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!

Meh, people have to do what works for them and most people are going to fail no matter what they try. If counting calories and exercising was all it took, I wouldn't be here today. I've been using this "lifestyle" for almost 15 years to lose weight and gain it back and lose it and gain more and lose it and gain...and on and on. In the years I've been counting calories, I've seen people lose weight by counting calories and exercising and are maintaining, I've seen people who've done low carb and are maintaining, I've seen people who started with OTC weight loss pills and are maintaining, and I've seen even more people do weight watchers and maintain their losses.

Why do we feel the need to put down the people who choose to lose in a way different from us? In the end, pretty much any diet will work, it's what the person does/is willing to do to maintain that matters. Each person has to find what works for them and figure out the path to weight loss on their own. Making comments about how people who do it differently from us are just going to gain it all back sounds petty and jealous. Most people on here "doing it the right way" are going to gain their weight back at least once, if not 10 times before it sticks. As for being 60 and converting meals to points--how do you plan to maintain your loss? Do you want to be 60 and still counting your calories? If you want to maintain, then you probably will have to be doing something like that.

ETA: I actually think Weight Watchers is probably a better program for many people who have no clue about nutrition. MFP does nothing to teach us about nutrition and how much fruits and veggies we should eat or how much lean protein, etc. Weight Watchers at least promotes eating X servings of fruits and veggies, eating X servings of dairy, X servings of healthy oils and choosing whole grains and lean proteins when possible. How mahy people on MFP have posted that they are struggling and then when their diaries are brought to light it's obvious they have no clue about eating healthily? Just because you can eat at a calorie deficit doesn't mean you know how to be healthy.

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 exactly what I try to teach people all the time. Weight loss doesn't happen overnight, it doesn't come from a pill and it sure as hell takes work. All I ever hear is one excuse after another. I don't have time, I can't afford to eat healthy or clean, I don't like to cook....the list goes on and on. If you're not willing to throw those excuses out the window and put in some effort, it will never work. Calories in, calories out...FACT!!!!!

Great post! :-)

I always tell people I lost weight from Stress, Men and Tequila...for some reason people accept that answer better than Exercise and Watching What I Eat.

:noway:

I just have to use that line.

It'll be gin rather than tequila though!

I get really frustrated because now every time I see someone I have not seen in a while, they obviously notice my weight loss, and they ask me how I did it. They all seem disappointed when I tell them it was through healthy eating and exercise. They are obviously wanting it to be some kind of magic pill or powder that does not take any effort. Like they want to lose weight or be healthy, but it is just not worth working at. I feel like if I can do it, anyone can, and it makes me sad that they don't try because it seems to hard. But I also know that I used to be that same person, and I had to get to a different place where I was willing to make changes, so maybe they will too, in their own time!

I get really frustrated because now every time I see someone I have not seen in a while, they obviously notice my weight loss, and they ask me how I did it. They all seem disappointed when I tell them it was through healthy eating and exercise. They are obviously wanting it to be some kind of magic pill or powder that does not take any effort. Like they want to lose weight or be healthy, but it is just not worth working at. I feel like if I can do it, anyone can, and it makes me sad that they don't try because it seems to hard. But I also know that I used to be that same person, and I had to get to a different place where I was willing to make changes, so maybe they will too, in their own time!

I think this sums it up. It saddens us that people who ask seem disappointed because we didn't give them the magic secret they were hoping for, as if it's just too hard. But, like you said, we all have to get to that place. Not everybody's ready, so it's important not to be judgmental while still sticking to your guns and being there for them when they are ready to do it "the hard way."

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.

All she's trying to say is quick fixes are just that... QUICK fixes. They QUICKLY go away, too. You are eventually going to want more than a chocolate covered protein bar for breakfast or some frozen lean cuisine meal for lunch. Most of the stuff out there is no good long term, and it keeps people yo-yoing all of their lives. These companies that make these weight loss pills and special "weight loss" foods aren't looking to help you make a change in your life, they are helping you set up to fail and come back to them later. They want your MONEY, not your health.

The internet is also a very convenient way to act like a snob with minimal backlash. They made a point and you're mad, I understand. But no one is looking down on you, they are just saying what your doing is most likely not going to work. It's not a lifestyle change, it's a fad diet or pill you can't live on.

Don't be so sensitive.

Ya I see my roomie doing extreme dieting all the time. Her parents are really on her about losing weight because she won't get a boyfreind otherwise. I'm not lying, they truely believe that to get a guy you have to be thin. So her mom pushes her to do these diets. Eating just protein and yogurt or this HDC diet (I think it's called that) where you take these drops throughout the day to supress your appetite and you eat just 500 calories. The 'drop' diet made her lose 20lbs but one poutine later and she gained back 3lbs in a day and then packed on all the 20lbs and more. I see her lunches she brings to work and their small and really not enough for a grown adult to eat. I'm never suprised when I see her at night eating a whole bag of chips to herself. She goes through phases all the time and always complains about her weight but never really puts a lot of effort into being healthy. She knows the reality that to lose weight you have to eat healthy and work out, it's not rocky science but maybe her fantasy world is more comforting.

I hope that she'll eventually make a good change and stop buying into the fads. But she needs to find her own path. Maybe I can be her inspiration

Okay, I have lost and gained 15lbs over the past year. Currently attempting to do this again due to none of my work pants fitting. anyway, I have a pretty hard time waking up in the morning to run. an energy type supplement helps get me up and going. Using purely for the wakeup call has helped me get on a routine. I have had touble with making sure to have things handy to eat every couple of hours. I work a lot and Running in the morning at 5AM and going boxing in the evenings, i dont have a ton of time to get things ready for snacks/healthy meals. I am making it work as much as i can. Dont put people down for the way they lose weight. Some want a quick fix to get on track and maintain. Sometimes you just need a cupcake

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!

This exactly, it takes hard work but people dont want to work hard, but I am a little confused by the diet fads that require you eat 500 calories a day, why are people willing to do that but not willing to eat 1200 and exercise?

yes

bump to read later

For some reason, I always think of Oprah when I see or hear these kind of things! You know, she is one of the richest people in the world, yet she is over weight and is open about her constant struggle with weight loss. Here this woman has all the money in the world and could buy any type of weight loss gimmick, any type of diet special item....and yet....

I think it just gets back to the old and true stand by: clean eating and hard exercise!!!!!

There's an old Zen saying: "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear."



Those who are looking for a quick fix or magic secret aren't ready yet to hear the teaching you have to do. They may NEVER be ready. I've spent a lot of years not dieting or trying to lose weight. I knew what I needed to do (pretty much what we are all doing here) but didn't have the motivation.

People who go for the pills, the cleanses, the quick fixes, are (I think, anyway) trying to avoid knowing that weight loss and being healthy isn't quick or easy and is going to take a little effort on their part. They don't want to expend that time or effort.