to get it over n done with! She put it all back on and I was really sad for her. I knew from her experience that I had to accept it'll take time. That calmed me down. If I could give people anything from my own experience this time..it's that it's not just the goal weight that is an achievement...you start to feel empowered after the first five kilos and so on. When people start to notice it propels you on. So throughout the whole loss you feel great...dont have to lose the entire amount to get a high from it. It doesn't have to be a drudgery...it can be challenging but still enjoyable.

    I wish I could bottle what gave me the impetus to just begin. I'd give it to everyone.
  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,716 Member
    Good on you.

    The funny part is after you lose the weight people will still refuse to believe you did it that way.

    "So what did you do? What's your secret?"

    "Diet and exercise. Counted my calories and started working out."

    "Yeah yeah, but really, what was it? What pills did you take? Did you cleanse? I bet you cleansed. And no way I could lose weight, I'd hate to give up bread. I've been watching Dr. Oz and ordered a bunch of stuff, so I should be in a bikini come summer!"

    :grumble:
  • oceangirl37
    oceangirl37 Posts: 37 Member
    We all have different bodies and I do not see the value in judging or putting one another down for our methods. Counting calories and exercise is what I choose at this time but that does not mean that what another chooses is not right or that it cannot work.

    The internet is a very convenient way to throw out passive aggressive comments and not have to be held accountable for them. Perhaps we should just try to support one another and be proud of our accomplishments rather than looking down our noses.

    I can't support someone who uses non doctor prescribed diet pills. how does that teach someone to be healthy. I also won't support someone who dangerously lowers their calories or throws up their meals. or uses dangerous, fad diets. I'm not here to be supportive of unhealthy methods and I'll call it out when I see it
  • newlyf
    newlyf Posts: 20 Member
    I agree! I want to lose this weight for good. With MFP I am finally learning all about portion control and exercise. Yes it can at times be a little annoying when the weight comes off a little slow...but I am quickly learning....PATIENCE IS KEY! There have been days when I see no change or even a slight change for the worse....then there are days when I see positive changes that are wonderful. If it takes me a year, so be it. There's one thing I know for sure...once it is gone...it will NEVER be back! :drinker:

    Anyone that agrees with me...feel free to friend me. We will do this together!! :flowerforyou:
  • escloflowneCHANGED
    escloflowneCHANGED Posts: 3,038 Member
    I have been on the journey to lose weight. But i decided to do it the right way. count calories and exercise. And people seem to find it hard to believe this is all im doing. And yes im going to brag that its all about getting off your butt and moving! But its crazy the things im reading and seeing on tv. Juice diets? Eat special K and lose weight in 2 weeks! Take this supplement but yet its not evaluated by the FDA. Do this workout. Buy this membership or this piece of exercise equipment. And another that gets me is these food programs. How does that teach you how to live? It may work for some people. But do you want to be 60 and still converting your meals into points? Why is it that some people cant face reality that weight loss takes work, And why is it so hard to believe that you don't have to diet so to say. That you cant learn to eat normal everyday foods in a healthier way. And its so funny going through the weigh tloss sections of stores and seeing these drinks and bars that pack more calories then if you were to prepare the meals to begin with. it took time to learn habits and its going to take time to fix them. okkk. venting over!

    This is why you will succeed where a lot of people fail!