LIFESTYLE VRS WEIGHT LOSS

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billiegirl17
billiegirl17 Posts: 47 Member
in Motivation and Support
Anyone else out there who struggles with your life style getting in the way of your goals. And I know what a lot of you are going to say, Change Your Lifestyle. Easier said than done. And I like my lifestyle - except for the weight gain in recent years. My husband and I have raised our kids and worked very hard to get to this point. We enjoy going out with friends - this usually involves cocktails. We also like to travel. All-inclusive resorts and vacations in general DO NOT make eating healthy very easy. I would love some REALISTIC suggestions or to have friends on MFP with similar issues.

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  • MJannelle
    MJannelle Posts: 20
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    No kids but I work very hard and play very hard as well. I lost a fairly large amount of weight and kept it off until recently. I regained 15lbs (since lost 10 again) due to living the good life of booze, fine food and not enough exercise.

    Here’s how I augmented my lifestyle to get losing again:
    1) Booze, drink less often (one or twice a week) and choose wine/hard liquor (gin and tonic) when I do drink. Keep sugary cocktails to one per night out.
    2) Eat out less, or eat the salad instead of the pasta or pizza. I get vegan at home and vegetarian when I go out. Yes I love the taste of all the amazing foods that restaurants make but I like fitting into my jeans better.
    3) Move more. I don’t have the time or interest in going to the gym every day but even I can find time to walk for 20-30 minutes every other day. That may not sound like much but walking is very effective when your diets in check.

    You don’t have to turn into a gym bunny or stop having a life but if you want to change your body you’re going to have to make some changes in your life. Hope that helps, also feel free to add me if you’d like. :)
  • laney4818
    laney4818 Posts: 73 Member
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    No kids but I work very hard and play very hard as well. I lost a fairly large amount of weight and kept it off until recently. I regained 15lbs (since lost 10 again) due to living the good life of booze, fine food and not enough exercise.

    Here’s how I augmented my lifestyle to get losing again:
    1) Booze, drink less often (one or twice a week) and choose wine/hard liquor (gin and tonic) when I do drink. Keep sugary cocktails to one per night out.
    2) Eat out less, or eat the salad instead of the pasta or pizza. I get vegan at home and vegetarian when I go out. Yes I love the taste of all the amazing foods that restaurants make but I like fitting into my jeans better.
    3) Move more. I don’t have the time or interest in going to the gym every day but even I can find time to walk for 20-30 minutes every other day. That may not sound like much but walking is very effective when your diets in check.

    You don’t have to turn into a gym bunny or stop having a life but if you want to change your body you’re going to have to make some changes in your life. Hope that helps, also feel free to add me if you’d like. :)

    Nicely said!!

    I can very much relate to the original poster! I'm trying to find that balance in enjoying life and keeping weight in check! One other thing that helps me is that I've gotten to a point that when i go out for dinner, which is a lot, I can usually eat just half my meal and take the other half home.

    When I go on vacations, I try to stay active and walk a lot, then I don't worry too much about my eating.
  • barb1241
    barb1241 Posts: 324 Member
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    Anyone else out there who struggles with your life style getting in the way of your goals. And I know what a lot of you are going to say, Change Your Lifestyle. Easier said than done. And I like my lifestyle - except for the weight gain in recent years. My husband and I have raised our kids and worked very hard to get to this point. We enjoy going out with friends - this usually involves cocktails. We also like to travel. All-inclusive resorts and vacations in general DO NOT make eating healthy very easy. I would love some REALISTIC suggestions or to have friends on MFP with similar issues.

    Sometimes, you need to pick what you want. To be fit or to go out on the town and live it up with friends. You can't always have it both ways-you would be better served to modify both sides of the equation to something you can live with long term.

    Sorry if that sounds snarky. Not meant to be. I drink a glass of wine and have Chinese buffet and eat chocolate and etc. But I have found ways to incorporate it into an overall healthier lifestyle. In my case, I decided that losing a bunch of pounds would allow me to live the good life a lot longer, so I've changed what I was doing.

    ETA-I am 51 and I have lost about 70 lbs, quit smoking, modified my eating habits and I am still having fun. LOTS of fun. It is a real hoot to carry 70 pounds less around with everything I do.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,701 Member
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    Anyone else out there who struggles with your life style getting in the way of your goals. And I know what a lot of you are going to say, Change Your Lifestyle. Easier said than done. And I like my lifestyle - except for the weight gain in recent years. My husband and I have raised our kids and worked very hard to get to this point. We enjoy going out with friends - this usually involves cocktails. We also like to travel. All-inclusive resorts and vacations in general DO NOT make eating healthy very easy. I would love some REALISTIC suggestions or to have friends on MFP with similar issues.
    If you care more about your lifestyle than your weight gain, then nothing's going to happen. Hate to tell you that you sacrifice to meet a goal. So really it's about what you choose.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • sweetsarahv
    sweetsarahv Posts: 180 Member
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    seems difficult to make suggestions for getting results if you don't want to change the way you are living...

    how BAD do you want to lose the excess weight? if it isn't bad enough to give up any of those things you enjoy, then you aren't ready yet...and may never be ready...and that's ok!

    but maybe my one thing i can say would be if you are going to play hard, workout EXTRA EXTRA hard :)
  • jeme3
    jeme3 Posts: 355 Member
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    It's really not complicated.

    If you are not willing to consume fewer calories, your options are to burn them off (exercise more) or gain weight.

    Take your pick.
  • DenverGirl93
    DenverGirl93 Posts: 32 Member
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    I havent loss as nearly much weight as the previous posters but totally understand what you mean. Extremely social on the weekends and that is where I tend to overindulge. Also started MFP 2 weeks before a cruise then it was was the holidays, etc..so needless to say my initial weightloss was very slow. Plus I love my cocktails! What I realized is that I actually love to gather with friends and it wasnt so much what I am eatting but just that I was out enjoying myself and socializing. I normally check out the menu PRIOR to arriving and will log my meals on MFP so I know exactly what to get. If I dont do it that way then I will overindulge. Also I do allow myself a skinny cocktail whenver I am out. Average calories for a skinny margarita is about 110 calories Some items I have just given up ie the chocolate martinis..they are so high in calories. So you CAN have the lifestyle but you also have to learn to exercise some self control. ;)
  • calamity71
    calamity71 Posts: 207 Member
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    Anyone else out there who struggles with your life style getting in the way of your goals. And I know what a lot of you are going to say, Change Your Lifestyle. Easier said than done. And I like my lifestyle - except for the weight gain in recent years. My husband and I have raised our kids and worked very hard to get to this point. We enjoy going out with friends - this usually involves cocktails. We also like to travel. All-inclusive resorts and vacations in general DO NOT make eating healthy very easy. I would love some REALISTIC suggestions or to have friends on MFP with similar issues.

    none of that stuff matters if you don't have your health.
    Said from the man holding a bottle of tequila. :drinker:
  • calamity71
    calamity71 Posts: 207 Member
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    Anyone else out there who struggles with your life style getting in the way of your goals. And I know what a lot of you are going to say, Change Your Lifestyle. Easier said than done. And I like my lifestyle - except for the weight gain in recent years. My husband and I have raised our kids and worked very hard to get to this point. We enjoy going out with friends - this usually involves cocktails. We also like to travel. All-inclusive resorts and vacations in general DO NOT make eating healthy very easy. I would love some REALISTIC suggestions or to have friends on MFP with similar issues.

    none of that stuff matters if you don't have your health.
    Said from the man holding a bottle of tequila. :drinker:

    Health is weight dependent. If there is a 700lbs man who "eats healthy" and a man at a healthy weight who eats "junk" who's healthier and has less health complications?

    I am healthier now 147lbs less with a tequila bottle in my hand.

    I was only razzing you cause I am jealous that it is in your hand. I have cut out alcohol most of the time to help me lose. Tequila is my fav....hence I recognized the bottle from the little pic. But...Congrats on your success. :)
  • ccruns920
    ccruns920 Posts: 14 Member
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    If I am some place with great cocktails, I have one high-calorie drink then switch to vodka-soda (sometimes splash of cran). Or, I order a hefty martini and sip on it for a loong time. I'd much rather drink less and use my calories for a very tasty dinner. My husband and I are a bit younger, but we've been on several cruises. I know it can be hard, but we try to really boost our activity on days where we know we'll be indulging.
  • lmcrt
    lmcrt Posts: 5 Member
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    Well believe me I feel exactly the same way...I have 2 toddlers and I work. Life is hectic and exhausting and getting fast food, ordering out, or eating out is the easy choice and oh yes its yummy too...But on the down side I feel like crap and am always tired, live on starbucks coffee to keep me going. Its just not good and I needed to change to live for my kids and to feel better. Just eat more at home, less processed foods, less carbs and workout at least 3 days a week. And work out harder on the days you want to indulge. Make better choices when out to eat like salads with dressing on the side (light dressing). Look for lower calories options on the menu and eat smaller portions. Drink wine or hard liquor on the rock with just a splash of juice. But try to limit your drinking. It won't hurt to stay home one night and snuggle up on the couch watching a movie with some low fat popcorn and a glass of skinny wine.

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